Description
These Christmas Cherry Bars are a delightful combination of a buttery crust, vibrant cherry filling, and a creamy topping, perfect for the holiday season. Easy to make and stunning to present, they are sure to become a festive favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (cold and cubed)
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 can (21 ounces) Canned Cherry Pie Filling
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest (optional)
- Sliced Almonds (optional)
- Powdered Sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×13 inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Use a food processor, pastry blender, or your fingertips to mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Set aside about 1 to 1½ cups of the crumb mixture for the streusel topping.
- Press the remaining crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.
- Spread the canned cherry pie filling evenly over the warm crust. If using lemon zest, stir it into the filling before spreading.
- Crumble the reserved streusel mixture over the cherry filling. If using sliced almonds, sprinkle them on top.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes until the streusel topping is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack for 2-3 hours before cutting into bars.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Keywords: Keep your butter cold for a flaky texture. Don't overmix the crust to avoid toughness. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting for neat slices.