This easy Cherry Bar recipe with cherry pie filling and a simple cookie dough is a classic fruity treat for any time of year.
This is a fantastic dessert recipe. It’s a not too sweet bar cookie that is incredibly easy to make. The cookie batter puffs up around the pie filling during baking for a beautiful almost stained glass look. I was inspired to share this recipe after seeing my friend Bonnie’s beautiful cookies.
Update: I’ve updated this classic cherry pie bar recipe with new tips and photos to help you make this crowd-pleasing dessert. Enjoy!
How to Make Easy Cherry Bars
This is a quick and easy dessert recipe. To make the bars, start by letting the butter and eggs come to room temperature. This ensures even baking.
Be sure to evenly coat your cake pan with butter, including in the corners and around the sides. The easiest way to do this is to open one end of a stick of butter and hold the stick to wipe it all around the pan.
The batter for this cookie is stiffer than other doughs, but it’s still easily spreadable. An offset spatula works really well to spread it evenly in the prepared pan. If you don’t have one, you can also use a rubber spatula or the back of a large spoon.
Make sure to spread the batter into the corners evenly so they don’t brown before the rest of the cookie is baked.
Filling Homemade Cherry Pie Bars
To ensure that you divide the cherry filling evenly among the bars, I recommend scoring the batter in the cake pan. Use a knife to make shallow lines in the cookie dough sketching out 24 equal squares. These lines will disappear during baking.
Then, spoon the cherry filling into each square. I find it helpful to make sure each square has 2-3 whole cherries as well as the filling. Then, do not push the cherries into the batter, they will sink on their own as the batter bakes.
To serve, let the bars cool to room temperature and sprinkle with powdered sugar before slicing.
Storing Cherry Bars
Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to four days. You can also freeze the bars for up to three months.
More Bar Recipes to Try
If you love easy cherry bars, give these other treats a try next:
- Key Lime Coconut Cashew Bars are zesty, bright and just sweet enough with a creamy, nutting filling.
- Fall Millionaire Magic Bars have a shortbread crust and decadence from toffee, coconut and M&Ms.
- White Chocolate Raspberry Bars from That Skinny Chick Can Bake have the perfect balance of fruity and sweet.
Cherry Pie Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 can cherry pie filling I used Lucky Leaf Premium Cherry
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Butter a 17"x12"x1" sheet cake pan.
- In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix just until blended. Add the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture just until blended. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
- Mark the batter into 24 squares by pressing lightly with a sharp knife. Spoon 1 tablespoon of fruit filling into the center of each square. Do not press the filling into the batter (the batter will puff up around the filling as it bakes).
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
- Cut into bars and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
blackbookkitchendiaries
your creations are always stunning… thank you for sharing them with us and for stopping by my blog.
Beth
These look delicious, and I love cherries in my baking. Thanks for posting this one!
Jamie
I love the look of these Cherry Bars. So simple to make and I love fruit in desserts. Would be a nice treat to add to our cookie trays.
Jamie
Yum! I love simple homey cakey treats like this as my homebaked goods are usually eaten for breakfast and snack (as opposed to dessert) so this one is perfect. Don’t get canned pie filling here but a good stewed fruit to top it and it would be just fabulous and just the way they like it!
Susan
These look so amazing – I love that they are so pretty. What a great new holiday treat – can’t wait to try!
Susan http://www.ugogrrl.com
Anna Johnston
So pretty, and a great addition to the Christmas cookies. I really like the look of these – thanks Barbara.
Paula
The bars are very pretty and look delicious.
Lori
They are so pretty. You do amazing work.
Eliana
WOW – these could not look more delicious.
Faith (An Edible Mosaic)
These would make a really pretty addition to a Christmas cookie tray! We are big cherry lovers around here! 🙂
Mags
Perfect for the holidays!
Avril
Oh my….I am in HEAVEN coming upon this fabulous recipe! I just adore anything with cherries in it! Can’t wait to make these bars!
Happy Sunday Barbara!
~avril 🙂
kristy
I prefer having slices or bars than cakes. And I think this looks simply marvellous. Thanks for the recipe, Barbara. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend.
Cheers, kristy
Summer
Am sure Bonnie loved these !!!
So so gooD!!
12 weeks of Christmas jus keeps gettn better!
Cakelaw
These cherry bars look delicious! And perfect for Xmas with their red tops.
Shannon
my mission is to make these into a gluten free variety. YUM!! so pretty too.
marcellina
How lovely! They look wonderful! How does the pastry puff as it has no baking powder? I love to make these!
sameena
Hi Barbara,
I love the cherry bars…yumm…
Dr.Sameena@
http://www.myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com
Reeni
What pretty little cherry bars Barbara! These would be wonderful treats for the holidays!
chaya
These look so yummy. I would like the almond extract in mine. Do you like almonds, in general?