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Christmas Cherry Bars

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These festive Christmas Cherry Bars are a delightful holiday treat! Featuring a buttery shortbread crust, a sweet cherry filling, and a crumbly topping, they’re easy to make and perfect for parties, cookie exchanges, or as a gift. Bright red cherries add a pop of color to your holiday dessert spread.

Ingredients

Scale

  • Crust and Topping:

    • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 4 large eggs
    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • Cherry Filling:

    • 1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
    • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Oven and Pan:
    Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal.

  2. Make the Crust and Topping:
    In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, until well combined.

  3. Add Dry Ingredients:
    In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.

  4. Assemble the Bars:
    Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the dough for the topping. Spread the remaining dough evenly into the prepared baking pan to form the crust. Spread the cherry pie filling over the crust, ensuring an even layer. Add the almond extract to the cherries if desired. Crumble the reserved dough over the cherry layer.

  5. Bake the Bars:
    Bake in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes, or until the topping is lightly golden.

  6. Cool and Slice:
    Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before slicing into squares or rectangles.

Notes

  • For a festive touch, drizzle the cooled bars with a simple powdered sugar glaze.
  • You can substitute cherry pie filling with raspberry, blueberry, or apple for variety.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Find it online: https://recipe.newsvks.com/christmas-cherry-bars/