Marry This Cherry Cookie Bars recipe is a chewy and buttery recipe, which is made with fresh cherries and almond extract. It’s the perfect summer dessert, ready in about an hour, plus cooling time.
Jump to RecipeCherry Cookie Bars Recipe Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 4 cups fresh Bing or other sweet cherries, pitted and halved (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp. almond extract
For the Dough:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 sticks salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Grated zest of 1 orange
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp. whole milk
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp. whole milk, plus more as needed
How To Make Cherry Cookie Bars
- Prep Oven and Make Filling: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the halved cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and almond extract. Let this mixture stand while you make the dough.
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and orange zest for about 2 minutes until combined.
- Finish the Dough: Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until fully incorporated. On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the milk, and beat until a soft dough comes together.
- Assemble the Bars: Press two-thirds of the soft dough into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour the cherry filling and any accumulated juices over the top and spread it out evenly. Crumble the remaining one-third of the dough over the top of the filling.
- Bake and Cool: Bake for about 35 minutes, until the cherries are bubbly and the dough is golden brown. Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.
- Glaze and Serve: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and milk until a smooth, thick glaze forms. Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled bars, let it set, then cut into pieces.
Recipe Tips
- What are the best cherries to use? Sweet, dark cherries like Bing are perfect for this recipe as their sweetness is balanced by the tart lemon glaze. It’s essential to pit them first; a cherry pitter makes this job quick and easy.
- How do I prevent a soggy crust? The cornstarch in the filling is the key! It mixes with the juices from the cherries as they bake and thickens them into a perfect jam-like consistency, protecting the buttery cookie crust.
- Can I use frozen cherries? Yes. If you use frozen cherries, it is very important to thaw them completely and then drain off as much excess liquid as possible before tossing them with the sugar and cornstarch.
- How do you get a perfect crumble top? This recipe cleverly uses the same soft cookie dough for the base and the topping. Just take the reserved dough and crumble it with your fingers into small, irregular pieces over the fruit for a rustic and delicious finish.
What To Serve With Cherry Cookie Bars
These bars are a rich and complete dessert on their own, especially with the bright lemon glaze. For an extra decadent treat, serve a warm bar with:
- A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
- A dollop of fresh, sweetened whipped cream
- A spoonful of crème fraîche
How To Store Cherry Cookie Bars
- Room Temperature: Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate: For longer storage, you can keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Cherry Cookie Bars Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 bar
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Sugar: 38g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Absolutely! This is a fantastic base recipe for other stone fruits or berries. It would be equally delicious made with sliced peaches, apricots, blueberries, or a mixed berry blend.
The almond extract adds a classic flavor that pairs beautifully with cherries. If you don’t have it or don’t care for the flavor, you can simply substitute it with an equal amount of vanilla extract.
This is usually a sign that the bars were under-baked, or that the fruit had too much excess moisture (especially if using undrained frozen fruit). Make sure the filling is visibly hot and bubbly and the top is golden brown before you remove them from the oven.
Try More Recipes:
- Cherry Tomato Pasta Recipe
- Chocolate-Dipped Cherry Macaroons Recipe
- Individual Cherry Almond Crisps Recipe
Cherry Cookie Bars Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy24
servings20
minutes35
minutes380
kcalA soft, buttery cookie base and a crunchy crumble topping sandwich a sweet, juicy fresh cherry filling, all finished with a bright lemon glaze.
Ingredients
Filling: 4 cups fresh sweet cherries (pitted & halved), 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1/8 tsp almond extract.
Dough: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 sticks softened butter, 1 cup sugar, zest of 1 orange, 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 Tbsp milk.
Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, zest of 1 lemon, 1-2 Tbsp milk.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 ̊F. Toss the prepared cherries with the sugar, cornstarch, and almond extract.
- Make the dough: Cream the butter, sugar, and orange zest. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla.
- Alternately add the combined dry ingredients and the milk until a soft dough forms.
- Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Spread the cherry filling over the dough base. Crumble the remaining dough over the top.
- Bake for about 35 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the top is golden.
- Let the bars cool completely.
- Whisk the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over the cooled bars.
Notes
- The most important tip for this recipe is to let the bars cool completely before adding the glaze and slicing them this is the secret to clean, neat bars.
- For the best texture, use fresh, ripe sweet cherries when they are in season.
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough after adding the flour, as this can make the crust tough.
- Using room temperature butter and eggs will help the dough come together more smoothly for a better final texture.
