Cherry Bars

How To Make Cherry Bars

1. Preheat Oven & Prep Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12×17-inch jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and spray it with nonstick spray.
2. Make the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the 1 ½ cups of softened butter and 3 cups of granulated sugar for about 1-2 minutes. Add the 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, 5 large eggs, 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 1 ½ teaspoons of almond extract. Continue mixing until everything is fully incorporated. Add the 5 ½ cups of all-purpose flour and 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and mix until just combined.
3. Assemble the Bars: Reserve 1 ¾ cups of the dough. Press the remaining dough into the prepared baking pan to form an even layer. Spoon the 2 cans of cherry pie filling evenly over the dough. Using your hands, drop small pieces of the reserved dough over the cherry filling.
4. Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
5. Glaze & Serve: Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, prepare the glaze by whisking together the 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar and 3 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the bars. Cut the bars into 35 squares and serve.

Enjoy this sweet and fruity dessert!