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+ servings

Cherry Chocolate Shortbread Bars

Elise
Beautiful Cherry Pie filling with cream cheese and Cool Whip on a delicious Shortbread Crust
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 14
Calories 276 kcal

Ingredients
  

Cherry Pie Filling

  • 2 cans sweet bing cherries do not drain
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup corn starch
  • 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon, large
  • 2 tsp Almond Extract
  • 1/2 stick butter

Shortbread Crust

  • 2 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup quick oats
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 3/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 tsp cardamon spice
  • 1 cup cold butter, (2 sticks) cubed

Remaining Ingredients

  • 1 large tub Cool Whip
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 1 tsp Almond Extract
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream or more if needed
  • 1 large chocolate bar of your choice, I used a Baker's Baking Chocolate Bar...in the baking section.

Instructions
 

Cherry Pie Filling

  • Place cherries with 1 can of juice, sugar, and corn starch in a medium sized heavy bottomed stove top pan. Stir while heating on medium until it starts thickening.
    2 cans sweet bing cherries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup corn starch
  • When thick like heavy syrup, add lemon juice, extract, and butter. Turn down to low and let simmer for about 4 minutes. Should be consistency of loose jelly.
    1/2 fresh squeezed lemon, large, 2 tsp Almond Extract, 1/2 stick butter
  • Chill in fridge for about 20 minutes or until ready to use.

Shortbread Crust

  • While Cherry Pie Filling is cooling. Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Place the flour, oats, confectioner's sugar, almonds, cardemon in a food processor and pulse for about 2 seconds...just to incorporate everything.
    2 1/4 cup flour, 1 cup quick oats, 1 cup confectioner's sugar, 3/4 cup sliced almonds, 1 tsp cardamon spice
  • Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until everything is mixed, crumbly but holds together in your hands.
    1 cup cold butter, (2 sticks) cubed
  • Butter or spray oil a 9"x13" glass pyrex pan.
  • Dump flour mixture into center of pan and spread out evenly. Mold mixture to sides and bottom until it is firm and packed.
  • Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. It is done when just turning golden brown on the bottom and edges are a little darker. Let cool until room temperature.
  • Note: You cook this longer than you would if you were adding a filling that needed to be cooked again in the crust.

Assembly

  • Cream the confectioner's sugar and cream cheese together.
    1 cup confectioner's sugar, 8 oz cream cheese
  • Add the extract. Then add the whipping cream a little at a time until it is creamy and has an icing consistency.
    1 tsp Almond Extract, 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • Fold in the half the cherry filling to the cream cheese whip. Fold in half the cool whip. Then repeat until all folded in. Be careful not to overmix.
    1 large tub Cool Whip
  • Add the cherry cream cheese mixture to the cooled pie crust and gently spread across all of the crust. Break up the chocolate bar into chunks, I used a malat but you can use the back of a knife. Dot with chocolate bar chunks and crumbs.
    1 large chocolate bar of your choice, I used a Baker's Baking Chocolate Bar...in the baking section.
  • Set it in the freezer for about 4 hours. Then let it sit for about 10 minutes on the counter before cutting.
  • Enjoy!!!

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 80mgPotassium: 110mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 443IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Cherry, chocolate chip cookie bars, Cool Whip, Cream Cheese, shortbread crust
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