Cherry Almond Cookie Bars

The recipe, step by step

These cherry almond cookie bars have a wonderfully soft, buttery cookie base filled with juicy cherries and a delicate hint of almond. Flaked almonds add a little texture, while a sweet vanilla glaze finishes everything beautifully.

They are remarkably easy to make and taste rather like a cherry pie and a buttery cookie combined in one irresistible square.

You can prepare the cherry filling from scratch using my homemade recipe or save time with a tin of cherry pie filling from the supermarket. The recipe is also easy to adapt with apple, blueberry, peach or another favourite fruit filling.

Cherries have always been one of my favourite fruits, and we are fortunate to have plenty of them during the summer. They are wonderful in Black Forest desserts, chilled fruit soups, sauces for meat dishes or simply eaten fresh from the tree.

These bars should not be confused with my strawberry shortcake bars, which have a buttery shortbread base topped with fresh strawberries and a crumbly topping. Cherry almond cookie bars are softer and richer, with a generous fruit filling running through the middle.

For more fruity traybake inspiration, try my blueberry cheesecake bars or raspberry zserbó.

Why You’ll Love These Cherry Almond Cookie Bars

• Soft, buttery cookie dough
• Juicy cherry and almond filling
• Finished with vanilla glaze
• Easy to make in one square baking tin
• Suitable for homemade or shop-bought pie filling
• Simple to adapt with other fruits
• Delicious warm or at room temperature
• Perfect for parties, picnics and afternoon tea

Recipe Highlights

• Ease: Incredibly easy to make.

• Taste and texture: A soft, buttery vanilla cookie base filled with juicy cherry and almond pie filling, topped with flaked almonds and finished with a sweet vanilla glaze.

• Serving suggestion: Enjoy the bars on their own or serve them slightly warm with vanilla ice cream for a particularly indulgent dessert.

• Quantity: Twelve bars.

• Tin size: 20 cm or 8-inch square baking tin.

• Time: Approximately 55 minutes.

Ingredients

The complete quantities are provided in the recipe cards below.

For the Cherry Almond Cookie Bars

• Cherry pie filling: Use homemade cherry pie filling or a good-quality tinned filling. Allow homemade filling to cool completely before assembling the bars.
• Almond extract: Mixed into the cherry filling to enhance the flavour of the cherries. Only a small amount is needed, and it can be left out when preferred.
• Butter: Gives the cookie dough its soft, rich and buttery texture. Bring it to room temperature before mixing.
• Caster sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create the structure of the cookie dough.
• Soft light brown sugar: Adds moisture, a gentle caramel flavour and a slightly chewy texture.
• Egg: Binds the cookie dough together and adds richness. Use it at room temperature so that it combines smoothly with the butter.
• Plain flour: Provides the structure of the cookie dough.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the butter, cherry, almond and vanilla flavours.
• Baking powder: Gives the cookie dough a little lift and prevents it from becoming too dense.
• Flaked almonds: Scattered over the top before baking to add flavour and a delicate crunch.

Vanilla Glaze Ingredients

• Icing sugar: Forms the base of the glaze.
• Milk or cream: Thins the icing sugar to a thick but pourable consistency. Cream gives a slightly richer and smoother finish.
• Pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste: Flavours the glaze. The recipe card specifies ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or ⅛ teaspoon vanilla paste.

Homemade Fruit Filling Ingredients

• 500 g prepared fruit: Such as pitted cherries, stoned peaches or diced apples.
• 120 ml cold water
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 30 g cornflour: Approximately three tablespoons.
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice: Optional.
• 2–3 drops almond extract: Optional.

Choosing the Cherry Filling

Homemade cherry pie filling gives you complete control over the sweetness and consistency, and it is a wonderful way to use seasonal cherries. A good-quality tinned cherry pie filling is an excellent alternative when fresh cherries are unavailable or you need to make the bars quickly.

The filling should be thick enough to sit between the layers of cookie dough without releasing too much liquid during baking.

How to Make Cherry Almond Cookie Bars

The bars are prepared in three simple parts: the buttery cookie dough, the cherry filling and the vanilla glaze.

The exact quantities, oven temperature, baking time and complete preparation instructions are provided in the recipe cards below.

Allow the baked bars to cool before adding the glaze so that it remains visible on the surface rather than melting into the warm cookie layer.

Nigel recommends

Ingredients I Recommend

These are two ingredients I recommend for this recipe. The almond extract enhances the cherry filling, while the vanilla paste gives the glaze a rich, rounded vanilla flavour.

Ingredient

Nielsen Massey

Vanilla Bean Paste

Rich vanilla bean paste with a concentrated vanilla flavour and visible vanilla seeds, ideal for cakes, biscuits, custards, creams and glazes.

Why I recommend it → Shop at Amazon UK

Ingredient

Nielsen Massey

Almond Extract 

Pure almond extract with a clean, concentrated flavour, ideal for cakes, biscuits, pastries and fruit-based bakes.

Why I recommend it → Shop at Amazon UK

Some retailer links may be affiliate links. Recommendations remain editorially independent.

Nigel’s Recipe Tips

Use Room-Temperature Ingredients

The butter and egg should both be at room temperature before mixing. Cold butter will not cream smoothly with the sugars, while a cold egg can cause the mixture to split or combine unevenly. This may produce a heavier and denser cookie base.

Measure the Flour Accurately

Too much flour can make the cookie dough dry, crumbly or difficult to spread. For the most consistent result, weigh the flour using digital kitchen scales.

Use Almond Extract Sparingly

I am not usually a great advocate of almond extract because it can easily overpower other flavours. I make an exception for these bars because a small amount makes the cherries taste brighter and creates a lovely balance throughout the bake. Follow the amount stated in the recipe rather than adding an extra splash.

