Christmas Cherry Bars
These festive Christmas Cherry Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, a sweet cherry filling, and a cinnamon streusel topping—perfect for holiday baking and gift boxes!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour divided, King Arthur Flour recommended
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold, cubed (Kerrygold recommended)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 21 ounce cherry pie filling canned or homemade
- ½ teaspoon almond extract optional
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour for streusel topping
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cubed (for streusel)
Instructions
- Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, whisk 2 cups flour, ½ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cut in 1 cup cold butter until coarse crumbs form; stir in vanilla.
- Press two-thirds of the crumb mixture into the pan and bake 12–15 minutes until edges are light golden.
- Let crust cool 3 minutes, then spread cherry pie filling evenly over the top and drizzle almond extract if using.
- Combine ¾ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon; cut in 6 tablespoons cold butter until clumps form.
- Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the cherry layer for a rustic, crumbly finish.
- Bake another 20–25 minutes until the topping is golden and cherries bubble through the streusel.
- Cool bars completely, then chill 30–60 minutes. Lift from pan and cut into 16 bars with a sharp knife.
Notes
Store bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze individually for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal
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