Description
Enjoy these festive Christmas Cherry Bars featuring a buttery crumbly crust, tart dried cherries, and sweet white chocolate chips. Perfectly baked for a delicious holiday treat that combines fruity and creamy flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Base and Crumble Dough
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Filling
- 1 cup dried tart cherries, roughly chopped
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to make removing the bars easier.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined for a uniform crumb texture.
- Incorporate Butter: Add the chilled, cubed unsalted butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, ensuring the fat is well distributed.
- Form Dough: Stir in the large egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until a soft dough forms; it may be slightly crumbly but should hold together when pressed, indicating the right consistency.
- Prepare Crust and Topping: Reserve about one-third of the dough for the crumble topping. Press the remaining dough evenly into the prepared baking pan to form a solid base layer.
- Bake Crust: Bake the crust for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the center remains pale. Remove the pan from the oven and let the crust cool slightly, preparing it for topping.
- Add Filling: In a small bowl, toss the dried tart cherries and white chocolate chips to mix evenly. Sprinkle this mixture over the warm crust to layer the filling evenly.
- Apply Crumble Topping: Break the reserved dough into small pieces and crumble it over the cherry and chocolate layer, allowing bits of filling to peek through for texture and visual appeal.
- Final Bake: Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling slightly, indicating it’s cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out easily, then cut into squares or rectangles for serving.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is chilled to achieve a crumbly texture in the dough.
- Using parchment paper with an overhang makes it easier to remove the bars from the pan without breaking.
- Let the bars cool completely before cutting to maintain clean edges and prevent crumbling.
- You can substitute dried cranberries for dried tart cherries if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Christmas cherry bars, dried cherry dessert, white chocolate bars, holiday baking, crumbly cherry bars
