Easy Cherry Holiday Squares
Unbelievably easy recipe for a pretty, super yummy and festive holiday dessert loaded with cherry pie filling. These Cherry Holiday Squares or Bars are perfect to make for that last-minute holiday baking. Serves a crowd!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (could lessen to 1 1/4 cups though the original recipe calls for 1.5 cups)
- 4 eggs, large
- 1 teaspoon lemon or vanilla extract, (or a combo!)
- 2 cups flour, sifted
- 1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling or your favorite pie filling
- Confectioners sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease or lightly brush a 15-by-10-inch jellyroll pan with butter.
Cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes or until light, fluffy and smooth. Using medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon extract. Reduce the speed to low then slowly add flour and mix just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Mark off about 24 (or up to 32) equal squares using a butter knife. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of cherry pie filling in the center of each square (about 3 cherries each). Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes or until lightly browned and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.
- Slice the squares while still warm. Once cooled, lightly sprinkle with confectioners or icing sugar. Serve with a cup of tea!
Notes
TIPS & TRICKS: READ THIS!!!
Some followers on our Facebook page said they've made a similar recipe and have added 1 teaspoon of baking powder to the mix. The recipe I received and the others I've seen online do not require it but feel free to add it if you want. I don't think it would be a big issue either way.
Also, I have decided to use the entire can of cherry pie filling for this instead of the usual half a can. Instead of doing 24 bars (other recipes only do between 16-24) I ended up with 32 bars (because I served this to a church party 2 years ago and needed a bit more than 24). It ended up nicely and was just about the perfect bite-sized sweet treat so feel free to divide batter into as many slices as you need.
Do not put too many cherries on top (3 should be good) so they don't sink. Do not push it down but simply and lightly place the cherries on top. If any slight sinkage occurs, that's perfectly fine. It won't change the taste and would still look pretty.
You may use other pie fillings like blueberries or strawberries.
Others have also suggested using lemon extract instead of vanilla or make a combo. Feel free to choose what you like. I used lemon extract on mine but I listed either vanilla or lemon extract on the ingredient list.
The original recipe is a tad sweet for my liking because the cherry pie filling is also sweet so I lessened the sugar by 1/4 cup. Feel free to adjust the sweetness to your liking.
Nutrition
Calories: 591kcalCarbohydrates: 129gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 127mgPotassium: 445mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1041IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!