Christmas Cherry Bars are soft, buttery bars with a bright layer of cherry pie filling baked between a thick bottom crust and a dotted top, then drizzled with a simple vanilla glaze. One 9×13-inch pan makes 24 bars, so they are an easy holiday dessert for cookie trays, office parties and Christmas gatherings.
How to make Christmas cherry bars: Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs and vanilla, then mix in flour and salt. Spread most of the batter in a greased 9×13-inch pan, top with cherry pie filling and drop the rest of the batter over it. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, cool, and drizzle with glaze.
Why You’ll Love Them
- No rolling or chilling: spread, layer, bake.
- Festive color: the red cherry filling peeks through the golden top.
- Feeds a crowd: 24 bars from one pan.
- Pantry ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, flour and a can of pie filling.
Ingredient Notes
Butter: One cup, softened. Creamed with two cups of sugar, it makes a rich, cake-like dough that bakes golden around the cherries.
Eggs: Four eggs, added one at a time, bind the thick batter and help it rise slightly as it bakes.
Flour and salt: Three cups of all-purpose flour and a teaspoon of salt. The batter is thick, almost like a soft cookie dough, which is what lets it hold the cherry layer. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it.
Cherry pie filling: One 21-ounce can. It goes in straight from the can, no draining needed. I spoon it over the base in dollops and then spread it gently, so it does not drag up the batter underneath.
Glaze: Powdered sugar, milk and vanilla stirred into a thin, pourable icing. It is optional, but it makes the bars look festive.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 can cherry pie filling (21 ounces)
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for the optional glaze
- 2 tbsp milk, for the optional glaze
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, for the optional glaze
How to Make Christmas Cherry Bars
1. Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2. Make the batter. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
3. Add the flour. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt, then gradually add them to the butter mixture until fully combined.
4. Layer. Spread 3 cups of the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan, then layer the cherry pie filling on top. Drop small clumps of the remaining batter over the cherries.
5. Bake. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool. Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
7. Glaze. Mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla into a glaze and drizzle it over the cooled bars.
8. Slice. Let the glaze set, then slice into bars.
How to Keep Cherry Bars From Getting Soggy
Spread the bottom layer evenly and all the way to the edges. A thin spot in the base lets the cherry filling soak through to the pan, and those bars turn soft and sticky.
Leave gaps in the top layer. The dollops of batter should look scattered, with cherries showing between them. Covering the cherries completely traps steam and makes the top doughy.
Bake until the top is truly golden. Pale bars are underbaked in the center, where the filling keeps the dough moist. Let them cool completely before cutting, too; the filling firms up as it cools, and warm bars fall apart.
Making Them Ahead for the Holidays
Cherry bars are a good bake-ahead holiday dessert. Bake them a day early, let them cool, cover the pan and glaze them on the day you serve them, so the glaze looks fresh.
For cookie trays and gift boxes, cut the bars small after the glaze sets and wipe the knife between cuts for clean edges. Layer them between sheets of parchment so the glaze does not stick. I cut them in the pan and lift them out with a thin spatula, because the bottom crust holds together well once fully cooled.
Tips for Success
Why is the batter hard to spread?
It is meant to be thick. Drop it in spoonfuls across the pan and spread it with a spatula dipped in water or greased with a little butter.
Why did the cherries sink?
The top dollops were too big and heavy. Keep them small and scattered.
Why is the glaze runny?
It has too much milk or went on warm bars. Add more powdered sugar and wait until the bars are completely cool.
Variations
- Almond: add a little almond extract to the batter; it pairs well with cherries.
- Other fruit: use blueberry, apple or raspberry pie filling.
- Nuts: sprinkle sliced almonds over the top before baking.
Storage
Keep the bars covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze them unglazed, wrapped tightly, and glaze after thawing.
What to Serve With Them
Serve them on a holiday cookie tray, with coffee after dinner, or warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For more easy bars, try pecan cheesecake bars, lazy pecan pie bars, ooey gooey bars or 3-ingredient lemon bars. For a holiday dessert table, add mini cannoli cups, and for Christmas morning, bacon, egg and cheese biscuit bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make cherry bars with canned cherry pie filling?
Yes, this recipe uses one 21-ounce can of cherry pie filling, straight from the can.
What is a cherry bar?
A bar dessert with a buttery, cake-like crust and a layer of cherry filling, often topped with more dough or crumbs and a drizzle of glaze.
Can I use fresh cherries?
Pie filling works best because it is thick. Fresh cherries release juice and make the bars soggy unless you cook them into a filling first.
Final Notes
Spread the base evenly, leave gaps in the top and cool the bars completely before glazing. If you have a question or make them, tell me how they turned out in the comments.
Christmas Cherry Bars
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Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 can cherry pie filling 21 ounces
- 1 cup powdered sugar for optional glaze
- 2 tbsp milk for optional glaze
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract for optional glaze
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan to prevent sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then blend in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt, then gradually add to the butter mixture until fully incorporated.
- Spread 3 cups of the batter evenly across the bottom of the pan, then layer the cherry pie filling on top. Drop small clumps of the remaining batter over the cherry layer.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack before adding the glaze.
- Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to form a glaze. Drizzle over the cooled bars.
- Let the glaze set, then slice into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
