Description
Indulge in the festive flavors of the season with these delightful Christmas Cherry Bars. A buttery base topped with cherry pie filling and a sweet glaze make these bars a perfect holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bars:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and extracts: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Layer the dough: Spread two-thirds of the dough into the prepared baking dish, then spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the dough.
- Add top layer: Drop the remaining dough by spoonfuls over the cherry layer.
- Bake: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Prepare glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract.
- Glaze and serve: Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars, then cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- You can substitute cherry pie filling with other fruit pie fillings for variety.
- For a festive look, sprinkle with holiday-themed sprinkles before the glaze sets.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
