Cherry Pie Bars
These Cherry Pie Bars are easy to make with premade pie crusts and sweet cherry filling. A delicious handheld twist on classic cherry pie!
Servings: 9 servings
Equipment
- 8x8 inch baking dish
- medium saucepan
- pastry wheel or sharp knife
- small bowl (for egg wash)
Ingredients
- 2-½ cups sweet red cherries frozen
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 large egg
- turbinado sugar for topping
- 1 box refrigerated pie crusts (14.1 ounces, 2 sheets)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherries and sugar. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring and mashing occasionally, until bubbly and slightly thickened.
- Stir in the cornstarch and continue cooking until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Roll out one pie crust and press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden.
- While the bottom crust bakes, roll out the second pie crust into a 9x9 inch square. Cut into ½ inch strips using a pastry wheel. Weave a lattice on a parchment sheet, adding braids if desired. Freeze until firm.
- Spread the cooled cherry filling evenly over the baked crust. Carefully place the frozen lattice on top.
- Beat the egg with the water and brush it over the lattice. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let cool completely before slicing into bars.
Notes
🥡 STORAGE
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days.
♨️ REHEATING
- Microwave: Heat individual bars for 10-15 seconds.
- Oven: Warm at 300°F for 5-8 minutes until just heated through.
❄️ FREEZING
- Freeze fully cooled bars in a single layer. Once frozen, transfer to a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
💡 TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS
- Use a pastry cutter or sharp knife for clean lattice strips.
- Don’t skip freezing the lattice - it helps keep the shape when transferred.
- Let the cherry filling cool before assembling to avoid a soggy crust.
🍳 ALTERNATE COOKING METHODS
- Air fryer: Bake individual squares at 325°F for 6-8 minutes to reheat or crisp the top.
- Toaster oven: Great for reheating one or two bars at a time.
♻️ LEFTOVERS
- Serve leftover bars warmed with vanilla ice cream.
- Crumble into a yogurt parfait or blend into a milkshake for a cherry pie twist.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
