Cherry pie bars are the low-maintenance equivalent to the classic cherry pie. They require no pie crust rolling but are just as delicious and flavorful! This particular recipe is especially easy because it uses our Organic Vanilla Cake Mix as the base for the vegan shortbread crust. Two reasons we love our Organic Cake Mixes is that they’re vegan-friendly and taste like homemade.
Summer is the prime time for fresh cherries, but frozen cherries work just as well if you’re not into pitting them or you want to bake this up during winter. These cherry pie bars are dairy-free, quick to make, and full of gooey cherry goodness. Let’s get started!
Place cherries in a saucepan over medium heat. Cover the pan and heat cherries until they release their juice, and come to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Pour mixture into the hot cherries and juice and mix thoroughly. Return to low heat, bring to a simmer, and cook until the filling has thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Shortbread Crust
Heat oven to 350F, grease and line one 9×13 inch pan.
Using a stand or hand mixer, combine melted coconut oil, water, and cake mix on medium speed for about 1-2 minutes, or until evenly combined and crumbly.
Set aside about ½ cup dough. Use hands to press remaining dough into an even layer in the bottom of the pan.
Pour cherry pie filling over crust and sprinkle remaining dough. Bake 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.
In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, extracts and enough milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over top.
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