Easy Cherry Pie Bars Recipe – Sweet, Simple & Ready in an Hour!

Have you ever wanted to make cherry pie but didn’t want to fuss with rolling out pie dough? These Cherry Pie Bars are your answer! They have all the delicious flavor of homemade cherry pie but come together so much faster in a simple 9×13 pan.

I love making these cherry bars when I need a crowd-pleasing dessert that doesn’t require hours in the kitchen. The crust tastes like a sugar cookie and melts in your mouth, the sweet cherry filling is perfectly sweet, and that vanilla glaze on top?

Pure heaven! Whether you’re heading to a potluck, hosting a party, or just craving something sweet, this cherry pie filling bars recipe will become your new go-to.

The best part is you don’t need any special skills to make these. If you can mix ingredients in a bowl and spread them in a pan, you can make these cherry dessert bars!

Ingredient Notes & Tips

Let me walk you through what makes these cherry bars so special and share some helpful tips for the best results.

Butter: Use real butter that’s softened to room temperature – not melted! Room temperature butter creams better with the shortening and creates that perfect tender texture. Leave it on the counter for about an hour before starting.

Shortening: The combination of butter and shortening creates the most amazing flaky, tender crust. Butter gives flavor, while the shortening makes it extra tender.

Sugar: Regular granulated sugar sweetens the crust perfectly. Make sure to cream it well with the butter and shortening until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Baking Powder: This helps the crust puff up just slightly, giving it a cake-like texture that’s not too dense.

Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature for best mixing. Cold eggs can cause the butter mixture to seize up.

All-Purpose Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works perfectly here. No need for anything fancy!

Cherry Pie Filling: I use one 21-ounce can of cherry pie filling. You can use any brand you like – I like the filling with more cherries and less gel.

Powdered Sugar: For the glaze, you’ll want to sift your powdered sugar to avoid lumps in your icing.

Milk: Whole milk makes the richest glaze, but 2% or even almond milk works in a pinch.

How to Make Cherry Pie Bars

Making these cherry pie squares is easier than you might think! Here’s how to do it step by step.

1. Preheat and Prep (2 minutes): Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. This gives it time to come to temperature while you mix your ingredients.

2. Cream the Butter and Shortening (3-4 minutes): In your electric mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and shortening together until smooth and combined. This creates the base for your tender crust.

3. Add Sugar Ingredients (2-3 minutes): Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix until everything is blended and fluffy. The mixture should look lighter in color and increased in volume – this means you’ve incorporated air which makes tender bars.

4. Mix in Eggs and Vanilla (1-2 minutes): Add your eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until just combined. You’ll see the mixture become smooth and creamy. Don’t overmix at this stage or your bars could turn out tough.

5. Add the Flour (2-3 minutes): Beat in the flour gradually. Once it’s completely mixed, you’ll have a thick, creamy dough that’s similar to cookie dough. Here’s the important part – measure out 1½ cups of this dough and set it aside in a separate bowl. You’ll use this for the topping later.

6. Make the Base Layer (12 minutes baking): Spread the remaining dough evenly in an ungreased 9×13 pan. Use your hands or a spatula to press it all the way to the edges. Bake for 12 minutes until it’s just set but not browned. It should look dry on top but still pale.

7. Add the Cherry Filling (2 minutes): Remove the pan from the oven and spread the entire can of cherry pie filling over the baked crust. Make sure to spread it all the way to the edges for cherry flavor in every bite.

8. Add the Topping (30 minutes baking): Take that reserved 1½ cups of dough and drop it by spoonfuls over the cherry filling. You don’t need to spread it smooth – the rustic look of small mounds is part of the charm! The dough will spread slightly as it bakes. Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is lightly golden brown.

9. Make the Glaze (3 minutes): While the bars cool for about 10 minutes, make your vanilla glaze. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, softened butter, and milk. Whisk until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.

10. Finish and Serve: Drizzle the glaze over the warm bars using a fork or whisk. The glaze will set as the bars cool completely. Let them cool for at least another 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

Recipe Variations

Want to change things up? Here are some fun ways to make this cherry bar recipe your own!

Blueberry Pie Bars: Swap the cherry pie filling for blueberry pie filling. Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the crust for extra flavor that pairs beautifully with blueberries.

Apple Pie Bars: Use apple pie filling instead of cherry. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar before baking for that classic apple pie taste.

Almond Cherry Bars: Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract for a flavor that pairs amazingly with cherries. You can also add almond extract to the glaze!

Chocolate Cherry Bars: Add ½ cup of mini chocolate chips to the crust dough for a chocolate-cherry combination that tastes like Black Forest cake.

Lemon Glaze: Instead of vanilla in the glaze, use fresh lemon juice and add a teaspoon of lemon zest for a bright, tangy finish.

How to Store Cherry Pie Bars

These cherry dessert bars store really well, which makes them perfect for making ahead!

Refrigerator: You can refrigerate these bars for up to 5 days in an airtight container. We actually prefer them cold – the filling gets nice and firm and the cut into perfect sized squares. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving if you want them less chilled.

Room Temperature: Store your cherry bars, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days. They’ll stay soft and delicious! Just make sure they’re completely cool before covering them or the glaze will get sticky.

Freezer: These bars freeze beautifully! Cut them into squares and wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then place them all in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour or pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds for a warm treat.

Make-Ahead Tip: You can bake these bars the day before you need them. Just store them loosely covered at room temperature and they’ll be perfect the next day.

How to Serve Cherry Pie Bars

These cherry bars are delicious in so many situations!

Serve Them Warm: While these cherry pie squares are amazing at room temperature, they’re absolutely incredible served slightly warm. Heat individual squares in the microwave for about 15 seconds. The cherry filling gets all gooey and the crust becomes extra tender.

Add Ice Cream: Top a warm cherry bar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an incredible dessert that rivals any restaurant treat. The cold ice cream melting into the warm cherry filling is pure bliss!

Party Platter: Cut these into small squares for parties and potlucks. They’re easy to eat with your hands and one batch makes plenty to feed a crowd.

Holiday Desserts: The pretty red color makes these cherry bars perfect for Valentine’s Day, Fourth of July, or Christmas celebrations.

Final Thoughts

These Cherry Pie Bars truly are the easiest way to enjoy cherry pie flavor without all the work! The buttery cookie dough crust, sweet cherry filling, and vanilla glaze come together in just over an hour to create a dessert everyone will love. They’re perfect for beginners, great for feeding a crowd, and delicious whether served warm or at room temperature.

Did you make these Cherry Pie Bars? I’d love to hear how they turned out! Please leave a comment below and don’t forget to rate the recipe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars. Your feedback helps other readers find this recipe and makes my day!

Related Recipes

If you love these Cherry Pie Bars, you’ll want to try these other delicious bar recipes from Hostess at Heart!

Looking for more fruity bar desserts? My Strawberry Slab Bars have a buttery crust and are no-fuss, perfect when strawberries are in season. The Raspberry Bars recipe is another fan favorite with that same easy bar cookie method.

If you’re no-fuss dessert lover, take a look at this Apple Crumble Bars recipe. And for more easy desserts perfect for potlucks, check out my Cream Cheese Cookie Bars – they’re always the first to disappear!

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