GLAZED CHERRY BARS

GLAZED CHERRY BARS For the Bars 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened 1/2 cup shortening (I used Crisco butter flavor shortening) 1 3/4 cups sugar 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 3 eggs 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 20-oz can cherry pie filling For the Glaze 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar 1/4 tsp almond extract (I used slightly more, but definitely go easy here) 3-4 TBS milk Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt and beat until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce speed to medium-low and add the flour half a cup at a time until well combined. If your mixing bowl is too small, you can stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Set aside about 1 3/4 cups of the dough and press the rest into the bottom of an ungreased 9×12″ baking pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Spread the cherry pie filling over the crust evenly. Make sure at least a little syrup covers every bit of crust, but don’t worry that there won’t be a whole cherry in every bite. The flavor is most important and we’re not going for a gooey bar. Drop the remaining dough in roughly tablespoon-sized mounds on top of the filling, leaving some gaps between the mounds. Bake about 30 minutes more until the top is light brown. Cool the bars in the pan set on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. While cooling, mix together the confectioner’s sugar, almond extract, and just enough milk to make a thick (but smooth) drizzling consistency. Pour over the bars. Cool 10 minutes more, then score the top into the size bars you desire with a serrated knife. Don’t cut all the way through. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Carefully cut bars along the scored lines. If necessary, run your knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. I served these right in the pan as shown in the photo, but you can arrange them on a dish if you like. Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.