Prepare these easy cherry bars with a sweet cherry pie filling and a white chocolate drizzle in just 15 minutes. They make the best dessert for summer potlucks, picnics, and parties!
Table of Contents
How to Make Cherry Bars
- 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 FAQs
Sure! If you don't have a 13 x 9-inch pan, you may use 2 (8×8-inch or 9 x 9-inch baking pans). However, you may have to adjust the baking time.
Yes! You can use any canned pie filling as a variation for these cherry bars. Peach, blueberry, blackberry, or apple pie filling make great fruit pie filling options.
Yes! First, let them cool completely, cut the bars to your desired size, and then, freeze them in a freezer-safe container layered with parchment paper in between, for up to 3 months. After thawing them, you may drizzle their topping with melted white chocolate or other glaze of your liking.
How to Store Cherry Pie Bars
Store your cool cherry bars in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Love cherry desserts? Try also this Cherry blueberry slump!
Have you made and enjoyed this recipe for cherry bars? Please, leave your feedback!
Other Sweet Bars
- Apple bars
- Fig bars
- Banana pudding cheesecake bars
- Homemade crunch bar recipe
- Keto protein bar recipe
- Gingerbread cookie bars
- Homemade energy bars
- Coconut bars
- Chocolate cookie bars
PIN AND ENJOY!
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
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
This post was first published on June 2, 2013.
Suzanne says
I can see why one would not be enough, these bars look so good. Great recipe!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Suzanne! These bars are a really great treat!!!
Laura@bakinginpyjamas says
These look really delicious Denise, great idea for this month's theme.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Laura!
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
From the moment you shared this in the facebook group I though the same - one bars is definitely not enough. These look amazing Denise!
Thansk for sharing and for joining and for joining our party again this month. I hope you'll party along with s many months to come!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Roxana! The pleasure to participate in your chocolate party monthly is mine. Have a great week!!!
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com says
I love everything cherries! Combining white chocolate with cherries in a dessert bar is brilliant and would be one of my favorite combinations!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Julia! I made these bars for the first time and I absolutely loved them.
The Café Sucre Farine says
I think you win the prize, Denise! These look and sound fabulou. I'm such a cherry nut, I know these would not last long around our house!
Denise Browning says
Chris: The whole baking pan disappeared quickly here. I ate a few but my husband served himself with most of the bars. He absolutely loved this dessert!!!
Raymund says
I think one is enough, I mean 1 whole baking pan 🙂
Denise Browning says
LOL, Raymund!!!! You think exactly like my husband. When I said one is not enough, I was talking about one single bar but you and he was thinking about the whole baking pan... Hehe!!!
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
I made cherry bars for the first time a few days ago after we went cherry picking and it was so good (actually this was my first time making bars so I'm overly excited). Next time I want to mix with chocolate too! These bars look delicious, Denise!
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Nami! These bars are really delicious. My husband is not a fan of white chocolate but he devoured these bars pretty quick. I think I'll have to make this recipe again because it became one of his favs.
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts says
These bars sound wonderful! I love that you used white chocolate with them!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
I want these deliciousness in my life! Love the use of vibrant juicy cherries here, Denise 🙂
Juliana says
Oh Denise! Como eu gostaria de sua vizinha...e eu prometo que so terei um bar deste cherry pie bar 🙂
Looks delicious and the pictures absolutely gorgeous.
Hope you are having a lovely week my dear 🙂
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Juliana! I'd love to have you as my neighbor. We'd share our dishes with each other and chat a lot. 🙂 Wishing you a great week!
Deb says
I just adore the seductive red cherries and voluptuous cake in these White Chocolate Cherry Pie Bars!
What a luscious dessert!
Daniela says
Wow Denise, what a gorgeous looking dessert!
I can fully understand that your hubby can't get enough of this, it' s just so tempting.
I love the addition of cherries they have such a bright color and a delicate aroma. Definitlely, one is not enough 🙂
Denise Browning says
Thank you, Daniela! I have to say that both my husband and I love this dessert. Although I ate several bars, my husband ate almost the whole batch by himself. I think I will have to make these bars again. 🙂
The Ninja Baker says
Oh, yum! I'd love to sink my teeth into one of those luscious looking white chocolate cherry pie bars =) So glad you shared your recipe, Denise. Perhaps I can replicate it in the Ninja Baker kitchen =)
Denise Browning says
Thank you! You are more than welcome to replicate this recipe in your blog. I loved your recipe for the chocolate party as well.
Gourmet Getaways says
Oh I am loving the Chocolate Party, I am going around to look ay everyone's dishes and they are all amazing!! So many delicious combinations of chocolate and cherry!
Your dessert looks absolutely luscious!! I know every mouthful would be absolute bliss! The cherries look so red and lush.
Denise Browning says
I agree with you, Julie! Everyone did a great job!!!!!
Liz says
Your bars look exquisite, Denise!! I love white chocolate with cherries 🙂
Denise Browning says
Thank you, Liz, for always stopping by and for your lovely comments.
Emily @ Life on Food says
Crazy but I didn't even think about white chocolate as an option. This looks fantastic!
Denise Browning says
Thanks for stopping by, Emily! Yours looks great as well.
Lail | With A Spin says
White chocolate and cherries. Fabulous combination, Denise. The pie looks easy enough for little ones to help out a bit for father's day.
Denise Browning says
It is, Lail! Children can certainly spread the batter and filling, and help slice the bars. They would be delighted to top the bars with ice cream.
SallyBR says
That is one gorgeos looking dessert! Did you know I never cooked cherries in my life? Amazing, but true.
I normally just eat the fruit, and I think once I had a cherry type cobbler, but that was it.
oh, well - I am pinning your recipe right away!
Denise Browning says
Thank you, Sally! I do appreciate both your comment and pin.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
How cute are your red ramekins, so pretty!
Denise Browning says
They are from Le Creuset, Laura!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
Chocolate and cherries so go well together and this looks great, Denise!
Denise Browning says
I think so too, Abbe! Both make a great combination.