Description
Cherry Kuchen Bars are cozy, crowd-pleasing dessert bars with a soft buttery base, a sweet-tart cherry pie filling center, and a simple vanilla icing that ties everything together.
Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (icing)
2–3 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 15×10-inch baking pan.
- Beat shortening and butter together for 1 minute until combined.
- Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt; beat until smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract, beating until fully incorporated.
- Mix in flour one cup at a time until a thick dough forms.
- Reserve 1 1/2 cups of dough and press remaining dough evenly into the pan.
- Bake crust for 12 minutes.
- Remove from oven and spread cherry pie filling evenly over crust.
- Spoon small amounts of reserved dough over the cherry layer.
- Return to oven and bake for 25–28 minutes until lightly golden.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Mix powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth icing forms.
- Drizzle icing over cooled bars, then slice and serve.
Notes
Dough will be thick; this is normal.
Bars slice more cleanly once fully cooled.
Try almond extract for added depth of flavor.
Freeze without icing for best results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
