Cherry Pie Bars
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Easy Cherry Pie Bars start with a soft homemade almond crust that’s layered with cherry pie filling and topped with more crust. So much easier than a pie, but just a delicious.

What’s better than cherry pie? Cherry Pie Bars! You get all the tender, soft crust with the sweet cherry filling, but it’s so much easier to make and one pan feeds a crowd.
Why this recipes works:
- Uses canned cherry pie filling so no pitting cherries
- Bake the bars in a large pan and slice so they are easy to serve also known as a slab pie
- Soft chewy crust
- Sweet icing on top
Love the ease of slab pies? Check out these lemon and apple pie bars that are made in a similar way.
Some Notes about the Ingredients
The crust is made with your regular pie dough ingredients like flour, eggs, and butter.
I also add some almond extract to the dough. It gives it an amazing flavor and pairs so well with the cherries. It definitely takes the bars to the next level!
If you don’t enjoy almond flavoring just skip that ingredient.

You only need one ingredient for the filling – cherry pie filling! All of the work is done for you making the bars so easy to make.
Just when you think it can’t get any better we’re adding a simple glaze after the bars are finished baking. There’s almond extract in it, too!
Products Needed
How to Make Pie Bars
- First, make the crust by creaming the butter, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Once the mixture is light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time.
- Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix until well combined. With mixer running, slowly add the flour and mix until it’s incorporated.
- Spread three cups of the dough in the jelly roll pan. Reserve the leftover dough for the top of the bars.
- Spread the pie filling over the dough and then drop the rest of the pie dough by the teaspoon over the top of the filling.




- Bake the pie slab for 45 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees F. While it’s baking make the glaze.
- Just combine powdered sugar, vanilla and almond extract, and milk until the sugar has dissolved. It should be thin enough to drizzle, so if your is too thick you can thin it with a little more milk.


- Once the bars are done baking, cool the bars completely. Drizzle the glaze over the top and then slice and serve the bars.
Recipe FAQs!
A jelly roll pan is a large, shallow baking pan that is perfect for making slab pies, bars, and jelly rolls. The size I use is 15×10″. I use it to make many of my dessert bars!
Apple, blueberry, peach, and strawberry pie filling will work, too!
Any leftover bars should be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will keep for up to five days.
Just omit it and increase the amount of vanilla extract instead.
These cherry pie bars are great for holidays, potlucks, BBQs – basically anytime you need dessert for a crowd! The combination of the cherry filling and almond flavor is so good. I know you’re going to love it!

More Fruit Desserts to Try!
- Caramel Apple Cobbler is only 5 ingredients and so ooey-gooey with caramel apple filling and a buttery topping!
- My Banana Bars topped with cream cheese frosting are so soft and tender! It’s one of my family’s favorite sweet treats!
- Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Box Cake is an easy no-bake dessert! It’s perfect when it’s hot out – no need to turn on the oven!
- These Cherry Turnovers are so tasty to have as a special treat for breakfast or as a sweet dessert!
- Cherry Crumble is another Quick, Easy and Delicious Cherry Dessert! Tons of Crunchy Crumb Topping and a Delicious Crumb Crust with Cherry Pie Filling.
Did you try it and love it? Be sure to comment and rate the recipe below, I definitely want to hear from you!
And if you’re like me and snap photos be sure to tag me on Instagram @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats that way I’m sure to see your pictures!!!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

Cherry Pie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 c. butter softened
- 2 c. white sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cans cherry pie filling 21 oz each
Glaze
- 1 c. powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 2 Tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy in a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Add salt and mix until combined. Gradually add flour while mixing.
- Spread 3 cups dough into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Spread with pie filling.
- Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling. Bake 45-60 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool completely in pan.
- In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, extracts and enough milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over top.
Michal says
Love it
Courtney says
Thank you!
Vicki Woodward says
Cherry pie slabs are absolutely delicious!
Michal Nanere says
Love it. It came out great..
Courtney says
So great to hear. Thank you! 🙂
Jennifer says
I wasn’t paying attention and somehow your Cherry Crumble recipe moved to the Cherry Pie Bar recipe. I really wasn’t paying attention and kept thinking, “This is like cake batter—I don’t remember Cherry Crumble having a cake batter base”. Of course I realized my mistake after I was finished mixing the batter, so I decided to be adventurous and use the
Bar-batter for the base and then backed up to the original recipe and put the crumble over it as the topping for the last 15 minutes. It’s in the oven now, so I’m waiting to see how everything fleshes out!!!
Nancy says
Do you think these could be frozen? Want to bring something somewhere in about a week but can only bake tomorrow or Sunday.
Nancy says
Sigh… wrong email address typed for replies in original comment sent
Doreen Krieger says
Hi can I use pure vanilla as I don’t use almond xtract
Julie says
Yes, that will be fine.
Gail McKelvey says
This really looks good! Do you think you could follow the recipe and use pumpkin pie filling or is the “liquid” in fruit pie filling an integral part of this? Thanks for all your great suggestions.
Julie says
I haven’t tested this one with anything but the fruit pie filling, but I think pumpkin might work too. If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Edie says
Can this recipe be halved. There are only 2 of us and the recipe makes too much for 2.
Julie says
Yes it can!
Arlene Crowley says
This recipe looks amazing !! I would love to try it. But could I use a 13×9
pan in place of the 15 inch baking pan ? I do not have one that size. This
looks really good.
Julie Evink says
It’s going to make a difference and I wouldn’t recommend it as the crust will be thicker, the cherry layer will be thicker because you are putting it in the smaller pan. If you do make it this way just watch baking times. It will take longer to bake.
Jennifer says
Good recipe we’ve made them several times!!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoy them!
Darrin Williams says
Hi Julie,
I was wondering if these can be refrigerated and served the next day? Thanks and great recipe!!!
Julie Evink says
They can be, but the longer they sit the more “soggy” they get! So try to serve them as fresh as you can!
Ruth Kaptein says
i made these Saturday, they were soggy right away. I’m wondering what I did wrong? Any suggestions? They tasted great 🙂
Julie Evink says
Maybe didn’t cook them long enough?
Tomi says
I’m wondering is it 21 ounces total or 42 ounces of cherry pie fillingfor the bars?
Julie Evink says
2 of the 21 oz cans like it says in the recipe for a total of 42 ounces.
Barbara Schwartz says
Can fresh cherries and strawberries be used instead of canned. Thanks
Julie Evink says
Yes you could use them but to get the same result you would need to make an actual homemade pie filling!
Jeanr says
My friend made these last night and they are great! Brought them into work and no complaints at all! Except… someone ate them who has tree nut allergies and since I didn’t know the ingredients and didn’t taste anything other than vanilla and cherry I had no idea it was in there. Next time I will use all almond and give a warning or not use it. I didn’t taste it at all so I am sure it would be fine without it. There were no negative reactions, but if there had been….
Julie Evink says
Whenever I make them the almond flavoring is very pronounced so I’m not sure why it wasn’t in her batch!
JenE says
I can’t wait to try this after the holiday goodies are gone.
MMMM, ALMOND
Julie Evink says
Enjoy Jen!