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With a hint of almond, a heavenly glaze, and bursts of sweet cherries, these delicious Cherry Bars are the sweetest way to treat a crowd!

If you love all the flavors in Cherry Pie, you’ll love these simple no-fuss cherry bars! They’re similar to our Peach Crumb Bars but with a rich red color and tart cherry taste. Add them to your list of easy dessert recipes!

A pan filled with cherry bars and topped with a sweet glaze.


For the cherry Lovers!

Have any of your friends ever made a dessert before, and after trying it you tell them, “I NEED that recipe!!” Well, that’s exactly what happened when I tried my friend, Marie’s, cherry bars.

These cherry squares were DELICIOUS, but the two things I loved most about them were:

A) they had almond extract which is my all-time FAVORITE ingredient.

B) they just looked darn right pretty. And who can resist a pretty treat?

These bars are great for so many reasons, but it also serves a ton, making it perfect for parties and get-togethers. So if you love cherries and are wanting Cherry Pie and need to feed a crowd, opt for this recipe instead!

Making Cherry Bars

PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease your 10 ½  x 15 ½ jelly roll pan.

CRUST. Cream sugar, butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well. Add flour and baking powder, and stir just until blended.

CHERRY FILLING. Spread ⅔ of the batter into the cookie sheet. Spread the pie filling over the batter. Drop the remaining batter by teaspoonfuls over the pie filling.

BAKE. Bake for 33-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

GLAZE. For the glaze, mix together the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl; drizzle over cooled bars. Let set until the glaze is set.

CUT. Cut into bars/squares. Enjoy!

Spreading the cherry filling for cherry bars.

Recipe Tips

Pan size. If you do not have a jelly roll pan that is 10×15 you can use a 9×13 pan. However, the dough will be thicker and will require a longer baking time.

No sticking. To make cutting and serving cherry dessert bars easy, simply line your pan with parchment paper. Once the bars cool a bit, use the overhanging parchment paper to lift it out of the pan.

Perfect slices. Once it has been removed from the pan, use a sharp knife, and wipe the blade between cuts to make even squares.

Cream Cheese. Adding a cream cheese layer is also really delicious. Simply beat together 8 oz cream cheese (softened), ¼ cup sugar, and 1 egg. Spread it over the batter, then add the cherry pie filling layer. 

Prepping cherry bars for baking.

How to Store

STORE. Keep the cherry bars in an airtight container, separating the layers with parchment or wax paper. They will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

FREEZE. Wrap each bar with plastic wrap. Then, either wrap them each again with aluminum foil or place the plastic-wrapped bars in a freezer-safe container.

Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw before serving. 

Cherry bars topped with sweet glaze.

Recipe FAQ

What can I use in place of cherry pie filling?

This recipe is pretty easy to change and use your favorite pie filling. Instead of using a cherry pie filling, use blueberry, peach, raspberry, strawberry, or apple pie filling.

Can I use a 9×13 pan?

If you do not have a jelly roll pan that is 10×15 you can use a 9×13 pan. However, the dough will be thicker and will require a longer baking time.

For more bar desserts, try:

4.98 from 45 votes

Cherry Bars Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
With a hint of almond, a heavenly glaze, and bursts of sweet cherries, these delicious Cherry Bars are the sweetest way to treat a crowd!
Servings: 24
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 33 minutes
Total: 43 minutes

Equipment

  • 10 ½  x 15 ½  jelly roll pan

Ingredients 

Bar

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoon milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Grease your 10 ½  x 15 ½ jelly roll pan.
  • Cream sugar, butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well. Add flour and baking powder, and stir just until blended.
  • Spread ⅔ of the batter into the cookie sheet. Spread the pie filling over the batter. Drop the remaining batter by teaspoonfuls over the pie filling.
  • Bake for 33-38 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool completely.
  • For the glaze, mix together the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl; drizzle over cooled bars. Let set until the glaze is set.
  • Cut into bars. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 83mg, Potassium: 86mg, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 325IU, Vitamin C: 0.9mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 0.9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!


About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




47 Comments

  1. These cherry bars really do look great. However, you didn’t list any almond extract. You commented about the almond, but they never put it in the recipe.

    1. There is almond extract in the glaze (not the cake), so that’s the hint of almond this recipe has. That is listed in the glaze ingredients. Hope that helps!

  2. 5 stars
    This looks absolutely delicious. I love how simple it looks. Cherries is a family favorite, can’t wait to make this for a quick dessert.

  3. 5 stars
    These bars are so good. Made these for a father’s day gathering and they were gone in seconds. Had so many people ask for the recipe. Definitely will be making these at our next family event.

  4. 5 stars
    These cherry bars are amazing! My family loved them so much that I think it’s a new favorite treat in our house!

  5. 5 stars
    These cherry bars are addicting! They were packed with flavors that my guests loved! Plus the glaze is a winner!