This recipe for Maraschino Bars is so simple, but so tasty. They are loaded with juicy cherries, and the cherry glaze makes them simply irresistible!
Easy Maraschino Cherry Bars
Here is another recipe that made it onto my Christmas plates of goodies this year. I love these cherry bars because not only are they super easy to make, but they add a great splash of color to cookie trays. And I am a fan of just about anything with almond extract in it!
These bars are an adaptation on my Jan Hagel cookies. My mom and I did some experimenting when I was in high school and added cherries instead of cinnamon sugar. After making a test batch, we decided they would be even better with a bit of glaze. Maraschino cherry bars were born!
Aren’t they just so pretty with those bits of juicy cherries peeking out? They are perfect for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and even bridal and baby showers.
How to you make maraschino cherry bars?
You won’t believe how easy these are to make! They are actually a great recipe for beginning bakers, because you can’t really mess them up.
I like to start by chopping up all my cherries, then setting them aside.
Next you cream your butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Then just stir in the flour, salt, and chopped cherries.
After the dough chills for a little bit, you press it into a large cookie sheet with sides. This is actually the most difficult step. I like to wet my hands down occasionally so the dough doesn’t stick to them.
Bake the bars at 350° for about 15 minutes. After they cool, you drizzle them with a simple glaze.
Do I have to use almond extract in my cherry bars?
Of course I cannot force you to use almond extract, but it makes a HUGE difference in the flavor of the bars. You can leave it out or use extra vanilla, but they will not be the same. If you’re worried about nut allergies, use imitation almond extract.
Chewy, buttery, and perfectly sweet, these cherry bars are hard to stop eating!
Looking for more tasty recipes using maraschino cherries? Check these out:
- Blueberry Cherry Muffins
- Cherry Shortbread Cookies
- Cherry Almond Mousse Pie
- Cherry Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
MORE BROWNIES AND DESSERT BARS:
- Churro Cheesecake Bars
- Pistachio Bars
- Lemon Brownies
- Cherry Sugar Cookie Bars
- Zucchini Blondies
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Oreo Rice Krispie Treats
- Caramel Oatmeal Bars
Cherry Bars
Maraschino Cherry Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Cherry Bars
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter or margarine
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¾ cup chopped maraschino cherries
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tsp maraschino cherry juice approximately
Instructions
- Cream sugar and butter in a mixing bowl till smooth and creamy.
- Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir in flour and salt, then cherries.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes or until no longer sticky. Pat dough into a lightly greased 15" x 10" jelly roll pan. I periodically dip my hands in water so the dough doesn't stick to them.
- Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Cool completely and drizzle with glaze.
- To make glaze, combine powdered sugar and enough cherry juice till you get the right consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
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Just made this…wow, love it! Perfect for Xmas! Should have let the dough cool more in the fridge, so made it harder to press down onto the pan, but still turned out great. Baked for 20 min. Cut in little triangles- so cute!
So glad you loved them! Sometimes I can’t wait and don’t let the dough chill long enough either. Haha. I bet they were so pretty cut into triangles!
OMGosh, these are good! My son gave me two thumbs up!
So happy to hear that Lynn, and thanks so much for the 5 star review! 🙂
I was on the lookout for a nice treat to go with tea and coffee for some guests, and came across this recipe. I had all the ingredients on hand, minus imitation almond extract, which – WOW – smells and tastes so strongly of cherry (definitely adding that to my baking arsenal).
I was pretty darn excited when I taste tested the dough, though I was a little worried that I ended up needing to use 8 tsps of juice to get anything resembling a drizzle.
Thankfully it turned out deliciously; the guests loved it!
Though the flavour was superb, I do wonder if I undercooked them a tad. The edges were golden, but the bars themselves were quite soft. Should they be a bit harder, like shortbread?
Either way, I will certainly be making these again. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
They do turn out a bit softer than shortbread due to the liquid in the cherries. But you can of course bake them a little longer if you want a more firm bar. So glad your guests loved them!
Do you use all purpose or self rising flour?
I always use all purpose flour. I’ll specify that in the recipe card. 🙂
What kind of flour? All purpose or self rising?
Thanks!
All purpose. I think it’s safe to assume for most recipes always use all purpose unless self rising is specified. 🙂
How do these freeze?
They freeze just fine! I do like to add waxed paper between the layers so they don’t stick together.
So pretty! It’s funny how I really don’t like maraschino cherries on their own but in a recipe like this, they are delicious.
I am actually the same. I never eat the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae, but I love them in baked goods!
My kids love these!!
These look so delicious! Love that glaze on top!
These are the sweetest treats ever! So pretty!
Thanks Kim!
These look so good! Perfect way to balance out our chocolate overload!
Yes! I love me some chocolate, but sometimes it’s nice to have something lighter. 🙂
These look fabulous, am linking them up with my cherry donut recipe on Monday!
Oh yum!
I made these for all my boys and husband’s home teaching families tonight. They were yummy. Actually my boys made them, I just drizzled them when they were done.
Those bars look so delicious! I do have a question about the almond extract. I allergic to almonds, but was hoping to make these bars (or other desserts) with vanilla extract instead. I don’t think they sell imitation almond extract either. Would using vanilla extract (imitation or pure) be a problem other than changing the taste?
Thanks!
Christine,
You can substitute vanilla extract for almond in just about any baked good. However, almond extract has a much more pronounced flavor, so using vanilla will result in a more bland flavor.
They actually do make imitation almond flavoring. I grew up with it, so I sometimes prefer it to the real stuff. And it costs a lot less too! Hope that helps. 🙂
Delicious Kara!! And thanks for the plate of goodies! I’m so lucky to be your neighbor!
Thanks Maria! Apparently pink is popular for Christmas this year. So I’m trendy and I didn’t even know it. 😉
Love these! The pink is so fun!