Have you ever tried a friend’s dessert and thought, “I NEED that recipe!!” Well, that’s exactly what happened when I tried my friend, Marie’s, cherry pie bars. They are now a family favorite, and a go-to dessert, especially in the spring and summer.
If you love the flavors of Cherry Pie, you’ll love this simple no-fuss bar recipe! They’re also more simple than pie, and just as (or even more) delicious!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- A secret ingredient. These bars include a hint of almond extract, a FAVORITE addition!
- Show stopper. This easy dessert recipe is beautiful and delicious, perfect for special occasions. Who can resist a pretty treat?
- Feeds a crowd. This tasty dessert makes enough to feed 24 people!
Cherry Bars Ingredients
Bars
- Granulated sugar (1 ¾ cups)- Sugar sweetens the crumb and helps the top brown to a light golden finish.
- Butter, room temperature (1 cup)- Butter adds rich flavor and tenderness. See How to Soften Butter Quickly for tips.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)- Rounds out the sweetness and boosts the cherry and almond notes.
- Eggs (4)- Eggs bind the batter and add structure so the bars slice neatly. Room temperature eggs will incorporate best.
- All-purpose flour (3 cups)- Forms the base of the soft cake layer and supports the cherry filling. See How to Measure Flour for the most accurate amounts.
- Baking powder (1 ½ teaspoons)- Baking powder lifts the batter so the scattered dollops puff up around the fruit.
- Cherry pie filling (21-ounces)- Cherry pie filling brings juicy pockets of fruit and a gorgeous ruby swirl. You can also use your favorite pie filling flavor.
Glaze
- Powdered sugar (1 cup) – Makes a smooth glaze that sets into a sweet sheen. Sift it to remove any clumps.
- Milk (1-2 tablespoons)- Thins the glaze to a drizzleable consistency; increase or decrease the amount according to desired consistency.
- Almond extract (½ teaspoon)- Adds that classic cherry almond bakery flavor.
How to Make Cherry Bars
PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Use cooking spray to grease your 10½ x 15 ½ jelly roll pan, or Line the Pan with Parchment Paper.
CRUST. Using a hand or stand mixer, 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 can of cherry 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 and bars are golden brown. Cool completely.
GLAZE. For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract in a medium bowl; drizzle over cooled bars. Let it set until the glaze is set.
ENJOY. Cut into bars/squares. Enjoy!
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- If you don’t have a jelly roll pan that is 10×15 you can use a 9×13 baking pan. However, the dough will be thicker and will require a longer baking time.
- Add a sweet cream cheese layer: beat 8 ounces of cream cheese (softened), ¼ cup sugar, and 1 egg. Spread it over the batter, add the cherry pie filling layer, and continue with the recipe.
- Switch up the type of pie filling, like blueberry pie filling or apple pie filling (dice apples into smaller chunks).
Cherry Bars Recipe
Equipment
- 10½ x 15½ jelly roll pan
Video
Ingredients
Bar
- 1¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 21 ounces cherry pie filling
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease your 10½ x 15½ 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.
Glaze
- Mix the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl; drizzle over cooled bars. Let set until the glaze is set.
- Cut into bars. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have a jelly roll pan that is 10×15 you can use a 9×13 baking pan. However, the dough will be thicker and will require a longer baking time.
- Add a sweet cream cheese layer: beat 8 ounces of cream cheese (softened), ¼ cup sugar, and 1 egg. Spread it over the batter, add the cherry pie filling layer, and continue with the recipe.
- Switch up the type of pie filling, like blueberry pie filling or apple pie filling (dice apples into smaller chunks).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Line your pan with parchment paper. Once the bars cool, use the overhanging parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. Use a sharp knife, and wipe the blade between cuts to make even squares.
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.
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.
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This recipe was originally published May 2015.
Your instructions are perfect. I used a 9×13 cake pan so I baked until set. About 10 more minsutes in my oven.I love almond so I used some in the batter also. It is more of a cake crust but that makes it easier to eat and serve.
I also used strawberry pie filling. Thank you for such an easy recipe. Next time I am trying it with the sweet cream cheese layer also.
Thanksgiving new dessert.
That sounds wonderful! I love the idea of using strawberry pie filling and adding almond to the batter. The cream cheese layer will be delicious too!
It’s a lovely recipe! I skipped the glaze and used a brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon sprinkle. I recommend Lucky Leaf cherry pie filling. Will definitely make again.
So glad you enjoyed it! The cinnamon sugar topping sounds like a delicious twist—thanks for sharing your favorite brand of cherry filling!
