Delicious & Easy Cherry Almond Cookie Bars: Your Go-To Recipe for Any Occasion
Indulge in the irresistible charm of these Cherry Almond Cookie Bars, a delightful treat crafted from simple, wholesome ingredients like butter, sugar, flour, and eggs, elevated by the distinct flavors of almond extract and vibrant maraschino cherries. These bars are wonderfully soft, incredibly buttery, and burst with a sweet, fruity essence that makes them truly unforgettable. They strike the perfect balance between a classic shortbread and a soft sugar cookie, offering a texture that’s both comforting and uniquely satisfying.
These Cherry Almond Cookie Bars are destined to become a staple in your recipe collection, particularly during the holiday season or any time you need a crowd-pleasing dessert. Their exquisite flavor and beautiful presentation make them ideal for neighbor goodie plates, festive gatherings, or simply as a special treat for your family. The combination of rich almond and sweet cherry creates a flavor profile that is both classic and wonderfully unique, ensuring they stand out on any tray of delights.
What sets these cookie bars apart is their perfect sweetness and delightful texture. If you’re a fan of sugar cookies but often find traditional frosting to be too heavy or overwhelming, these bars are an excellent alternative. The juicy maraschino cherries and the delicate powdered sugar glaze add just the right amount of sweetness, enhancing rather than overpowering the deep, buttery flavor of the cookie base. The texture is a dream – slightly firmer than a typical sugar cookie bar, yet considerably more tender and moist than a traditional shortbread. It’s a harmonious blend that results in a bar that is incredibly satisfying and, dare we say, absolutely addicting!
How to Make Cherry Almond Cookie Bars: A Step-by-Step Guide
Crafting these delectable cherry almond cookie bars is a straightforward process, perfect for bakers of all skill levels. The recipe is designed for ease and efficiency, ensuring you can whip up a batch of these beautiful treats without any fuss. Below, you’ll find the complete, detailed recipe to guide you through every step, from preparing the dough to drizzling the perfect glaze.
Cherry Almond Cookie Bars Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 16 oz jar maraschino cherries, thoroughly drained and patted very dry with paper towels, then quartered
For the Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-4 Tbsp milk (adjust as needed for desired consistency)
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
Instructions
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Prepare Your Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature for even baking from the start.
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Cream Wet Ingredients: In a generously sized mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, and eggs. Cream these ingredients together using an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes. This step is crucial for incorporating air and creating a light, fluffy base for your cookie bars. Next, add the almond extract and continue to beat for another minute until well combined and fragrant.
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Combine Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed just until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookie bars.
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Prepare Pan & Bake: Prepare a 10″x15″x1″ baking pan by either greasing it thoroughly or, for easier removal and perfect cuts, lining it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Spread the cookie batter evenly into the prepared pan. This dough can be a bit thick, so using an offset spatula or your hands (lightly floured) can help. Once the batter is spread, sprinkle the quartered maraschino cherries uniformly over the top.
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Bake & Cool: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. Keep a close eye on the bars; they are ready when the edges begin to turn a very light golden brown. It’s better to slightly underbake than overbake for a softer texture. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookie bars cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
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Prepare the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract until smooth and free of lumps. Start with 2 tablespoons of milk and gradually add more, a teaspoon at a time, until you achieve your desired glaze consistency – it should be thick enough to drizzle but not too runny.
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Glaze & Serve: Once the cookie bars are completely cooled, drizzle the prepared glaze generously over them. Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before cutting the bars into neat squares. Serve and enjoy your delightful Cherry Almond Cookie Bars!
Can You Freeze These Cherry Almond Cookie Bars?
Absolutely! These delightful Cherry Almond Cookie Bars are excellent candidates for freezing, making them a fantastic make-ahead option for busy holidays or whenever you crave a sweet treat. The best way to freeze them is without the glaze. Once your bars have cooled completely after baking, cut them into individual squares. Arrange these unglazed bars in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once firm, transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply remove the desired number of frozen bars and lay them out on a counter over waxed paper or parchment paper to thaw at room temperature. This usually takes about 1-2 hours. Once thawed, prepare a fresh batch of the powdered sugar glaze and drizzle it generously over the bars. This method ensures that the glaze is fresh and shiny, offering the best texture and appearance, just like they were freshly baked!
