One of the easiest potluck desserts I like to make are my Quick and Easy Cherry Pie Bars. There are a lot of recipes out there for Cherry Pie Bars, but these are by far easiest I have made. They start with Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix. They are moist and delicious and they’re a nice change from brownies or other bar cookies.
2 pouches Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1 tablespoon flour
2 sticks butter, softened
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 – 21 oz. can Cherry Pie Filling
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 container Ready made cream cheese frosting (you will only need about 1/3 of the container)
Preheat oven to 350°.
With an electric mixer, mix together the pouches of cookie mix, flour, butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix until you no longer see lumps of dry mix. Spread half of the dough into a greased 13 x 9 pan.
In a separate bowl, stir 1 teaspoon almond flavoring into the cherry pie filling. (This helps to “punch up” the cherry flavor!)
Spread the cherry mixture over the first layer of dough.
Drop pieces of the remaining dough onto the cherry layer.
Bake for about 40 – 45 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the dough in the center of the pan comes out clean.
Remove from oven to a wire rack and allow to cool.
Scoop out about 1/3 of the frosting into a small microwave safe dish and cook on high power about 10 seconds. Stir. (All you need to do is soften the frosting so that it can drizzle over the cooled bars – it should not be runny!)
Keep bars covered until serving time. Refrigerate any leftovers.
The Sugar Cookie Mix can be found in most grocery stores or on Amazon.com.
- 2 pouches Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 2 t. vanilla
- 1 – 21 oz. can Cherry Pie Filling
- 1 teaspoon almond flavoring
- Ready made cream cheese (or vanilla) frosting - you will only need about 1/3 of the container
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- With an electric mixer, mix together the pouches of cookie mix, flour, butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix until you no longer see lumps of dry mix. Spread half of the dough into a greased 13 x 9 pan.
- In a separate bowl, stir 1 teaspoon almond flavoring into the cherry pie filling. (This helps to “punch up” the cherry flavor!)
- With an electric mixer, mix together the pouches of cookie mix, flour, butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix until you no longer see lumps of dry mix. Spread half of the dough into a greased 13 x 9 pan.
- In a separate bowl, stir 1 teaspoon almond flavoring into the cherry pie filling. (This helps to “punch up” the cherry flavor!)
- Spread the cherry mixture over the first layer of dough.
- Drop pieces of the remaining dough onto the cherry layer.
- Bake for about 40 – 45 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the dough in the center of the pan comes out clean.
- Remove from oven to a wire rack and allow to cool.
- Scoop out about 1/3 of the frosting into a small microwave safe dish and cook on high power about 10 seconds. Stir. (All you need to do is soften the frosting so that it can drizzle over the cooled bars – it should not be runny!)
- Keep bars covered until serving time. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Hello!
These look great! Can they be frozen?
Yes! They freeze beautifully!
What size pckage of sugar cookie mix are you using?
I use the l lb Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix.
Can you use a different filling instead of cherry?
I have made this recipe with raspberry pie filling and it’s yummy too!
I have uses strawberry pie filling and lemon pie filling. Both worked great!!
Have you ever made the Cherry Pie Bar recipe by ‘halving’ the ingredients and using a pie dish instead of a 13 x 9?
I have not tried that, but I love the idea!
HI,
I made this today to take to church coffee hour. It turned out wonderful, actually looks just like the picture!!! I know everyone is going to love this cherry bar. Thanks!!! Wouldn’t change a thing. Also loved the addition of almond extract to the cherry filling. Really does bring out the cherry flavor.
I made these yesterday for a summer party that asked us to bring either a side dish or a dessert. Turns out mine was the only dessert! So I was a little worried since I had never made these before, but they got rave reviews and were a big hit! I followed the recipe exactly but used vanilla frosting instead of the cream cheese. Will definitely make these again – thank you!