My mom makes this for Christmas every year and every year I love it so much! So sweet! My mom is dairy free so this is absolutely perfect and one of her favorite desserts!
I do not care for almond extract. Is there something I can substitute for it?
You could use vanilla extract instead.
How can you NOT love almond extract
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.
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!
Great with summer cherries from Traverse City! 🍒
Dessert for breakfast. My favorite way to start the day.
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.
delisous love them
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.
These cherry bars are amazing! My family loved them so much that I think it’s a new favorite treat in our house!
These cherry bars are addicting! They were packed with flavors that my guests loved! Plus the glaze is a winner!
Delicious! Even my picky son who never tries anything new loved them!
These are so good they melt in your mouth. And so pretty that are the perfect Valentine’s day treat. Thanks for this recipe. I will make them time and time again!
My dad and I LOVE these bars! I add maple flavor syrup to the drizzle so yummy!
My family and I absolutely LOVE this! I added butter rum flavoring to the frosting it’s just *lick fingers 1 2 & 3* Perfecto!
I have made these bars several times and they always dissapear fast. It is good to take to parties or just for family get to gethers.
Easy and yummy!
So good! So glad I tried this recipe!
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed the bars!
These are so simple to make and taste so delicious too! Perfect for any party!
This is my kid’s all time favorite dessert! So yummy!
I love cherry danishes and these look super similar. Can’t wait to try them!
So good and so easy and that almond extract really took the flavor over the edge!
These cherry bars were such a delicious treat! I had 2 on their own and added one to ice cream, they were the best dessert!! I can’t wait to make them again for Valentine’s day!
The BEST way to eat cherries! … aside from your cherry pie! It was so easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Made these for my in-laws & they were a big hit! They are soft & the glaze takes them to the top!
My husband loves anything cherries! Such a perfect dessert with all the flavors we love.
Ive made These sEveral times and they are always a hit. Im Wondering, has anyone Popped a few blueberrIes into the filling to get the red, white anD blue effect? Thinking of makinG these foR a 4th of july work potluck. What do you thiNk?
Great idea! That would be pretty & delicious! Happy you liked them! Thank you!
I was making dessert for 75 people. Very easy! Hint for ease of spread the bott layer of dough is to put seran wrap over and press out with ease!
Thank you for sharing that!! I hope it was a hit!
Do these need to be refrigerated after baking? Or can I take these to work and leave at the coffee bar?
No, you totally don’t have to! I hope they are a hit at work! Thank you 🙂
Definitely easy and I did use the required size jelly roll pan. And they turned out really pretty but they’re only fair. Did nobody else find that one can of cherry pie filling didn’t cover that large of an area so not every bar has cherries in it they may have a tiny bit of juice in it. And the crust is more like a soft shortbread. We had seven of us tasting it and nobody thought it was great. Not very sweet I do like the hint of almond and the pan fed a ton of people.
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
I made this in my jelly roll pan 13 x 17 and they are burnt. I should of known when I had to spread the dough so thin to make it fit across the pan. If you could include the dimensions of your pan, it would be appreciated although I don’t think I will try it again anyway. This is the third pinterest recipe I’ve made that has been a total fail.
I am sorry that they burnt! I have a 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 pan, so yours is slightly larger & would be thinner. Also, keep in mind that all ovens are different, so you may need to adjust the baking time. Mine gets super hot, so I know the time will always be less, than what is suggested. Thanks for trying them though!!
Yum – thank you Kristyn and Happy 4th to you and your family~
THANK YOU, LIZ!! 😀
What size Jellyroll pan for the cherry bars?
Thank you, Sharon
Oh yum. Your pictures are amazing!
I have a link party going on this weekend, I’d love to have you join:
http://www.bobijensen.com/2015/05/come-join-party.html
Thanks, Bobi
These look so yummy! How brilliant is it when a friend introduces you to a new recipe…
You lost me at “large” jelly roll pan. I have 2 sizes. What are your dimensions for “large”?
Someone brought these to party I had and I thought it would be complicated to make. But the recipe looks so easy! I will definitely add this to my list of must-make desserts!
Yum – thank you Kristyn. I love Cherry Bars.
Looks and sounds yummy! Are there specific dimensions for the “large” jelly roll pan?
Oh my favorite combination cherry and almond extract. Can’t wait to try these.
This is a dessert I can get behind! I love fruit in sweet treats like this!
Ok, so I’m on dessert duty for this Mother’s Day. My wifes family is all coming over and these cherry bars looks perfect. Plus, they stress me out, won’t get into that here, but sometimes just eating is better than talking!