Cherry Pie Bars

Cherry Bars are a delicious dessert made with quick homemade cherry pie filling & a buttery brown sugar crumble that doubles as the base and crumble topping. Finish them with a sweet almond glaze to compliment the cherry flavor.

Course Dessert, Dessert Bars

Cuisine Dessert

Keyword Cherry Pie Bars, Cherry Desserts

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 34

Servings to 18 bars

Calories 314kcal

Author Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

For the Cherry Pie Filling:

4 cups sour cherries, rinsed & pitted or frozen - do not thaw
2 and 1/2 tbsp water, plus 2 additional tbsp
2 tbsp corn starch
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp almond extract add and extra 1/4 tsp to taste

For the Bars:

3/4 cup salted butter, melted
1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Glaze (optional)

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp almond extract or vanilla

Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. If using fresh cherries, rinse and pit them. If using frozen, leave them frozen.
Make the Cherry Filling: Stir 2 tbsp of water and corn starch together in a small bowl until the starch is fully dissolved. Add cherries to a medium saucepan with sugar & 2.5 tbsp of water. Cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring lazily, until the cherries have released their juices and softened. Re-stir the cornstarch (it will have settled some), then add it to the cherry sauce. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until the sauce gently thickens. It should separate and hold when you drag your finger through the sauce on the back of a wooden spoon. Add the almond extract and adjust to taste. Transfer immediately to a shallow bowl and chill in the fridge completely (30 minutes, or 10 in the freezer) before using.
Note: If your sauce seems runny, you can always re-heat it to thicken. Bring it to a low boil, stirring, and heat for an additional 1-2 minutes until it looks like the consistency of the sauce in my photos.
Make the Bars: Melt the butter in a medium bowl. Stir in the remaining bar ingredients. Reserve 1 cup of the topping. Press the rest into your prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Evenly spread the cooled cherry filling over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture over the top of the cherries. Return to the oven and bake for 28 to 33 minutes - the topping will be golden brown and the bars will only have a slight jiggle when you move the pan.
Glaze: If using, whisk together all glaze ingredients, and adjust to a thinner or thicker consistency as desired, by adding a splash more milk or a spoonful more powdered sugar.
Serve + Store: Let cool completely before cutting into bars, if you want nice neat squares. If not, dig in after 1-2 hours. Drizzle on the glaze just before slicing!
Store bars in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days.

Nutrition