Cherry Pie Coffeecake Bars

I’m not the biggest of pie fans, but I’ve always liked cherry pie, because of the cherries.  As a kid, I’d leave the crust and just scoop out the cherry deliciousness, much to my mother’s dismay.  She was known for her flaky crusts, you see, and I think this was somewhat of an insult.  When I saw a recipe for Cherry Pie Bars on the Recipe Critic’s blog, I knew they were in my future.  What I didn’t know is that I don’t own the 15”x10”x1” pan called for in the original recipe.  There was an option to make them in a 9”x13” pan, so that’s the path I took.  What I ended up with were not the bar cookies for which I’d hoped, but instead a moist and delicious cherry-filled coffee cake.  So I’ve renamed the recipe to suit the pan and end results.  I suspect this would look very pretty on a Christmas brunch buffet.

Cherry Pie Coffeecake Bars

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs and beat well.  Beat in extracts.

In a separate bowl combine flour and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture.  Mix until just combined.  Do not over mix.

Grease a 9”×13” pan.  Spread 3 cups batter along the bottom of the pan.  Top with pie filling and spread to the edges with an offset spatula.  Drop remaining batter in dollops on top of pie filling.

Bake for 35-42 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over the top.

This post is linked to: 

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays

Inspire Me Tuesday

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Sugar and Spice

Sunday Sweeties