Cherry Pie Bars
These cherry pie bars are tasty and pretty! A homemade dessert that is easy to make and slices up and serves perfectly! Use any pie filling!
A Deliciously Simple Homemade Dessert
Is there anything prettier than a cherry or strawberry dessert? I love the colors, I love the flavors and they are perfect for the holidays. You can use any flavor pie filling to switch it up a bit. Blueberry is another favorite of mine. As always, I love adding a little almond extract along with anything cherry. It really enhances the cherry flavor without overwhelming it.
Tips For Making Cherry Bars
- I have made this recipe with peach, strawberry, apple and blueberry pie fillings. All of them were amazing and worked perfectly!
- You will need a larger baking sheet for this. You might see it called a jelly roll pan. Trust me, it’ll get a ton of use once you make these bars one time. You’ll be hooked! I just know you are going to fall in love with these bars. The cherry filling plays peekaboo around the dollops of dough. They slice up and serve beautifully.
- If you love this recipe, be sure to go have a look at my recipe for Cherry Crumble Bars!
- These bars can be frozen.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- butter – I’m using unsalted here but you could certainly use salted. Just leave out the additional salt included in the recipe. It needs to be real butter though, not margarine.
- sugar – I have not tried this with any sugar substitutes but it should work if you are using a 1:1 ratio sugar substitution (like Splenda for baking).
- large eggs – baked goods turn out best when all the ingredients are at room temperature so that goes for the eggs too.
- vanilla and almond extracts – the almond extract compliments the cherry flavor so well. If you just don’t like almond extract then leave it out.
- all-purpose flour – self rising flour won’t work in this recipe. Because self-rising flour has a leavening agent, it won’t turn out properly in this recipe where there is no leavening agent (like baking powder or baking soda needed).
- cherry pie filling – you can use any pie filling you love with this recipe or make your own! You could also use sugar free options.
How To Make Cherry Pie Bars
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.
Gradually add flour.
Spread 3 cups dough into a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Spread with pie filling.
Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. NOTE: Oven times can vary. Please go by doneness, not just by time. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, mix confectioner’s sugar, extracts and enough milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over top.
Makes about 12 large slices.
Craving More Recipes?
Cherry Pie Bars
Ingredients
For the bars:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened to room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 (21 ounce) cans cherry pie filling
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened to room temperature, 2 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy.
- Add 4 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.
- Gradually add 3 cups all-purpose flour.
- Spread 3 cups dough into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Spread 2 (21 ounce) cans cherry pie filling evenly on top.
- Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling.
- Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.NOTE: Oven times can vary. Many ovens have hot and cold spots so please go by doneness, not just by the time.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and about 2-3 Tablespoons milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over top.
Video
Notes
- Use any flavor pie filling you prefer.
- These bars can be frozen.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: October 2016
Updated & republished: September 2020
Recipe source: Taste of Home (2001)
Amazing treat. They freeze really well
So good and they were gobbled up fast! Thank you! They freeze really well! There is only two of us so this is too much and I have frozen it with success as well.
I have made these 3 times now using a 9×13 and it still works. The bars are, obviously, thicker and take about twice as long to bake but they are still a hit. I finally just broke down and bought a jelly roll pan so next time (and I am sure there will be a next time) I have all the suggested equipment.
These turned out perfect! Awesome directions! It was a huge hit at our Thanksgiving potluck and I came home empty-handed. LOL I was hoping for some leftovers for myself! So many people asked for the recipe. Thank you!
I don’t refrigerate them but if you’re not eating within 2 days, then refrigerate or freeze 🙂
Delicious and easy to make. Just dusted powdered sugar on top instead of the glaze. Thank you!
Hi Linda, I am sorry, I haven’t tried making this without eggs. Is there an egg substitute you normally use? Perhaps someone on here who is used to baking without eggs can help us out! 🙂
use ground flax seed meal, commonly used as an egg replacement in vegan baking. gives a slight but nice “nutty” flavor.
Love this recipe! It’s a hit whenever I make it !
