Marry This Pioneer Woman Cherry Pie Cookie Bars recipe is a buttery and tangy recipe, which is made with cherry pie filling and a zesty lemon glaze. It’s a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert, ready in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Jump to RecipePioneer Woman Cherry Pie Cookie Bars Recipe Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars:
- 300g granulated sugar (1 ½ cups)
- 300g salted butter, softened (1 ⅓ cups or 2 sticks + 5 tbsp)
- Zest of ½ orange
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 500g plain flour (4 cups)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 850g cherry pie filling (30 oz can)
For the Glaze:
- 120g icing sugar (1 cup)
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- Zest of 1 lemon
How To Make Pioneer Woman Cherry Pie Cookie Bars Recipe
- Prep Oven and Cream Butter: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and orange zest together until light and fluffy.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk, to form a soft dough.
- Assemble the Bars: Press about two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form a crust. Spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the dough base. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the top of the cherry filling.
- Bake and Cool: Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.
- Glaze and Serve: Once cooled, whisk together the icing sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and lemon zest to create the glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the bars, let it set, then slice and serve.
Recipe Tips
- How do I keep the bottom crust from getting soggy? Pressing the bottom layer of dough firmly into the pan helps create a solid base. Also, ensure you are using a thick cherry pie filling.
- Why do I have to cool the bars completely before glazing? If you drizzle the glaze onto warm bars, it will melt and become thin and transparent instead of setting up into an opaque, pretty glaze.
- Can I use a different fruit filling? Absolutely. This recipe is a fantastic base for other canned pie fillings like apple, blueberry, or peach.
- How do I get clean slices? For the cleanest possible slices, let the bars cool completely and then chill them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes after glazing. This helps everything firm up.
What To Serve With Cherry Pie Cookie Bars
These sweet and tangy bars are perfect on their own, but also delicious with:
- A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
- A dollop of whipped cream
- A hot cup of coffee or tea
How To Store Cherry Pie Cookie Bars
Refrigerate: Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze: You can freeze the bars, either sliced or as a whole slab (before glazing is best), for up to 3 months. Wrap them well in plastic wrap and then foil.
Cherry Pie Cookie Bars Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Sodium: 250mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Can I use fresh cherries instead of canned pie filling?
You can, but you will need to cook them down first. Combine about 4-5 cups of pitted fresh cherries with sugar, cornstarch, and a little water in a saucepan and cook until you have a thick, pie-filling-like consistency. Let it cool before using.
My dough is very sticky. What should I do?
This dough is meant to be soft. If it’s too difficult to handle, you can chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to help it firm up. You can also lightly flour your hands when pressing it into the pan.
Can I make these gluten-free?
You can try substituting the plain flour with a good quality 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend. The texture may be slightly different.
Pioneer Woman Cherry Pie Cookie Bars Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy16
servings20
minutes50
minutes350
kcalButtery, tangy cookie bars with a rich cherry pie filling, all drizzled with a zesty lemon glaze for a vibrant twist on a classic dessert.
Ingredients
Cookie Bars: 300g granulated sugar (1 ½ cups), 300g salted butter (softened), Zest of ½ orange, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 500g plain flour (4 cups), 1 tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 2 tbsp whole milk, 850g cherry pie filling (30 oz can).
Glaze: 120g icing sugar (1 cup), 1 tbsp whole milk, Zest of 1 lemon.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13″ baking dish.
- Cream the butter, sugar, and orange zest. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt). Alternate adding the dry mix and the milk to the butter mixture.
- Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of the pan. Spread the cherry pie filling over the top.
- Drop spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the cherry filling.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden. Let cool completely.
- Whisk together the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the cooled bars.
Notes
- Cool Completely: It is essential to let the bars cool fully before adding the glaze to prevent it from melting.
- Fruit Variations: Feel free to use other canned pie fillings like blueberry, apple, or peach for a different flavor.
- Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Dough Handling: The dough is soft. Chilling it for 30 minutes can make it easier to press into the pan.
