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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Red, White, and Blue Pie Bars

bars and brownies· pie· Summertime Favorites
June 25, 2018

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Red, White, and Blue Pie Bars – Cherry and blueberry pie filling are loaded into a soft, cakey bar that is finished with a gorgeous white glaze.

Red, White, and Blue Pie Bars filled with blueberries and cherries

The next holiday is upon us, folks – 4th of July is almost a week away! I am, of course, ready to bring you a patriotic treat to serve all your guests during your 4th of July activities.

Last year, I shared this refreshing (and simple!) Red, White, and Blue Sangria that you all went CRAZY for. Now, I have another Red, White, and Blue treat that I hope you’ll love just as much, but this time, it’s all about the sweets.

Pie bars are something new that I came across on Pinterest. You guys may remember that I hate making pie because it’s so annoying to cut beautiful pie slices. Plus, I feel like pies don’t serve as many people as I think they should. But pie bars solve all of that!

And so, I was inspired to make these Red, White, and Blue Pie Bars, filled with blueberry and cherry and covered with vanilla icing. Check them out!

Red, White, and Blue Pie Bar on a wooden spatula Three Red, White, and Blue Pie BarsTray of Red, White, and Blue Pie Bars

These pie bars taste just like a slice of blueberry and cherry pie. The crust is a little more cakey and fluffy than pie crust, with a hint of almond extract that adds a whole other level of flavor.

The cakey crust is thanks to a dough instead of using a pastry crust, which makes this recipe a 1000x easier. Pie crust requires so much chilling and rolling and attention, whereas this dough is simply mixed together and dumped into the pan. We use some of that dough to then dollop onto the pie filling for a cobblestone look.

Now, when it comes to the filling, I cut out loads of time by using store-bought pie filling. I am not a huge fan of all the added food coloring and corn syrup in most pie-filings, but I was able to find one that was natural so that took away some of the guilt I was feeling about not making this myself. But I am learning that there is no shame in shortcuts so guilt be gone!

Cookie sheet of Red, White, and Blue Pie Bar dough Cherry and blueberry pie filling on top of the dough, with bits of dough scattered across the cookie sheet

While making these bars, I learned a lot so here are some tips you HAVE to read to make sure these bars come out perfect for you:

  1. I first made these bars using a 15x10x1 baking sheet, as was recommended in other recipes. However, I found that this pan size was wayyyy too small and even caused the bars to overflow in the oven. So I recommend using a 1/2 sheet pan instead, which is slightly bigger at 16.5×11.38×1.
  2. Wait until the bars are completely cool before icing them. Otherwise, the icing will get too thin and melt everywhere.
  3. Also, when slicing the bars, I think they are much easier to slice when cooled or chilled. Fruit filling gets super messy when it’s warm so it’s gonna require some patience before you can serve them. But you can easily make these the night before you need them and just slice the next day.

Feeling patriotic yet??? I hope so! What other treats do you have planned for the 4th of July celebrations! I am hoping to host some people for our last hosting gig before baby comes so let me know what ideas you have in the comments below!

Closeup of a Red, White, and Blue Pie Bar on a wooden spatula

Print Recipe

Red, White, and Blue Pie Bars

Cherry and blueberry pie filling are loaded into a soft, cakey bar that is finished with a gorgeous white glaze.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 18 bars

Ingredients

For the bars:
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 21-ounce can blueberry pie filing
  • 1 21-ounce can cherry pie filing
For the icing:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 1/2 sheet pan (interior measures about 16.5x11.38 x1 inches) by spraying with nonstick spray. Warning - if you don't have a pan this size, you're better going a little bigger than going a little smaller to prevent overflow. Or you can use a 9x13 baking dish but the bars will be much thicker and take longer to bake.
  • In bowl fitted for a stand mixer, cream butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl, as needed. Add extract and mix together. Add flour 1 cup at a time, just until dough is combined.
  • Measure out 3 cups of dough and spread onto greased baking sheet. Spoon pie filings on top of dough, making sure to alternate spoonfuls of cherry and blueberry so they are mixed throughout the bars. Spread to edges of the dough and smooth out the top.
  • Drop remaining dough by the spoonfuls over the pie filing. You want to create a speckled look so no need to smooth the top. Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before icing.
  • Mix icing ingredients together and drizzle over cooled bars. Cut bars and serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator for maximum of 2 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Pin for later:

Red, White, and Blue Pie Bars photo collage

More recipes you’ll love:

Glazed Cherry Pie Bars

Glazed cherry hand pie cut in half

Red, White, and Blue Sangria

Two glasses of Red, White, and Blue Sangria

Traditional English Trifle

Traditional English Trifle with layers of fruit and pudding

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36 Comments

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Comments

  1. Saima says

    July 2, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    Wow! Your pie bars look so delicious! I l love cherries and blueberries and I’m sure these berries impart a tartness to the bars which would kick up the overall taste several notches. And I agree with you about taking short cuts wherever possible. As long as you don’t compromise with the quality of the ingredients (your pie filling).