Line the Baking Tin

Line the tin with baking parchment, leaving an overhang of approximately 2–3 cm on two opposite sides. Once the bars have cooled, use the parchment to lift the entire bake cleanly from the tin. This makes it much easier to cut neat squares.

Keep the Cherry Layer Even

Spread the cherry filling evenly so that every bar contains a good balance of cookie dough and fruit. Avoid concentrating too much filling in the centre, as this may make the middle difficult to cut neatly.

Do Not Add Too Much Filling

An excessive amount of fruit filling can make the bars wet and prevent the cookie dough from baking properly. Use the quantity provided in the recipe card.

Allow the Bars to Cool

Warm bars are very soft and may fall apart when cut. Leave them to cool before lifting them from the tin and slicing them into squares.

Glaze Once Cool

Drizzle the vanilla glaze over completely cooled bars. When the surface is still warm, the glaze may melt, become transparent or soak into the cookie layer.

Use a Sharp Knife

For cleaner portions, use a large sharp knife and wipe the blade between cuts. You can also chill the bars briefly before slicing when the cherry filling is particularly soft.

Variations

Use a Different Fruit Filling

Replace the cherry filling with another thick pie filling, such as:

• Apple
• Blueberry
• Peach
• Blackberry
• Plum
• Rhubarb and pear

Fruit compotes and jams can also work, although very loose fillings may need to be reduced first.

Raspberry, strawberry, apricot and fig all pair particularly well with the buttery cookie dough.

Add Chocolate

Scatter a small amount of dark, milk or white chocolate chips over the bottom layer of cookie dough before adding the fruit filling. Dark chocolate works particularly well with cherries and almonds.

Change the Nuts

Replace the flaked almonds with:

• Pecans
• Walnuts
• Hazelnuts
• Pistachios

Choose nuts that complement the fruit filling you are using.

Add Warming Spices

Different fruits can be enhanced with a little spice.

Try:

• Cinnamon with apple
• Nutmeg with peach
• Ginger with pear
• Cloves with plum
• Cardamom with apricot

Use strong spices sparingly so that they do not overpower the fruit.

Add Citrus

Finely grated lemon zest brightens the cherry filling, while orange zest pairs beautifully with both cherries and almonds.

Change the Glaze

Replace some of the milk or cream with lemon juice for a sharper glaze. You could also add a little vanilla paste, almond extract or orange juice, depending on the chosen fruit filling.

How to Serve Cherry Almond Cookie Bars

These bars are delicious at room temperature with tea or coffee.

For dessert, serve them slightly warm with:

• Vanilla ice cream
• Whipped cream
• Crème fraîche
• Pouring cream
• Warm custard
• Chocolate sauce

Allow the bars to cool enough to hold their shape before warming individual portions.

Nutrition

Serving: One cherry almond cookie bar.

Nutritional information is provided as a guide only. Values will vary depending on the exact cherry filling, ingredients, brands and portion sizes used.

Storage and Freezing

These bars are at their best on the day they are baked, when the cookie layers have the freshest texture. Once completely cool, place them in an airtight container. They can be kept at room temperature for up to two days.

For longer storage, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to five days. The cookie dough will gradually soften because of the moist cherry filling.

Allow refrigerated bars to return to room temperature before serving.

Can You Freeze Cherry Almond Cookie Bars?

Yes. Allow the bars to cool completely before freezing.

For the best result, freeze them before adding the vanilla glaze. Arrange the bars in a freezer-safe container with baking parchment between the layers. Freeze for up to one month.

Defrost the required number of bars at room temperature, then add the glaze before serving. The bars may lose a little of their original texture after freezing.

Tools You’ll Need

Here is some of the kitchen equipment I use and recommend for this recipe:

• 20 cm or 8-inch square baking tin
• Baking parchment
• Large mixing bowl
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• Digital kitchen scales
• Silicone spatula
• Small bowl for the glaze
• Wire cooling rack
• Large sharp knife

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Tinned Cherry Pie Filling?

Yes. A good-quality tinned cherry pie filling makes the recipe particularly quick and easy. Use the amount stated in the recipe card and avoid adding excess liquid from the tin.

Can I Make My Own Cherry Filling?

Yes. Homemade cherry pie filling gives excellent results and allows you to adjust the sweetness according to the fruit. The first recipe card below provides the homemade filling recipe.

Can I Leave Out the Almond Extract?

Yes. The bars will still taste delicious without it. The almond extract enhances the cherry flavour, but it is not essential when you dislike it or need to avoid almond flavouring.

Can I Use Unsalted Butter?

Yes. Salted or unsalted butter can be used. When using unsalted butter, add any separate salt stated in the complete recipe.

Why Is My Cookie Dough Dense?

The butter or egg may have been too cold, the mixture may not have been creamed sufficiently or too much flour may have been added. Use room-temperature ingredients and weigh the flour accurately.

Why Are My Bars Difficult to Cut?

The bars may still be too warm, or the cherry filling may be particularly soft. Allow them to cool completely before cutting. Briefly chilling them can also help produce neater slices.

Can I Make These Bars Ahead?

Yes. Bake the bars a day in advance and store them in an airtight container. For the freshest appearance, add the vanilla glaze shortly before serving.

Can I Use Jam Instead of Pie Filling?

Yes, provided the jam is thick enough. Very loose jam may spread excessively or make the cookie dough soggy, so use it sparingly.

Can I Double the Recipe?

The recipe can be doubled, but it will require a larger baking tin and the baking time may need adjusting. For the most reliable result, use two 20 cm square tins rather than making one unusually deep batch.

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