Simple Gluten Free Cherry Pie Bars
Cherry pie has always been one of my favorite desserts! But it’s hard to enjoy a piece of pie when you’re gluten free! And if you’ve ever tried making your own gluten free pie crust, you know how difficult it is. What if I told you there was an easier way to enjoy your favorite dessert? This easy recipe for gluten free cherry pie bars has all the flavor of cherry pie without all the hard work! It’s one of the best easy gluten free recipes I’ve made!
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Making gluten free pie crust takes a lot of practice and patience. And if you’re looking for a classic gluten free cherry pie recipe, I recommend you head over to my gluten free cherry pie post to make your own. But if you’re looking for an easy gluten free recipe without all the hassle of traditional pie, you’re going to love this gluten free cherry dessert.
This easy recipe for gluten free cherry pie bars uses similar ingredients as traditional gluten free cherry pie, but it’s so much easier to make!
Gluten Free Cherry Pie Bars Crust
To make these easy gluten free cherry bars, you’ll need two components: the gluten free crust and cherry pie filling. My recipe makes the simple crust from scratch and uses a canned cherry pie filling.
To make these easy gluten free cherry pie bars, you’ll need:
- Gluten free baking flour (I love Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
- Butter
- Sugar
- Salt
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Canned cherry pie filling
As you’re searching for ingredients, you may be wondering “is cherry pie filling gluten free?” The good news is that most cherry pie filling is gluten free! You can use any of these gluten free cherry pie filling brands:
- Comstock
- Great Value (Wal-mart Brand)
- Wilderness (Duncan Hines)
- Lucky Leaf
- Market Pantry (Target Brand)
- Baker’s Corner (Aldi Brand)
- Kroger Brand
If you find a cherry pie filling brand that isn’t on my list, make sure to check the label before purchasing, just to be sure!
When you’ve gathered all your gluten free ingredients, it’s time to get backing! Start by whisking together your flour and salt in a medium bowl. Set the dry ingredients aside and beat together the butter and sugar until their light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat the ingredients to combine.
Then, grab your dry ingredients and add them to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients together until they’re well combined. And that’s how you make this easy crust! So much simpler than a gluten free pie crust, right?
How to Make Gluten Free Cherry Bars
Now that your crust is ready, you can start putting your gluten free cherry pie bars together in the pan. You’ll need an 8×8 baking pan for this recipe. Make sure to grease the pan with nonstick cooking spray before spreading the crust inside. Use around 2/3 of the crust mixture for the bottom of the pan, then set the remaining crust aside.
Now it’s time to add the star of this gluten free cherry dessert — the cherry pie filling! Pour the entire can over the top of the crust, making sure to spread it evenly.
Finish by scooping small spoonfuls of the remaining crust over the top of the cherry pie filling. To make these cherry pie bars, you don’t need to completely cover the pie filling. Just make sure the crust pieces are spread evely over the top of the filling to create a crust-like effect.
Easy Cream Cheese Glaze
In addition to having a delicious flaky crust, this yummy gluten free cherry dessert also features an easy cream cheese glaze on top. To make this simple glaze, you’ll need:
- Softened cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat until smooth. To keep your glaze from getting lumpy, I suggest sifting the powdered sugar before adding it to the bowl.
You’ll need to bake your gluten free cherry pie bars for 30 to 35 minutes. The bars are done when the crust is just beginning to brown. Allow the cherry pie bars to cool completely, then drizzle the cream cheese glaze over the top of the dessert.
Then all you have to do is cut the gluten free cherry dessert into bars and enjoy!
Questions About Cherry Pie Bars
This easy recipe is delicious and simple! But if you have questions as you’re baking, I probably have the answer!
Should I blind-bake the gluten free pie crust?
There is no need to pre-bake the crust in this dessert. It bakes along with the cherry pie filling, which means this recipe is a super simple gluten free dessert!
Is cherry pie filling gluten free?
I think most canned cherry pie fillings are gluten free because they use corn starch to thicken the syrup. I used Comstock Cherry Pie filling, which is gluten free. I also did a little research to find several other gluten free cherry pie filling brands. Scroll up to see them. Always check the ingredients on the can before using the pie filling in your own recipe.
Can I use a different pie filling flavor?
Sure! You can add any pie filling to this recipe in place of the cherry pie filling! You could make so many different gluten free desserts using this recipe as a base! Here are some delicious ideas:
- Gluten free peach pie bars
- Gluten free blueberry pie bars
- Gluten free apple pie bars
- Gluten free strawberry pie bars
Gluten Free Cherry Pie Bars with Cream Cheese Glaze
With a delicious flaky crust and sweet pie filling, these gluten free cherry pie bars have all the flavors of cherry pie without all the hard work.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free baking flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 21-ounce can cherry pie filling
Ingredients for the Glaze
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare an 8x8 baking pan by greasing with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the gluten free flour and salt. Set aside
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat to combine.
- Pour in the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Spread two-thirds of the batter over the bottom of the prepared pan. Use your fingers to press the dough into the pan, making sure the dough is spread evenly.
- Top the crust with the cherry pie filling.
- Spoon the remaining crust dough over the top of the pie filling.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- While the bars are cooling, make the cream cheese glaze by beating together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and two tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add more milk if needed.
- When the bars are cooled completely, drizzle the glaze over the top and cut into nine even bars.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 326Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 170mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 4g
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Emily is a midwestern mom of two boys. She loves all things DIY — from home renovations to kids birthday party planning. Whether she’s making a new farmhouse craft for her home or helping her kids with a cool activity, you can bet she’s in the middle of some kind of DIY project (or three) right now!
I tried making the cherry bars, followed recipe to the t. My bottom crust was very thick my guys didn’t care for that. So I think maybe next time I might try a 9×13 pan and add 2 cans of pie filling. Hoping that works! They loved the flavor just not the thick bottom. Thank you always looking for good gluten free recipes.
Jinger from OH
jkhdolphin@yahoo.com
Thanks for your comment, Jinger! The crust on these bars is thicker than regular pie crust. It’s great for eating with your hands — but I understand that the thick crust isn’t for everyone! I’d love to hear how it turns out if you make it in a larger pan!
The bottoms need to be thick because they are a bar and not a pie.