I made this today for a family picnic. It was a huge hit! I topped half with cherry and half with blueberry. This is a definite do-over recipe!
Love the half and half idea!! Thanks so much Vanessa!
Huge, huge hit!! These were absolutely excellent! Going into my recipe file 🙂
These are so, so good! I’ve made it with so many pie filings (cherry, strawberry, apple and peach) and they all go perfectly with this recipe. Thank you!
The cherry part didn’t set up. I used Wilderness cherries, two cans.
I’m not sure. Cherry pie filling is already thick and set up. You’re just essentially warming it up with this recipe.
Came out perfect and was a huge hit at our Memorial Day BBQ! I made two big trays, one with blueberry and the other cherry. Perfect for those red, white and blue colors.
Can I make these a couple days before use and put them in the fridge until it’s time to eat?
You should be able to. I prefer them fresh to be honest and they are best eaten at room temperature.
Making these again today. They are the best!! I was a trained and experienced pastry chef in my younger years. 79 now. Don’t want to stand as much anymore. Tiny kitchen. Wanted to make a Cherry Pie for my daughter-in-law(for her birthday-her favorite). Found this recipe. So delicious and easy!!! Loved by all! Thanks!!!
What a wonderful comment Mimi – thank you so much! That means a lot coming from someone with your expertise! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment 🙂
I’ve made these so many times now I had to rate and comment. I’ve made them for holidays, pot lucks, small and large gatherings; always a hit with both adults and children. By themselves or paired with vanilla ice cream. One time I made them and then froze some, they’re even good slightly frozen. I usually use a can of cherry and a can of blueberry. So delicious, thank you for sharing this recipe!
Looks delicious! Can you use gluten free flour for this recipe?
I’ve never tried it – I am sorry! I am not familiar enough with gluten free flour to say one way or another.
I’m sure you can, I make almost everything that calls for flour w gluten free flour!
Taste delicious!
so yummy!
These are Delicious!! Keeping this recipe. Quick and enjoyed it warm even.
I made them and they look great can’t wait till they cool completely
This is probably one of my most favorite dessert recipes!
Is the crust more flaky or . . .?
The crust is a soft sugar cookie base.
how long will they keep in the fridge?
You know, that is a great question. I honestly don’t know since I haven’t tested that out. They are always gone within a day or two.
Have you tried with homemade cherry topping? I have a bunch of cherries to use and would like to make my own. May have a recipe to do so but checking to see if you have one that is tried-and-true!
Yes, you can make cherry pie filling with sour cherries. If the cherry filling is still runny at the end of cooking it on the stove, add 1-2 Tbs. More corn starch. The filling tastes amazing in this recipe. The sweetness of the “frosting” and the semi sour of the cherry pie filling is amazing. Also made this with canned cherry pie filling. Delicious both ways!!
can cherry pie bars be frozen
Yep! I mention that in the post above
EASY AND DELICIOUS
these are the best! so easy to make! I have made them several times now and they are always a hit and never last long! our house favorite for sure!!!!
My husband went nuts for this!! He said it’s the best dessert I’ve made in a long time. Thank you!
My new “go to” recipe! #grandmagrandaughterbaking
Day#memoriesmade
amazing!
Thanks so much Shannon!
Absolutely devine!! I couldn’t keep everyone’s hands off these to save some for me – ha! Definitely in our dessert rotation now 🙂
Absolutely delicious! I made this for a work event and I should’ve made more LOL
Made these for a work Christmas party, they were a huge hit! Everyone ate them up first and asked if I made more LOL
Can these be frozen?
I address that in the post and the recipe card already. They can be frozen.
Are you kidding me?! I think this is one of the best desserts I have ever made – like ever! So good – wow!!
These bars are simply delicious! Since I came across the recipe, I have been making them every year for my birthday treat using cherry pie filling from Door County, Wis. I usually make them according to the posted recipe but this year I tried using a pastry bag to add the dough on top as suggested by other reviews. Unfortunately this method just gave me blobs on top rather than the crackled appearance I had when I used it exactly the way your recipe is written (dropping with a spoon). Excellent and tasty recipe!!
