BAR CHERRIES RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the dough and spread the rest into the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover this layer evenly with cherry pie filling. Drop the rest of the dough by spoonfuls on top of the cherry layer and spread to cover the best you can.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until top is golden. Frost with a confectioners' glaze when cool for sweeter bars. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°.
• Spray a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• To make cherry filling: Pit and halve the fresh cherries.
• Place the cherries in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice.
• Toss gently to combine.
• In a separate bowl, stir flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt and both extracts and combine.
• Pour dry ingredient mixture over the cherries and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
• Set aside.
• To make the Crust and Streusel Topping: In a large bowl whisk together the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until butter is mixed in and coarse crumbs have formed.
• Stir the vanilla, almond extract and beaten egg together.
• Add into the flour and butter mixture and combine.
• Mixture will be crumbly.
• Pat half of the crust ingredients into the prepared baking dish.
• Spread the cherry mixture evenly over the bottom crust.
• Crumble the remaining crust ingredients over the cherry layer as a streusel topping.
• Pat gently with hands so crumbs adhere to cherries.
• Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup sugar over top of streusel topping.
• Bake at 375° for 45-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and cherry juice starts to bubble up around the edges.
• Cool completely before cutting into bars.