Upside Down Cherry Bars
A soft, buttery dessert bar layered with juicy cherries on the bottom that caramelize as they bake. Once flipped, you get a gorgeous glossy cherry topping over a tender vanilla cake-like bar. Perfect for potlucks or holiday, and deliver that nostalgic cherry-cobbler flavor in handheld form.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut or grate the butter into the flour, mix until coarse.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla and 2 TBS cold water. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and squeeze the dough through your hands until it holds together in a firm ball.
- Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to 1 day. If you chill the dough for more than 30 minutes, leave at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften before shaping.
- Pour two cans of cherry pie filling into the baking dish. Spread out the filling evenly. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 9×13 inch rectangle. If needed trim the edges and reattach them to a rectangular shape.
- Carefully place the dough on top of the cherries and press the edges against the dish.
- Bake for 40 minutes until the crust is deep golden in color. Let cool in the dish for 1 hour or overnight. Run a knife or thick spatula around the parameter of the dish to loosen sides then invert over a platter. Wait a few minutes and the contents of the dish will dislodge and drop onto the platter.
- You can cut the bars into whatever size you'd like. Store the bars in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
You can look up a recipe for homemade cherry pie filling if you’d like, but I just find it easier to use an organic brand from the store that’s already made. 🙂 This dessert is a favorite in our family!
