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homemade cherry pie bars

(1 rating)
Elaine55 avatar
Recipe by
Elaine Bovender
@Elaine55
Wilmington, NC

I found this recipe in a magazine some time ago. The original recipe called for canned cherry pie filling, but I preferred to make my own pie filling. These bars have a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread-like crust coupled with a wonderful pecan crumb topping. My husband absolutely loved these, I hope you do too!

►
(1 rating)
yield serving(s)
prep time 30 Min
cook time 1 Hr 15 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For homemade cherry pie bars

  • CRUST AND TOPPING
  • 3 c
    all purpose flour
  • 3/4 c
    sugar
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 1 1/2 c
    cold butter, cubed (3 sticks)
  • 3/4 c
    chopped pecans
  • CHERRY PIE FILLING (YOU MAY ALSO USE CANNED CHERRY PIE FILLING)
  • 3 can
    tart pitted cherries drained, with 1 cup of juice reserved (15.5 ounce)
  • 3/4 c
    sugar
  • 1/4 c
    plus one tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground cinnamon
  • 1 c
    reserved juice from the cherries
  • 1/2 c
    sugar
  • 1 Tbsp
    butter
  • 1/2 tsp
    almond extract
  • 5
    drops red food coloring (optional)
  • GLAZE
  • 1 c
    powdered sugar
  • 4-5 tsp
    whole milk
  • 1/4 tsp
    almond extract

How To Make homemade cherry pie bars

  • 1
    CHERRY PIE FILLING: Drain cherries reserving 1 cup of the juice, set aside.
  • 2
    In a medium saucepan combine 3/4 cup sugar, salt, cornstarch and cinnamon. Add cherry juice and stir. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until smooth and thickened.
  • 3
    Remove from heat and gently fold in cherries, butter, 1/2 cup sugar. almond extract, and food coloring. Set aside.
  • 4
    CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 X 9 inch pan with heavy duty aluminum foil allowing two or three inches to extend over the sides. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.
  • 5
    Put flour, sugar and salt into a food processor and pulse two or three times until combined. Add butter cubes and pulse a few times until mixture is crumbly. NOTE: If you don't have a food processor, you can cut in with a knife or pastry cutter in the usual pastry method.
  • 6
    Reserve one cup of the flour mixture and press remaining flour mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • 7
    Remove from oven and spread cherry pie filling over crust. Mix remaining one cup of flour mixture with chopped pecans and sprinkle over the top of the pie filling. Return to oven and bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden.
  • 8
    Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for at least one hour. Lift bars from pan using foil sides as handles. Gently pull down the foil sides and drizzle with glaze (recipe to follow). Cut into bars and serve.
  • 9
    GLAZE: Mix powdered sugar, milk and flavoring in a small bowl until smooth and no lumps. If glaze seems too thick, you may add a little more milk until desired constancy is reached. Drizzle over cookie bars.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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