Description
Sweet summer memories shine through these cherry pie bars, blending nostalgic homestyle baking with elegant dessert simplicity. Rich buttery crust and tangy cherry filling create a perfect balance that invites you to savor each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 42 ounces (1.19 kg) cherry pie filling
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 0.5 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) milk
- 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350F and prepare a 9×13 inch baking dish with a light coating of grease to prevent sticking.
- Blend dry ingredients including flour, oats, sugar, and salt in a spacious mixing bowl, creating a uniform base mixture.
- Incorporate cold butter chunks into the dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter or fingertips to create a crumbly texture resembling coarse sand.
- Transfer approximately two-thirds of the crumbly mixture into the greased baking dish, firmly pressing to establish an even, compact crust layer.
- Distribute cherry pie filling uniformly across the prepared crust, ensuring complete and consistent coverage.
- Scatter the remaining crumb mixture over the cherry filling, creating a rustic, textured topping.
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until the surface transforms into a rich, golden-brown color.
- While the bars cool slightly, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until achieving a smooth, glossy glaze.
- Delicately drizzle the prepared glaze across the warm bars, allowing it to settle into the crumbly surface.
- Let the bars cool completely at room temperature before slicing into neat, square servings.
Notes
- Swap out cherry pie filling for fresh or frozen cherries to control sugar and add natural fruit flavor.
- Enhance the crust’s texture by toasting oats briefly in a skillet before mixing for a nuttier, richer taste.
- Make gluten-free by substituting regular flour with almond or oat flour, ensuring the same crumbly consistency.
- Reduce sweetness by using less sugar in the crust and choosing a low-sugar cherry pie filling or homemade fruit compote.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg