Holiday Cherry Bars

Celebrate the festive season with these delightfully sweet and buttery Holiday Cherry Bars—an easy-to-make dessert that’s as vibrant as it is delicious! These crowd-pleasing bars feature a rich, tender base layered with luscious cherry pie filling and topped with golden dollops of dough for a charming cobblestone effect. Finished with a drizzle of almond-infused glaze, they strike the perfect balance of fruity tartness and sugary sweetness. Ready in under an hour, these cherry bars are perfect for holiday gatherings, potlucks, or as a simple treat to brighten your day. With just a handful of pantry staples and festive flavors, this recipe is sure to become your go-to for holiday baking magic!

Nutriscore Rating: 50/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:35 mins

Total Time:55 mins

Servings: 24

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 21 ounces canned cherry pie filling
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 0.5 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 3

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Step 4

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 5

Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the dough for later.

Step 6

Spread the remaining dough evenly into the prepared baking dish to form the base layer.

Step 7

Spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the dough layer.

Step 8

Drop small spoonfuls of the reserved dough over the cherry filling to create a cobbled effect.

Step 9

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the bars are set.

Step 10

Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Step 11

While the bars are cooling, prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed to achieve a drizzling consistency.

Step 12

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars.

Step 13

Cut into squares or bars and serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	1830.8 grams (1830.8g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	5149

Total Fat 120.80g	155%
Saturated Fat 62.90g	315%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.00g
Cholesterol 995mg	332%
Sodium 2005mg	87%
Total Carbohydrate 981.30g	357%
Dietary Fiber 15.70g	56%
Total Sugars 639.20g
Protein 64.20g	128%

Vitamin D 173IU	865%
Calcium 254mg	20%
Iron 22mg	122%
Potassium 1041mg	22%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 20.6%

Protein: 4.9%

Carbs: 74.5%