Chewy Cherry Pie Bars with Buttery Crust Recipe

Cherry Bars capture the flavor of cherry pie without the fuss. A quick homemade cherry filling is sandwiched between a buttery brown sugar crumble that serves as both the base and the topping. Finish the bars with a light almond glaze to highlight the cherry taste.

Why you’ll love these easy Cherry Pie Bars:

• Cherry Pie Filling – A bright sour-cherry filling gives these bars that classic pie flavor.
• Brown Sugar Crumble Base – A simple buttery mixture of melted butter, flour, brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon makes a shortbread-like crust and a crunchy crumble topping.
• Simple to Make – The recipe has two main components but is straightforward and uses everyday ingredients.

Ingredient Overview:

The full recipe with measurements and directions is below.

• Sour Cherries – For the classic cherry-pie tang; frozen cherries work too (do not thaw).
• All-purpose Flour – Spoon and level the flour or use a scale for accuracy.
• Butter – Salted butter provides great flavor; use unsalted if you prefer and add a pinch of salt.
• Vanilla or Almond Extract – Real extracts give the best aroma and depth of flavor.

Ingredient Substitutions:

• Gluten-free – Not tested, but a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend might work for the bars.
• Dairy-free – Swap in your preferred dairy-free butter to make the recipe dairy-free.
• Cherry Filling – Canned cherry pie filling or cherry preserves can replace the homemade filling in equal amounts.
• Sweet Cherries – If using dark sweet cherries, reduce the sugar by a few tablespoons and adjust to taste.

How to Make These Cherry Pie Bars Step-by-Step:

Step 1: Make the Cherry Filling. Simmer sour cherries with sugar and a splash of water until they release their juices and soften. Stir together cornstarch and water, add it to the simmering cherries to thicken, then finish with almond extract. Cool completely before using.

Step 2: Prepare the Crumble Mixture. Melt the butter in a bowl and stir in flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to form a crumbly dough that will become the crust and topping.

Step 3: Bake the Base. Reserve a portion of the crumble for the topping, press the remaining mixture into a parchment-lined 9×9 pan, and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F.

Step 4: Assemble and Finish Baking. Spread the cooled cherry filling over the par-baked crust, sprinkle the reserved crumble on top, and return to the oven. Bake until the topping is golden and the filling is set with a slight jiggle.

Step 5: Add Glaze (Optional). After the bars have cooled for 1–2 hours, drizzle a glaze made from powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract. The glaze complements the cherry flavor but is optional.

Serving + Storing:

Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature overnight or refrigerate for 3–4 days.

Expert Success Tips:

• Oven Thermometer – Use an oven thermometer to ensure accurate baking temperature, as many ovens run hot or cold.
• Kitchen Scale – A food scale ensures consistent flour measurements and more reliable results than cup measuring.

FAQs:

Recipe Variations:

• Strawberry Bars – Swap the cherry filling for a strawberry compote.
• Blueberry Bars – Use a blueberry sauce in place of cherries.
• Cranberry Bars – Substitute a cranberry sauce to make tart cranberry bars.
• Lemon – Add a splash of lemon juice to the cherry filling if it tastes too sweet.

Special Tools:

• 9×9 Pan – A metal or ceramic 9×9 square pan works well for even baking.

More Cherry Recipes to Love:

• Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
• Black Forest Cookies
• Cherry Pie Cookies
• Bourbon Cherry Crumble Pie
• White Forest Cake

More Easy Dessert Bars:

• Life-Changing Butterscotch Blondies
• Chai Spiced Snickerdoodle Bars
• Biscoff Blondies
• Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

---

---