Can I freeze them. They are the bomb
Can you use Apple pie filling
Yes, I mention that above in the post 🙂
These are amazing! I just canned some cherry pie filling so saved some to make these bars. Very easy and everyone loved them.
Can this be stored at room temperature? and for about how long?
This looks great! I’m going to top the cherry filling, before topping with crust, with small dollops of blueberry pie filling for the 4th of July!
Sounds like a fabulous idea! Hope you love it!
I made this as directed in a jelly roll pan but I used one can of cherry pie filling instead of two. I distributed the cherries evenly around the bottom layer with clean hands. The next time I make this (and there WILL be a next time!), I will add some lemon juice to brighten up the flavor of the red filling before spreading it on the dough.
What I really liked about this recipe: it’s very pretty and I got lots of “Ooos & ahhs” from the guests. I made it the day (24 hrs) before, drizzling it with the icing (lemon juice and powdered sugar, mixed & placed in a small zip bag, then dizzled on the cake by cutting off a tiny bit of one of the corners.
The cake did NOT dry out and get stale at all. It was soft even 4 days later (I slipped the plate of cookies/cake into a supermarket veggie bag and loosely closed it around the plate.) To show how good this is, I was asked for the recipe by 2 other ladies at the event. Thank you for a great recipe that I can make in advance.
Hi Deb! What a fantastic comment! Great tips too! So thrilled everyone loved it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment ❤️
A friend of our brought this dessert over for Monday Night Football this past week and I fell in love. I am making it now 4 days later! This is by far the best and easiest recipe I’ve had in years, if not ever! Thank you for the recipe! Mine is in the oven now.
Husband asked me to put some cream cheese in them, so I just put dallops of cream cheese around the areas I put the dough on top! Can’t wait to try it this way!
Wow, I made this for a family function and it was a hit. I read the reviews and I saw a review from Harpie saying to put the remaining batter in a ziploc bag (as a pastry bag) to squeeze the dough out onto the cherries…….it made it so much easier.
My family absolutely loved these Cherry Bars!!
So happy to hear that Deb! So thrilled to hear everyone loved it!
Easy to make, easy to eat, very tasty. Used peach pie filling and it was perfect. Used an offset spatula to spread the base.
Thanks so very much Helene!
I made these as a treat for my husband’s work. I used a 9X13 pan (the throw away ones) and baked it for the time said and they were a so good. everyone loved them.
only difference I did was I used apple pie filling instead of cherry.
Thank you so much for coming back to comment! I am so thrilled to hear they were a hit!
Did you follow the recipe using 2 cans of cherry pie filling? Asking because some reviews said two cans were too much. Also how well did they cook in a 9×13 pan? I don’t have a jelly roll pan and want to use a 9×13 but saw some reviews that said the dough didn’t cook through using a jelly roll pan.
Can I cut the recipe in half using one can of filling and use a 9 x 13” pan
You can try but I haven’t tested that yet. If you try please come back & let me know how it goes!
These are phenomenal!!
Made this for a neighborhood get together and people asked for it for years afterwards!
Thanks so very much Linda!!
Hope to have something to take to a dinner this was very easy looked wonderful and it taste even better thank you for the recipe
That’s so wonderful Lyndia! Thanks so much for coming back to comment!
Made this for a mens get-together; they raved about it and now it’s all my husband can talk about.
He keeps telling me it’s his new favorite dessert so I am surprising him with a pan of cherry pie bars for him for Father’s Day.
He will be excited.
Great recipe.
That makes me so happy to hear Barb – thank you so much!!
Enjoyed these and they’re certainly easy to make!
My family loves these. We’ve made them many different times using cherries, blueberries, or peaches. All are awesome! My cookie sheet/jelly roll pan is a little bigger than the 15×10 recommended here so I always 1 1/4 the recipe and it’s perfect. Thanks for a great recipe!