Christmas Cherry Bars

🍒 Christmas Cherry Bars – Festive, Fruity & Irresistibly Sweet

These buttery bars bring the holiday spirit in every bite—soft cookie-style layers, vibrant cherry filling, and a delicate almond glaze that ties it all together. Ideal for cookie trays, brunch spreads, or late-night kitchen visits with twinkling lights in the background.

🧾 Ingredients

For the Bars

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp almond extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling

For the Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 2–3 tbsp milk

Instructions:

👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions

1️⃣ Prep

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
• Grease a 15x10x1-inch pan and set aside

2️⃣ Make the Dough

• Cream butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy
• Beat in eggs one at a time
• Add vanilla and almond extracts
• Gradually mix in flour until fully incorporated

3️⃣ Assemble

• Spread ⅔ of the dough evenly into pan
• Spoon and spread cherry pie filling on top
• Drop remaining dough in teaspoonfuls over the filling

4️⃣ Bake

• Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and slightly firm
• Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack

5️⃣ Glaze

• Whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth
• Drizzle glaze over cooled bars

6️⃣ Slice & Serve

• Cut into squares or rectangles
• Store covered at room temp for 3–4 days or refrigerate for longer shelf life

💡 Tips & Twists

• Use homemade cherry compote or swap with raspberry filling
• Add slivered almonds to the glaze for crunch
• Turn leftovers into ice cream topping or crumble over yogurt