Christmas Cherry Bars – Buttery batter bars with cherry filling and topped with a glaze, Christmas Cherry Bars make a lovely holiday dessert! Ideal for holiday get-togethers, tho, these bars are the best of both worlds, a bar cookie texture and a cherry pie flavor that are a seasonal hit with the entire family!
Why You’re Going to Love These Christmas Cherry Bars:
Festive Look: The brilliant red cherry filling and optional glaze make these bars an excellent contribution to holiday festivities.
Simply Made: With basic ingredients and easy steps, these bars come together with very little fuss.
Very Good Layers: The buttery crust, juicy cherry filling and sweet glaze all combine for a rich flavor burst that’s difficult to resist.
Fun to Share: This 9×13 inch batch makes lots of bars, so great for a crowd.
Make-Ahead Friendly: These bars can be baked ahead of time, and the glaze added just before serving, which will save time during the holidays.
Key Ingredients:
Butter
The butter should be softened at room temperature before creaming. So a light, fluffy batter is achievable.
Make sure to use unsalted butter so you can control the salt level. If using salted butter, then reduce the added salt to around ½ teaspoon.
Sugar
Granulated Sugar: It uses regular granulated sugar for the perfect amount of sweetness and structure. Skip the powdered sugar in the batter: it changes the texture.
(Optional Topping) For extra holiday flair, sprinkle coarse sugar over the glaze for sparkle and crunch.
Eggs
Temperature: For ease of mixing, eggs should be brought to room temperature before adding to the batter; cold eggs make for lumpy, incohesive dough.
Adding Eggs One By One: Adding eggs one at a time keeps the batter loose and helps it maintain a lighter texture without becoming heavy.
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All-Purpose Flour
Measured Correctly: Using the spoon-and-level method for measuring flour will prevent you from adding too much flour, which will make the bars dense.
Alternative Flours: For a fluffy texture, you can replace ½ cup of all-purpose flour with cake flour.
Cherry Pie Filling
Use Good Filling: The cherry pie filling is the star here, so go for a good brand with whole cherries and less additional sugar.
Homemade Alternative: If you feel ambitious, you can use fresh or frozen cherries to make your own cherry pie filling for a more natural flavor.
Optional Glaze
Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar melts right in to form a smooth glaze. (If you have any lumps, be sure to sift it.)
Milk: You may want to add more, but just enough to get the right texture, like pourable but not too thin.
Vanilla Extract: A small amount of vanilla rounds out the flavor of the glaze, and pairs nicely with the cherry filling.
For the full ingredients list with quantities and instructions see the recipe card below
Instructions:
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare
Heat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get the bars ready to bake.
Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan to avoid sticking and a problem with removing after baking.
Step 2: Make the Batter
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time, whisking well after adding each one. Then, add vanilla extract for flavor.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients
Combine Flour and Salt: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt until the salt is evenly distributed.
Continue Mixing: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until well blended. Do not overmix so the bars stay light.
Step 4: Assemble the Layers
First layer: Using an offset spatula, spread three cups of the batter evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan.
Spread Cherry Filling: Place cherry pie filling over the top of the batter layer and evenly distribute.
Using a Spoon, Drop More of the Batter: Use a spoon to add more of the batter on top by dropping small clumps of batter over the cherry filling, so it creates a textured top layer.
Step 5: Baking
Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden on top. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
Step 6: Cooling
Cool the Bars: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before adding the glaze.
Step 7: The Glaze (if your recipe includes one)
Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, stir powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. It should be the consistency of a pourable glaze, just not watery.
Drizzle: Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars, in a decorative pattern if you like.
Step 8: Finish and Serve
Set the Glaze: Wait for the glaze to set before cutting so it doesn’t drip all over.
Slice and Enjoy: Cut up the dessert into bars and let the fun begin!
Serving Suggestions:
These Christmas Cherry Bars are tasty all by themselves but you can add some more holiday cheer with these serving suggestions:
Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream: The rich vanilla is a perfect complement for the tart cherry filling and buttery base.
Add the Holiday Spirit: A light dusting of powdered sugar or sprinkle some festive sprinkles on top just to add a touch of the holiday season.
Hot Beverage Pairing: Pair this with warm spiced cider, hot cocoa, or a cup of coffee for an ultimate holiday indulgent.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips:
These bars are perfect for making ahead, especially during the busy holiday season.
Storage: Keep the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
Freezing: This bars freeze really well! Put them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers, and freeze for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before serving.
Make-Ahead: Make the bars a day ahead and glaze them just before serving so they don’t get soggy.
Variations to Try:
Give these Christmas Cherry Bars a holiday twist with these twist:
Mixed Berry Bars: Replace the cherry pie filling with blueberry, raspberry or mixed berry pie filling.
Coconut Cherry Bars: Stir ½ cup of shredded coconut into the batter for a touch of tropical flavor.
Chocolate Cherry Bars: For a twist, drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled bars instead of the vanilla glaze, or stir chocolate chips into the batter.
Nutty Cherry Bars: Fold in chopped almonds, pecans or walnuts for added crunch and flavor.
Conclusion:
These Christmas Cherry Bars are a delicious burst of color and flavor for any holiday gathering. Easy to prepare and bursting with seasonal appeal, they’re bound to become a family favorite. Happy baking, sharing, and enjoying these buttery cherry-filled treats with your loved ones this holiday season!
Christmas Cherry Bars
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 and enjoy!