Gluten Free Cherry Pie Bars with Cream Cheese Glaze Recipe
These Gluten Free Cherry Pie Bars with Cream Cheese Glaze offer a delightful twist on traditional cherry pie. Featuring a tender, buttery gluten free crust layered with sweet cherry pie filling and topped with a smooth, tangy cream cheese glaze, these bars are perfect for dessert or a special treat. The easy-to-follow recipe uses simple ingredients and baking techniques to deliver a delicious, visually appealing treat that’s both gluten free and satisfying.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 9 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bars
- 1 ½ cups gluten free baking flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the gluten free baking flour and salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy to create a smooth base for the dough.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, ensuring an even batter consistency.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually pour the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until the dough is well combined and uniform.
- Form the bottom crust: Spread about two-thirds of the dough evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing firmly with your fingers to create a smooth base layer.
- Add cherry filling: Evenly distribute the cherry pie filling over the pressed dough to create a fruity layer.
- Top with remaining dough: Spoon the remaining dough over the cherry filling, gently spreading it across the top.
- Bake the bars: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top crust turns golden brown and the filling bubbles at the edges.
- Prepare the cream cheese glaze: While the bars cool, beat together the softened cream cheese, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, if needed to reach a drizzling consistency.
- Glaze and serve: Once the bars have completely cooled, drizzle the cream cheese glaze evenly over the top. Cut into nine equal bars for serving.
Notes
- Ensure the bars are completely cooled before adding the glaze to prevent it from melting.
- You can substitute cherry pie filling with your preferred fruit pie filling for variation.
- Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing and texture.
- Pressing the dough evenly helps ensure consistent baking and prevents uneven thickness.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Keywords: gluten free cherry pie bars, cherry dessert, cream cheese glaze, gluten free dessert, cherry pie bars recipe, easy cherry bars
