FULL, reliable recipe to get exactly this look and texture.
🍒 Cherry Pie Bars (Bakery Style)
⏱ Time
- Prep: 25 min
- Bake: 40–45 min
- Cool + cut: 1 hour
🍽 Yield
12–16 bars (depending on size)
🧾 Ingredients
Bottom Crust
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 120 g sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 180 g cold butter (cubed)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Filling
- 400–450 g cherry pie filling
(or thick cherry jam / cherry compote)
Top Crust (Flaky)
- 1 sheet puff pastry
OR - Reserve ⅓ of the bottom dough (for a more crumbly top)
Finish
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Bottom Dough
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Rub in cold butter until crumbly.
- Add egg + vanilla and mix until dough forms.
- Press ⅔ of the dough firmly into a lined baking pan (20×30 cm).
- Chill 15 minutes.
2️⃣ Bake Base
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 12–15 min until lightly golden.
3️⃣ Add Cherry Layer
- Spread cherry filling evenly (thick layer, edge to edge).
4️⃣ Add Top Layer
Option A (like the photo – flaky):
- Place puff pastry on top.
- Lightly press and brush with egg wash.
Option B (crumbly):
- Crumble remaining dough over the filling.
5️⃣ Final Bake
- Bake 30–35 min until top is deep golden.
- Filling should bubble slightly at edges.
6️⃣ Cool & Cut
⚠️ Important: Let cool completely before slicing
This gives clean layers like the photo.
🔥 Pro Bakery Tips
- Use thick filling (runny = messy bars).
- Chill before cutting for sharp edges.
- For shine: brush top with apricot glaze after baking.
💡 Variations
- 🍓 Strawberry
- 🫐 Blueberry
- 🍎 Apple cinnamon
- 🍑 Peach