Christmas Cherry Bars
Christmas Cherry Bars are a festive dessert with a buttery crust, cherry filling, and sweet almond glaze, perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
For the base
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the filling and glaze
- 1 can cherry pie filling (21 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour and salt, mixing until the texture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the greased dish and let it bake for 15 minutes.
- After removing it from the oven, evenly spread the cherry pie filling over the warm crust.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond extract, powdered sugar, and milk until you achieve a smooth glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cherry filling.
- Place it back in the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the glaze is set but still bright.
- Allow the pan to cool before cutting it into squares.
Notes
To create an impressive dessert display, serve the bars on a decorative platter dusted lightly with powdered sugar. Pairs well with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.