Delicious Cherry Bars

These Cherry Bars are a simple, delicious dessert featuring a buttery shortbread crust and a crumbly topping sandwiching a layer of bright, sweet cherry pie filling.

Cherry Bars (Cherry Crumble Bars)

Ingredients:

How To Make Cherry Bars (Cherry Crumble Bars):

1. Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350∘F(175∘C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Step 2: Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the flour and salt to the creamed mixture, mixing until the dough forms a crumbly texture.
3. Step 3: Form the Crust: Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the dough mixture for the topping. Press the remaining dough firmly into the bottom of the greased baking dish to form the crust.
4. Step 4: Add Filling: Spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the crust.
5. Step 5: Add Topping and Almonds: If using, sprinkle the chopped almonds over the cherry filling. Crumble the reserved dough mixture evenly over the cherry filling and almonds to create the crumbly topping.
6. Step 6: Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the topping and crust turn golden brown.
7. Step 7: Cool and Serve: Once baked, allow the cherry bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting them into squares. Serve and enjoy!