Cherry Almond Cookie Bars
Servings: 12 bars
Tools you'll need:
- 20cm / 8inch square baking pan
Cherry cookie bars have a super soft, buttery cookie dough crust and flavourful cherry almond filling, finished with a sweet drizzle of vanilla glaze. Amazing and so easy to make!
INGREDIENTS LIST
- 1 can cherry pie filling or my homemade pie filing recipe (see blog post)
- 2-3 drops almond extract (optional)
Cookie dough base
- 130 g butter (at room temperature)
- 100 g caster sugar
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 1 medium egg (50g)
- 230 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 20 g flaked or sliced almonds
Vanilla glaze
- 40 g icing sugar (US powdered sugar)
- 1-2 tbsp milk or cream
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract or 1/8 tsp of vanilla paste
Preparation
- If you are making the cherry pie filling, prepare it as per the instructions in the recipe provided in my post. Allow time for it to cool. Otherwise you can buy a tin from the supermarket. Optional: When I make the filling, I add the almond extract to it , you can just add it to the tin you bought and give it a stir before poring it over the cookie dough base.
- Preheat your oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / 375°F / Gas 5 and line a 20cm (8inch) square baking pan with baking paper and set aside.
- Cookie dough: In a medium bowl, cream the butter, and both the sugars together until light and fluffy. 2-3 minutes approx.Add the egg and mix until combined. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into the bowl and mix together to create a smooth dough.
- Take 2/3 of the dough (more or less) and press into the bottom of the pan. It helps to drop pieces relatively evenly across the bottom before spreading into an even layer.
- Mix the almond extract with the cherry pie filling and ensure it's well combined. Pour the cold cherry filling over the top of the cookie base. Pinch off or spoon teaspoons of the remaining dough over the top. It won’t completely cover the filling all over but it will spread while baking. Scatter over the flaked almonds.
- Baking: Place the pan in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the top has turned golden brown. Cool completely in the pan placed on top of a wire rack.
- Vanilla glaze: In a small bowl, mix the icing sugar with the vanilla extract or vanilla paste and enough milk or cream to create a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled bars.
FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS
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