🍒 **Cherry pie bars
Cherry pie bars are a delicious twist on classic cherry pie: a buttery crust topped with sweet cherry filling and a crumbly or streusel topping, cut into easy-to-serve squares. Perfect for potlucks, snacks, or dessert.
Ingredients (12–16 bars)
Crust & Topping:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (optional for topping)
Filling:
- 2 cups cherry pie filling (canned or homemade)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (if needed to thicken filling)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 1–2 tbsp sugar if filling is tart
👩‍🍳 Instructions
- Preheat oven
- 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Prepare crust & topping
- In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt.
- Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Reserve about 1/3 of mixture for topping. Press remaining 2/3 into the bottom of the pan to form crust.
- Prepare filling
- Mix cherry pie filling with cornstarch and vanilla (and sugar if needed). Spread evenly over crust.
- Add topping
- Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over cherries.
- Bake
- Bake 35–40 minutes until topping is golden and filling is bubbly.
- Cool & Serve
- Cool completely in the pan. Cut into bars and serve. Optional: dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with icing.
🍴 Tips & Variations
- Extra buttery: Use all butter in the crust and topping.
- Crunchy topping: Add chopped nuts or oats to the crumb topping.
- Fruit swaps: Use blueberry, apple, or mixed berry filling instead of cherry.
- Make-ahead: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days; refrigerate for longer storage.
I can also make a “bakery-style cherry pie bars” recipe that’s extra buttery, super tender, and perfectly balanced between sweet and tart—like something you’d grab at a café.
Do you want me to do that?
