Try this Cherry Pie Bars recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 cup imperial sugar extra fine granulated sugar
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour*
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour*
- 1 & 1/4 cup cherry pie filling
- for sprinkling: imperial sugar confectioners powde
- *spoon and sweep method: use a spoon to fill measu
- Carbohydrate 0.621908333347795 g
- Cholesterol 75.6341667184891 mg
- Fat 17.104581686217 g
- Fiber 0.249083329439163 g
- Protein 1.04371500020488 g
- Saturated Fat 10.0639520957148 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - 24 bars, depending on size (24g)
- Sodium 110.387666805503 mg
- Sugar 0.372825003908632 g
- Trans Fat 1.15967983470192 g
- Calories 158 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until combined and fluffy. Add egg yolks and beat until combined, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as necessary. Mix in extracts.
- On low speed, mix in flour until just combined. Reserve 1/2 cup of dough in another bowl. Press larger portion of dough evenly into an ungreased 9x13“ pan. Stir almonds into reserved dough.
- Add cherry pie filling evenly over dough. Pinch off sections of almond dough and scatter over top.
- Bake for 38-45 minutes or until the edges are golden and top is lightly browned. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into squares or bars and dust with confectioner’s sugar. [Note: To make sticky dough easier to press into pan, wet your hands and dry until still damp. Press dough in place with damp fingers.]
Bakers frequently pack flour too densely into measuring cups by scooping directly from the bag, which introduces excess dry matter and transforms a tender shortbread base into a dry, crumbly crust. Utilizing the spoon and sweep method ensures proper flour volume by aerating the grain before leveling it off with a straight edge. Achieving the correct crumb structure relies heavily on bringing butter to room temperature—specifically around 65°F to 68°F—so that it traps air adequately during the creaming stage with sugar.
Adapting this formulation for dietary restrictions requires understanding how substitutions alter structural integrity. Replacing dairy butter with plant-based margarine changes the fat-to-water ratio, frequently resulting in a spread that bakes flatter and crisps faster than the original dairy version. Gluten-free flour blends lacking xanthan gum demand an added binding agent, such as half a teaspoon of psyllium husk per cup, to prevent the shortbread dough from crumbling apart when sliced after cooling completely on a wire rack.
Monitoring the baking process between 38 and 45 minutes at 350°F prevents over-browning while ensuring the fruit filling sets properly. Letting the pan cool entirely before slicing allows the butter and starches to firm up, yielding clean squares dusted with confectioner's sugar.
