Cherry pie has always been one of our favorite desserts. We are big fans of the combination of juicy cherry pie filling and flaky pie crust. To expand on our love of the classic cherry pie, we combined two of our favorite things-shortbread and cherry pie to create cherry pie bars with shortbread cookie crust.
In case the shortbread and cherry pie filling combination is not enough, we also add brown sugar crumble and vanilla bean glaze. These cherry pie bars are everything a cherry pie is and more. They are sweet, tart, and bursting with cherries.
Tips for the best cherry pie bars:
- Bake the shortbread in advance: We use a method similar to blind baking a pie crust for the shortbread crust. This method means baking the shortbread twice. When you bake the shortbread before adding the cherries, it does two things: 1. It ensures the shortbread is golden. We like a generous shortbread base so it needs a little extra bake time to get golden. 2. Baking the shortbread in advance ensures the cherry pie filling remains juicy
- Cook the filing on the stove to get a classic sticky cherry pie filling. Cooking the cherries with a little cornstarch and sugar on the stove creates the sticky cherry pie filling that we all know and love. Just allowing the filling to bake in the oven will not create the same effect. It is worth the few minutes on the stove to get the perfect pie center.
- Pack on the crumble. We make a brown sugar crumble for extra flavor and a little bit of crunch on top of the juicy cherry pie filling. We are of the firm belief that there is nothing that a little brown sugar crumble doesn’t make better….
Components of the Cherry Pie Bars:
- Shortbread: The base of the cherry pie bars is a thick layer of golden shortbread cookie. We are big fans of shortbread and it makes the perfect base for these cherry pie bars. The crust is buttery and sweet which pairs perfectly with the juicy, tart cherry pie filling. To ensure the shortbread is extra golden, we bake it in advance of adding the cherry pie filling. We then bake it a second time with the cherry pie filling on top.
- Cherry Pie Filling: Just like a classic cherry pie, these cherry pie bars are stuffed with cherry pie filling. The cherries are cooked with lemon zest, sugar, and almond extract. Once all the ingredients are on the stove, they are cooked together until they are slightly sticky and sweet.
- Crumble: The crumble on top of these cherry pie bars is flavored with brown sugar and almond extract. It is soft, a little crunchy and so tasty.
- Vanilla Drizzle: The vanilla bean drizzle brings a sweetness, creaminess, and extra vanilla flavor. It is truly the cherry on top of these cherry pie bars… well in this case the vanilla bean drizzle on top. Regardless, it is so good.
FAQs:
Do you use fresh cherries or canned or frozen?
Our preferred cherries for cherry pie filling are canned TART cherries. There are very few things in life we actively pick a can above fresh for, but these cherry pie bars are one of those things. There is something about canned cherries that gives the filling the classic cherry pie taste. Although you can use fresh or frozen, we preferred the canned. (Plus it saves a whole lot of time pitting!) If you do use fresh or frozen, add a couple minutes to the cook time.
Do you need to cook the shortbread in advance?
Yes – trust us, this produces the best result. In order to ensure the shortbread is golden and the filling is not overcooked, cook the shortbread in advance. The shortbread needs more time than the filling so we cook it first and then bake it a second time with the cherries on top.
Can I make the cherry pie bars with another fruit?
Yes! Note that the filling part will need to be adjusted according to ingredients that are traditional for that type of fruit pie (e.g. apples and cinnamon). This can definitely be made into other fruit pie bars, but the recipe will just need some adjusting. We have an apple pie version here.
Can I make this without the almond extract?
Yes – we are big (well maybe huge…) fans of almond extract. We love the flavor but know it is not for everyone. If you do not like the flavor of almond extract, simply leave it out of both the crumb and the filling. If you leave it out, you do not need to add anything in its place. The bars will still be delicious without it. However, if you do like the taste of almond extract we strongly recommend adding it. It adds such a delicious flavor.
Cherry Pie Bars with Crumb and Vanilla Glaze
Ingredients
For the shortbread crust:
- 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar 75 g
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240 g
- 1 cup salted butter at room temperature 226 g
Cherry pie filling:
- 4 ½ cups canned tart cherries drained (3 14.5 oz cans red tart cherries drained)
- ½ cup sugar 100 g
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup cornstarch 30 g
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon salted butter 15 g
Crumb Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 180 g
- ¼ cup white sugar 50 g
- 1/2 cup brown sugar 100 g
- 1/2 cup melted butter 113 g
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar 200 g
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 g
- 2-3 tablespoons milk 30-45 g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper
Crust:
- To make the crust, sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir in the flour. Add the butter and beat on low speed until a smooth dough forms.
- Press the dough evenly into the pan. Note, using a piece of plastic wrap to help smooth the dough evenly. Cover the top of the crust with parchment paper and then fill the pan with baking weights. (the parchment should act as a barrier between the baking weights and the crust)
- Bake the crust until it is a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Bake for the first 20 minutes with the pie weights
- After 20 minutes, remove from the oven and remove the pie weights and parchment. Place the crust back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes until golden
Cherry Pie Filling:
- While the crust is baking make the cherry pie filling
- Add the cherries, sugar and salt to a medium saucepan on medium heat and warm until just bubbling
- Make a cornstarch slurry with the lemon juice, water, and cornstarch by mixing them all together in a small bowl. Once the mixture is combined, add it to the saucepan with the warmed cherries and mix
- Cook for ~2 more minutes until just bubbly and thick
- Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest, almond extract, and butter
- (Note: these instructions are for drained, canned cherries. The cook times will need to be adjusted if using fresh or frozen cherries)
Crumb:
- Add the flour, sugar, and brown sugar to a bowl. Stir with a fork to combine
- Pour in the melted butter and almond extract. Mix together with a fork until large crumbs form. Set aside
Assembly:
- On top of the cooked shortbread, add the cherry pie filling. Using a spatula spread them into an even, slightly compact layer
- On top of the cherry layer, evenly sprinkle the crumble across the top
- Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until the crumbs are golden on top
Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, add powdered sugar and vanilla. Gradually whisk in milk until is is thick but drizzle-able (start with 2 tablespoons and add additional if needed)
- When the bars are cooled, drizzle the glaze over top with a spoon or piping bag (a ziploc with the corner snipped off will also work)
