Cherry Pie Bars

allforyouuAugust 4, 2024

0 8 2 minutes read

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract just until combined. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture mixing just until combined. Scrape down the bowl and beaters as needed.
Spread all but 1 cup of the batter into the prepared pan using an offset spatula. Spread the cherry pie filling over the batter. Drop the remaining batter by rounded tablespoons onto the cherry pie filling.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pan to a wire rack to fully cool for at least 1 hour up to overnight.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk. Drizzle over the fully cooled bars.

If possible, use premium cherry pie filling or, better yet, fresh if you have the fruit and the time.
Real butter is absolutely essential for making the crust delicious.
Use pure vanilla and almond extract. It is well worth the added expense.
You can easily substitute blackberry, blueberry, peach, or apple pie filling. As my late mother used to say to each his own.
Bake the bars until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown.
Wait until the bars are cooled to room temperature to drizzle them with the glaze.
Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 20 seconds at 70-80% power to take the chill off.