Quick and Easy Cherry Pie Bars

Quick and Easy Cherry Pie Bars with a Cream Cheese Glaze is such a fun and delicious dessert to make when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. 

Cherry pie is a classic dessert no matter what time of the year it is. But summertime seems to be the best time to enjoy a slice of cherry pie. While you could mix together and roll out your own pie crust from scratch, there’s a need to go to all that extra effort. If you’re craving a piece of cherry pie, but making a pie crust from scratch is out of the question, you’re going to love this dessert! These simple cherry pie bars have all the flavor of cherry pie without all the hard work.

Ingredients for Cherry Pie Bars

The ingredients for these easy cherry pie bars are very similar to the ingredients you’d use to make a cherry pie. You’ll use the ingredients to make a flaky crust to pair with your cherry pie filling. The only difference is that this cherry dessert is so much easier to make than a traditional pie. Here’s what you’ll need to make your cherry pie bars:

• Flour- All-Purpose Flour
• Salt- Iodized Salt
• Butter- Unsalted butter
• Sugar- Granulated Sugar
• Eggs- Large
• Vanilla extract
• Cherry pie filling- Canned Cherry Pie Filling

This simple list of ingredients comes together to create a delicious cherry dessert that’s perfect for all your summer BBQs and get-togethers. Your friends and family can enjoy the classic tastes of cherry pie, and you won’t have to slave over a homemade pie crust all day to make it for them!

How to Make Cherry Pie Bars

This easy dessert is made up of three basic components: crust, filling, and glaze. The first step toward making these cherry pie bars is to make the crust. Although the crust on this baked dessert is similar to a pie crust, it’s much faster and easier to make. Start by combining the flour and sugar together in a medium bowl. Whisk the ingredients until they’re well mixed, and set this bowl aside while you prepare the remaining crust ingredients.

In a separate bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Then, pour in the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.

When your dough is ready, spread two-thirds of the mixture into the pan and set the remaining dough aside. Press the dough into the pan until it forms an even crust along the bottom of the pan.

Top the crust with your premade pie filling, making sure to spread the filling evenly over the crust. Any type of cherry pie filling works for this easy recipe. You can use your favorite brand of canned pie filling or make your own with fresh or frozen cherries.

After spreading the cherry pie filling evenly over the crust, grab your remaining dough and top the pie filling with smaller pieces of dough. Simply spoon the dough over the top of the pie filling, making sure to add dough all over the top of the cherry pie bars.

When all the dough has been used, it’s time to bake your cherry pie bars! Place them in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The cherry pie bars are finished baking when the crust on top is golden brown and the pie filling has begun to bubble.

Remove the baked pie bars from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire cooling rack. The bars are ready to serve when they’ve reached room temperature. You can cut them into even bars and serve right away or drizzle a delicious cream cheese glaze over the top if you prefer.

How to Make a Cream Cheese Glaze

While you could dig into your cherry pie bars after they’re finished cooling, I suggest taking the time to add this delicious cream cheese glaze to the top first. In addition to adding a little bit of sweetness to your cherry dessert, this glaze also makes your bars look amazing!

Making a cream cheese glaze for your cherry pie bars is so simple. In fact, it will only take a few minutes to whip it up and drizzle it over the cherry pie bars before you serve them. To make your own cream cheese glaze, you’ll need:

• Cream cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Milk

Add all your ingredients to a medium bowl and beat until well combined. To prevent your glaze from becoming lumpy, start with softened cream cheese. Then use a sifter to sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the bowl. Take your time to beat the cream cheese mixture until smooth. If your glaze is too thick to drizzle, add a little bit more milk until the desired consistency is reached.

When you’re satisfied with the consistency of your glaze, drizzle it over the top of the cherry pie bars before cutting them. Add the glaze to a piping bag or simply spoon the glaze over the bars – either way, this simple step is sure to add another delicious element to your dessert.

BAKING TIPS

• You can also use any flavor that you like besides cherry, they are all delicious! Try this recipe with blueberry, strawberry, peach, or apple pie filling.
• When baking, the best way to measure out flour is to stir, spoon, and level the flour when measuring. The crumb mixture may seem dry at first, but be patient. It will start to moisten and clump together the longer it is mixed.

Other Dessert Bars From Moore or Less Cooking That You Will Love: 

• No-Bake Rocky Road Avalanche Bars
• Best Chunky Monkey Bars
• S’mores Bars
• Apple Pie Bars
• Pecan Pie Bars
• Snickerdoodle Bars
• Magic Bars and Video
• Sugar Cookie Bars
• Blackberry Pie Bars
• Best Pecan Pie Bars
• RHUBARB PIE BARS

Nettie is a wife and mother who is passionate about cooking and baking. With 5 children, Nettie insists that all meals, snacks, and desserts come together quickly! You will find a wide variety of easy yet scrumptious recipes on her very popular website Moore or Less Cooking

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