These Almond Flour Cherry Pie Bars feature a gluten-free, buttery shortbread-style crust and a homemade cherry pie filling that’s impossible to resist. The crust and crumble topping use the same one-bowl mixture, making the recipe simple and efficient. The base has a tender, shortbread texture while the buttery, crumbly topping practically melts in your mouth. Between the layers is a bright cherry filling made from fresh sweet cherries and a touch of almond extract, and everything is finished with a light powdered sugar glaze.
If you enjoy these cherry bars, try the similar Almond Flour Peach Crisp Bars for a seasonal twist with homemade peach filling and an oat crumble topping.
Why you’ll love these cherry bars
These bars are beloved for several reasons: melted butter is used in the crust and topping so you skip the fuss of cutting in cold butter; the cherry filling is made from scratch for fresher, brighter flavor than canned fillings; and because the filling cooks while the crust is baking, the assembled bars bake quickly—about 15 minutes—so you’ll have dessert without a long wait. The only challenge is letting them chill long enough to slice clean squares.
Ingredients and substitutions
Below is a quick overview of key ingredients and suggested swaps. The full list with exact quantities appears in the recipe card further down.
- Almond flour — Use fine blanched almond flour for the smoothest texture; it’s finer than almond meal and gives the best shortbread-like crumb.
- Cherries — Fresh dark sweet cherries are recommended for balanced sweetness. If you prefer sour cherries, increase the sugar slightly to offset tartness.
- Butter — Unsalted melted butter binds the dry ingredients and creates a rich, shortbread texture. If using salted butter, reduce or omit added salt in the recipe.
- Cornstarch — Adds tenderness to the crust and helps keep the topping crisp.
- Coconut flour — A small amount helps absorb excess moisture and oil from the almond flour and melted butter, improving texture.
How to make fresh cherry pie bars with almond flour
Here’s a concise walkthrough of the process. See the recipe card for exact details and measurements.
Measuring ingredients
The recipe card provides US cup measurements for convenience, but also includes weight (grams) and volume (milliliters) amounts for greater accuracy. Use a kitchen scale for gram measurements and a liquid measuring cup for milliliters. Smaller measures are listed in teaspoons and tablespoons.
Storage
Store cooled, cut bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Because almond flour retains moisture, leaving the bars at room temperature can soften the crust and topping. Freezing is not recommended; the base and crumble tend to lose their texture after thawing.
Key recipe tips
- Chop cherries finely so the filling spreads evenly and you avoid large bites of whole fruit.
- Line the pan with parchment that overhangs the edges so you can lift the bars out easily for clean slicing.
- Allow the pre-baked crust to cool and firm before adding warm filling to prevent sogginess.
- Chill the finished bars before slicing; almond flour desserts benefit from time to set, and chilling helps the filling and crust hold together.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Make sure they are fully thawed, patted dry if very wet, pitted and chopped before cooking.
You can in a pinch, but homemade filling offers fresher flavor and better texture.
Yes. Pre-baking firms the base so it supports the filling and prevents the topping from overbrowning during the final bake.
More almond flour dessert recipes
- Cherry Almond Cake
- Cherry Galette with Almond Flour Crust
- Almond Flour Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
- Almond Flour Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Almond Flour Vanilla Cupcakes
If you try this recipe, share your feedback in the comments—I’d love to hear how your bars turned out!
Recipe
Almond Flour Cherry Pie Bars
Gluten-free buttery crust and topping, homemade cherry pie filling, finished with powdered sugar glaze.
Ingredients
For the crust and topping:
- 2 ¼ cups (234 g) fine blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
- ¼ cup (25 g) coconut flour
- ½ cup (110 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (57 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted
For the cherry filling:
- 3 cups (15 oz) fresh sweet cherries, pitted and chopped
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- ⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
For the glaze:
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 2–3 teaspoons milk or plant-based milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper that overhangs the sides.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cornstarch, coconut flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla until the mixture can be pinched together like dough.
- Press about two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill the remaining third in the fridge.
- Bake the crust for 9–11 minutes, until the edges begin to brown and the center looks set. Remove and let cool.
- Meanwhile, combine cherries, water, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and almond extract in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens.
- Let the cherry filling cool briefly, then spread it evenly over the cooled crust.
- Crumble the chilled reserved dough over the cherry layer, breaking it into small pieces with your fingers if needed.
- Bake for 14–17 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours to set.
- Whisk the powdered sugar with 2–3 teaspoons of milk to make a drizzleable glaze. Adjust thickness with more sugar or milk if needed.
- Drizzle the glaze over chilled bars, cut into squares, and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days.
Notes
- Chop cherries finely so the filling spreads evenly.
- Use parchment with overhang to lift the bars from the pan easily.
- Cool the pre-baked crust before adding warm filling to avoid sogginess.
- Chill the finished bars before slicing to help them hold their shape.
Nutrition Facts per Serving
Calories: 276 kcal | Carbohydrates: 30 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 17 g | Sugar: 22 g
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions and brands used.