Christmas Cherry Bars Recipe!!! – Buttery, Festive & Packed with Cherry-Pie Flavor in Every Bite

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🍓 Christmas Cherry Bars

Serves 24–30 | Prep: 15 min | Bake: 30–35 min | Cool: 2+ hrs | Total: ~3 hrs

🛒 Ingredients

For the Bars:

1 cup (2 sticks / 225g) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups (400g) granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ tsp almond extract (don’t skip — it’s the secret weapon!)

3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled

2 (21 oz) cans cherry pie filling (use full-sugar for best texture)

🍒 Pro Tip: Drain excess liquid if filling is very watery — prevents soggy bars.

For the Glaze:

1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

2–3 tbsp milk (whole or 2%)

👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions

1️⃣ Prep & Preheat

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan (for thin, cookie-tray-style bars) or 9×13-inch pan (for thicker slices).

Line with parchment paper, leaving overhangs for easy lifting.

2️⃣ Make the Dough

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and salt on medium speed 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.

Mix in vanilla and almond extract.

Gradually add flour on low speed until just combined — don’t overmix!

3️⃣ Assemble the Layers

Reserve about 1½ cups of dough (set aside for topping).

Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the pan.

Spread cherry pie filling in an even layer over the base.

Crumble the reserved dough into small pieces and scatter over the top.

4️⃣ Bake to Golden Perfection

Bake 30–35 minutes, until edges are golden and center is set (a toothpick should come out mostly clean).

Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack (~2 hours).

🔥 Tip: Cooling sets the filling — cutting too soon = messy bars!

5️⃣ Make the Glaze

Whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and 2 tbsp milk.

Add more milk, ½ tsp at a time, until smooth and drizzle-able.

6️⃣ Drizzle & Slice

Drizzle glaze over cooled bars using a spoon or piping bag.

Use a sharp knife to cut into squares. Wipe blade between cuts for clean edges.