Description
These festive Christmas Cherry Bars are soft, chewy, and buttery with a vibrant pop of maraschino cherries. They’re the perfect make-ahead dessert for cookie exchanges, holiday parties, or sweet gifts from the kitchen.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 (10 oz) jar maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry, and chopped
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Drain maraschino cherries, pat dry, chop them, and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
6. Gradually add in the flour and salt, mixing until just combined.
7. Fold in the chopped cherries gently.
8. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
9. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Slice into bars once cooled.
Notes
For clean slices, cool completely and use a sharp knife, wiping between cuts.
Almond extract enhances cherry flavor but is optional.
Store in an airtight container up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: cherry bars, holiday baking, maraschino cherry dessert