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A stack of three cherry cookie bars with slivered almonds and an almond glaze on top.

Cherry Almond Bars

These Cherry Almond Bars have the perfect blend of a sweet buttery almond crust, and tart cherry filling. They're so easy to make, with just a few ingredients (including canned cherry pie filling) but taste as good as a bakery! Perfect for summer potlucks, or holiday parties!
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Servings: 12
Calories: 350kcal

Ingredients

For the Cherry Cookie Bars:

  • 10 TBS unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 21 oz canned cherry pie filling
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds

For the Almond Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 TBS heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

Instructions

For the Cherry Cookie Bars:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F and line an 8x8inch pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
  • In a large bowl, add the butter and granulated sugar and cream them together for a couple of minutes. 10 TBS unsalted butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and stir them into the mixture. 1 large egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • Add in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix it together until you have a soft cookie dough. 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
  • Take 2/3 of the cookie dough and press it evenly into the bottom the prepared pan.
  • Scoop the cherry pie filling over the top of the cookie dough and smooth it out to spread it evenly. 21 oz canned cherry pie filling
  • Take off pieces of the remaining cookie dough and sprinkle them around the top of the cherry pie filling. They do not need to fully cover the cherry layer.
  • Sprinkle the almonds over the top of the cookie dough. 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • Bake the bars for 28 to 35 minutes or until the top of the bars are golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely.

For the Almond Glaze:

  • Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and almond extract to a small bowl and whisk them together. 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 TBS heavy cream, 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • Drizzle the glaze evenly over the top of the bars.
  • Slice them up and enjoy.

Notes

  • Use room temperature Ingredients - both the butter and egg should be brought to room temperature for about 30 minutes before mixing them into the dough to ensure they mix evenly.
  • Almond Extract - I love almond extract, but a little goes a long way. You only need about 1 teaspoon in total for this recipe, with the bars and the glaze.
  • Try other fruits - Try apple, blueberry, or peach pie filling instead of cherry!

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 471IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg