Cherry bars are a delightful dessert that combines a buttery crust, a sweet and tart cherry filling, and a crumbly topping. Here’s a simple recipe for cherry bars:
Ingredients:
For the Crust and Topping:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Cherry Filling:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and chopped (if using frozen, thaw and drain excess liquid)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but enhances the cherry flavor)
- A few drops of red food coloring (optional, for a deeper red color)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, 1 cup of sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Add the flour and salt to the butter mixture and mix until a crumbly dough forms. Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of this mixture for the topping.
- Press the remaining dough mixture evenly into the bottom of the greased baking pan to form the crust.
- In another bowl, combine the chopped cherries, 1/2 cup of sugar, cornstarch, almond extract (if using), and food coloring (if using). Stir until the cherries are coated evenly with the sugar mixture.
- Spread the cherry filling evenly over the crust in the baking pan.
- Sprinkle the reserved dough mixture evenly over the cherry filling to create the crumbly topping.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and let the cherry bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, you can optionally dust the cherry bars with powdered sugar for a decorative touch.
- Cut into squares or bars, serve, and enjoy your homemade cherry bars!
These cherry bars are perfect for a sweet treat, dessert, or even as a snack with a cup of coffee or tea. You can also customize the recipe by adding a handful of chopped nuts (such as almonds or walnuts) to the topping for extra crunch and flavor.
