Best Cherry Bars
Equipment
- 1 oven
- 1 Baking pan 13 x 9 inches
- 1 microwave
- 1 bowl
- 1 Stand mixer
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, or 2 sticks
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or almond extract
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips divided (OPTIONAL)
- 20 ounces of canned sweet cherry pie filling.
For the white chocolate glaze:
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C). Grease a 13 x 9 inches (33 x 23 cm) baking pan and set aside.
- Prepare the batter: In a mixer, cream butter and sugar together at medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until just incorporated (Do not overbeat them!). Beat the flour and salt at low speed until just incorporated. Mix in the vanilla and ½ cup of the chocolate chips until combined.
- Layer the cherry pie bars into the baking pan: Spread 3 cups of the batter in the greased baking pan. Then, spread the pie filling on top of the batter. Drop the remaining dough by tablespoonfuls on top of the cherry pie topping, spreading gently to cover the filling as much as possible. Distribute the remaining ¼ cup of the white chocolate chips.
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool on a rack and slice. Since I used only 1 can of cherry pie filling instead of the two called for in the original recipe, these bars won't turn out soggy if served the following day.
- Make the glaze: Combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave bowl and microwave at 50% power for about 1-½ to 2 minutes or until the chocolate is melted, pausing and stirring well every 30 seconds. Drizzle over bars using a fork. Bars can be served plain at room temperature, or warm accompanied by vanilla ice cream (my favorite way). Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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