(See the full post for more photos, tips, and how-to's: bakeat350.net/2024/07/cherry-pie-bars-revisited-two-ways.html)
Cherry Pie Bars
YIELD: 12-16 bars
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
BAKE TIME: about 35 minutes
Longer baking times will result in a more pie-like bar, while a shorter baking time will yield softer, more cookie-like bars.
1 cup salted butter, room temperature
1 cup Imperial Sugar Fine Granulated Sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup sliced almonds or rolled oats
1 & 1/4 cup cherry pie filling
Imperial Confectioner’s Sugar (for sprinkling)
Preheat oven to 350.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together
until combined and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat until combined, scraping
the sides and bottom of bowl as necessary. Mix in the extracts.
On low speed, mix in the flour until just combined. Reserve
1/2 cup of the dough in another bowl. Press the larger portion of dough evenly
into an ungreased 9x13” pan. Stir/knead the almonds or oats into the reserved dough.
Add the cherry pie filling evenly over the dough. Pinch off
sections of the almond dough and scatter over the top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the edges are golden and the top is lightly browned. Longer baking times will result in a more pie-like bar, while a shorter baking time will yield softer, more cookie-like bars. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into squares or bars and dust with confectioner’s sugar.