How to Achieve Perfectly Cut Cookie Bars Every Time
The secret to effortlessly cutting every single cookie bar into beautiful, clean squares is a simple yet indispensable kitchen tool: parchment paper! For years, I struggled with desserts baked in large sheet pans, often finding myself destroying the first few pieces just trying to extract them from the pan. The frustration of crumbling edges and uneven cuts was a common plight. However, once I discovered the magic of parchment paper, my cookie bar-cutting woes vanished.
By lining your baking pan with parchment paper, allowing a slight overhang on the sides, you create an instant lift for your baked goods. After the cookie bars have cooled completely, you can simply use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab of cookie bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. This allows you to slice them cleanly and precisely without any sticking or crumbling. The result is a tray of perfectly shaped, uniformly sized bars that look professionally made. If you don’t have parchment paper on hand, you can still bake these bars by thoroughly greasing your pan. While your first row might not be quite as pristine, the good news is that these Cherry Almond Cookie Bars hold together exceptionally well compared to many other bar desserts, making them relatively easy to cut even without parchment paper.
Top Tips for Baking the Best Cherry Almond Cookie Bars
Achieving bakery-quality Cherry Almond Cookie Bars is simple when you follow a few key tips. These pointers will help ensure your bars are perfectly textured, moist, and flavorful every single time:
- Always Use Softened Butter, Never Melted: This is arguably the most crucial tip for any cookie recipe. The butter must be softened to room temperature, which means it should be pliable enough to leave an indentation when pressed, but not oily or melted. Melted butter will cause the cookie bars to spread too much, resulting in a dense, greasy texture. Softened butter, when creamed with sugar, incorporates air, which is essential for a light, tender crumb.
- Cream Ingredients Thoroughly: Don’t rush the creaming process. As the recipe suggests, spend an extra couple of minutes (2-3 minutes) creaming the butter, sugar, and eggs together. This additional mixing time is vital for incorporating enough air into the mixture, leading to a much lighter, more tender, and uniform texture in your finished cookie bars. This step truly makes a noticeable difference in the overall consistency and deliciousness.
- Preheat Your Oven Fully: Always ensure your oven is fully preheated to the specified temperature before placing your cookie bars inside. A properly preheated oven maintains a consistent temperature throughout the baking process, allowing the bars to rise correctly and bake evenly. Putting dough into a cold or partially heated oven can result in uneven baking, a denser texture, and an unpredictable outcome.
- Embrace Parchment Paper for Easy Removal: As highlighted earlier, parchment paper is your best friend when baking bar cookies. Lining your pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides, makes removing the entire baked slab incredibly easy. This prevents sticking, breakage, and ensures you can cut neat, beautiful squares with minimal effort. It’s a small step that yields significant results in presentation and convenience.
- Avoid Overbaking for the Perfect Soft Texture: This is the golden rule for soft, chewy cookie bars. Keep a close watch on your bars during the last few minutes of baking. As soon as the edges begin to turn a very light, barely golden brown, it’s time to take them out. Even if the center still looks a little soft, they will continue to set as they cool. Overbaking, even by a minute or two, can quickly lead to dry, hard, or crumbly bars, losing that desirable soft and moist consistency we all love. For the ultimate soft and chewy cookie bar, always err on the side of slightly undercooked.
These Cherry Almond Cookie Bars are more than just a dessert; they are a delightful experience, perfect for sharing or savoring on your own. With their buttery texture, rich almond flavor, and bright cherry burst, they are sure to become a beloved favorite in your home. Follow these simple instructions and tips, and get ready to enjoy a batch of truly exceptional cookie bars that are as easy to make as they are delicious to eat!