We make these Cherry Bars with Almond Glaze every holiday season. Made in a half sheet pan, they make a beautiful dessert for a larger crowd or make an easy Christmas gift. The tender crumb, cherry pie filling, and almond icing drizzle are a delicious combination, and they are easy to prepare.

What we love about these Cherry Bars

I make these cherry bars every holiday season. I love that they are baked in an 18×13 inch half sheet pan/baking sheet (the size of your average cookie sheet) because they are perfect for feeding a large group or they can be cut into smaller squares to be shared as Christmas gifts. I usually cut them into 24 bars for a nice dessert bar size or into 40 bars for gifts.

I love the flavor of the bars. The cherry almond combination is so delicious. I have a little almond extract in the bars and in the powdered sugar glaze. The crumb of the bars is so tender, and combined with the cherry pie filling and almond icing glaze, they taste heavenly. The brightness of the cherries make them look so festive too.

The cherry pie filling helps to keep these bars easy to make. The dough for the bars comes together quickly and the glaze is just 3 ingredients. The ease, large quantity, and flavor make these a tradition here that we make year after year.

Looking for other Christmas desserts? Try our Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies, Cranberry and Walnut Cookies, or our Cherry and Cream Cheese Pie.

What you need to make this Cherry Bars Recipe

You will need the following ingredients:

Butter
Shortening
Granulated sugar
Baking powder
Salt
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Almond extract
Powdered sugar
Milk

Cherry Pie Bars Substitutions

I know what it’s like when you don’t have everything on hand, and the last thing you want to do is run to the store and pick something up. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:

You can substitute vanilla extract for the almond extract if you don’t care for or can’t use almond extract.
You can substitute butter for the shortening if you prefer, but I think using half of each in these bars creates a really tender, soft texture.
I have used almond milk in place of the milk, and it worked great. I don’t recommend substituting cream for the milk. It is too thick and makes more of a frosting than a glaze.

Step-by-step Instructions

Step 1. In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer in a large bowl, beat together butter and shortening until smooth.

Step 2. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed to ensure the dough is evenly mixed. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and beat until fully incorporated. Add the flour to the dough, mixing until just combined.

Step 3. Place 2 ¼ cups of the dough in a small bowl and set aside. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of an ungreased 18×13-inch cookie sheet/half-sheet pan. It can help to slightly flour your hands to press and spread the dough, and I use an offset spatula to help spread it evenly.

Step 4. Bake for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread the pie filling evenly over the crust. Spoon the remaining dough in small mounds over the filling. Bake for an additional 32-33 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Cool the bars on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.

Step 5. While the bars cool, whisk together in a small bowl the powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract.

Step 6. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the bars. Let cool completely before cutting the bars into squares.

Tips

While sometimes I substitute butter in place of shortening, I do recommend doing half of each for these bars, as the shortening adds additional tenderness and height to the bars.
Also, I love my USA pan baking sheets, they cook so evenly, are high quality, and long-lasting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the cherry bars be made in advance?

a. You can make cherry bars in advance as they last 3-5 days (depending on whether they are stored airtight at room temperature or in the fridge). I would suggest waiting to cut the bars and add the glaze just before serving if you are making them in advance to keep them extra fresh, but they are also fine being stored with the glaze.

How to store Cherry Bars with Almond Glaze?

a. A powdered sugar glaze with milk does not need to be refrigerated, as the high concentration of sugar in the glaze acts as a stabilizer and preserves the milk. These bars will keep at room temperature, stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days and in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze them in an airtight container for up to two months.

Cherry Bars with Almond Glaze

Recipe by Risa

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: DessertCuisine: American

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Serving Size

24-40

bars

Total time

hour

minutes

Ingredients

Cherry Bars:
¾ cup softened butter
¾ cup shortening
2 ¾ cups granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, 1 egg yolk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
4 1/2 cups flour, using the spoon and level method for measuring flour
Topping and Glaze:
221 -ounce cans cherry pie filling
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer in a large bowl, beat together butter and shortening until smooth. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed to ensure the dough is evenly mixed. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and beat until fully incorporated.
Add the flour to the dough, mixing until just combined. Scrape down the edges of the bowl with a spatula to ensure the dough is evenly mixed.
Place 2 ¼ cups of the dough in a small bowl and set aside.
Press the remaining dough into the bottom of an ungreased 18×13-inch cookie sheet/half-sheet pan. It can help to slightly flour your hands to press and spread the dough, and I use an offset spatula to help spread it evenly.
Bake for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread the pie filling evenly over the crust. Spoon the remaining dough in small mounds over the filling. (I spread the dough slightly with my hands before placing it on the filling for a little larger surface area with each mound).
Bake for an additional 32-33 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Cool the bars on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
While the bars cool, whisk together in a small bowl the powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the bars. Let cool completely before cutting the bars into squares.

Notes

To measure your flour, spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level off the top using a knife or straight-edged utensil for best results.
While sometimes I substitute butter in place of shortening, I do recommend doing half of each for these bars, as the shortening adds additional tenderness and height to the bars.
A powdered sugar glaze with milk does not need to be refrigerated, as the high concentration of sugar in the glaze acts as a stabilizer and preserves the milk. These bars will keep at room temperature, stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days and in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To apply the glaze to the bars, I like using a whisk, usually the same one I use to whisk the glaze together. It’s a little more even of a drizzle than a spoon. You can also pour the glaze into a squeeze bottle or piping bag for more precision.
Make sure you use a half sheet pan/baking sheet that has 4 sides and not a cookie sheet that doesn’t have edges as you will need the sides to support the bars as they bake.
I usually cut these into 24 bars for a nice dessert bar size or into 40 bars for gifts.