    Reply
  2. Stacey says

    July 2, 2018 at 9:53 am

    I can’t resist tasty treats like this, and just in time for the 4th!

    Reply
  3. Anne Lawton says

    July 1, 2018 at 9:36 pm

    Yum! These look like the perfect way to celebrate the 4th!

    Reply
  4. Lorie says

    July 1, 2018 at 1:52 pm

    I’m not a huge pie crust fan so the fact that this crust is more cake like is exactly for me. This will be at our 4th of July spread. Thanks for the amazing recipe!

    Reply
  5. Veronika's Kitchen says

    July 1, 2018 at 10:52 am

    This is perfect for the upcoming holiday! and these cute pie bars look so scrumptious! I should definitely make them)

    Reply
  6. Dominique | Perchance to Cook says

    June 29, 2018 at 4:20 pm

    These pie bars are genius! I’ve never had a pie bar before and now I’m wondering why. These would be perfect to make for the upcoming holiday!

    Reply
  7. Jennifer says

    June 29, 2018 at 4:15 pm

    Pie bars are the perfect treat for a summer 4th of July gathering because they’re self-serving and everyone can just grab and go! I also like that you mentioned finding a better pie filling, I love when I find healthier swaps with better ingredients.

    Reply
  8. Kiki Johnson says

    June 29, 2018 at 1:34 pm

    What a perfect recipe for 4th of July! These bars look absolutely gorgeous and your pictures are incredible! I will for sure try these!

    Reply
  9. Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen says

    June 29, 2018 at 9:07 am

    What a fun way to change up your pie game! These are so lovely – perfect for picnic season and 4th of July festivities!

    Reply
  10. Jenni says

    June 28, 2018 at 9:12 pm

    Oh, pie bars are so perfect! Less work, but all the flavor! AND you are so right, they do feed more people! This red, white and blue version is perfect for the holidays!

    Reply
  11. Whitney Bond says

    June 27, 2018 at 9:21 pm

    Pies can be so difficult to serve at parties, these look perfect for a 4th of July potluck!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 12:50 pm

      Yes so true!

      Reply
  12. Karina says

    June 27, 2018 at 10:14 am

    Yum! These looks so delish! I love making pies, but I do agree that they are so difficult to get good slices of. Would love to test out this recipe with my kids… they love baking!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 12:55 pm

      Aw how fun! I was the same way as a kid.

      Reply
  13. Cristina - Memories of the Pacific says

    June 26, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    Yum! They are perfect to celebrate the 4th!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 12:55 pm

      Totally agree!

      Reply
  14. Vicky says

    June 26, 2018 at 1:42 pm

    Perfect for the 4th of July, but I would make these any time of year. These would be especially great when fresh berries are in season.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 12:55 pm

      This recipe uses pie filling so no need to worry about making these in berry season only!

      Reply
  15. Jessica Levinson says

    June 26, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    These red, white, and blue pie bars are such a great dessert idea for the Fourth of July! I’m sure they will be a big hit!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 1:02 pm

      Thanks! I agree!

      Reply
  16. Tania | Fit Foodie Nutter says

    June 26, 2018 at 12:54 pm

    I didn’t time it very well looking at your post. I’m so hungry and your beautiful jars made me dream about these snacks and drool over the screen! lol. They look amazing.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 1:02 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  17. Jessica Formicola says

    June 26, 2018 at 12:28 pm

    I love these! So perfect for the 4th of July, or any patriotic holiday!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 1:05 pm

      Yes exactly!

      Reply
  18. Tara says

    June 26, 2018 at 12:26 pm

    Okay this is looking AMAZING!! Seriously I want to eat the whole pan myself right now. Great 4th of July treat, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to keep making it all year!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 1:06 pm

      Yesss! Once you try them, they will be hard to resist and you’ll be making them all year long! You can even change up the pie filling for different occasions!

      Reply
  19. Lisa Huff says

    June 26, 2018 at 11:56 am

    Love that these have blueberries AND cherries! Perfect for 4th of July BBQs!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 1:11 pm

      Yess!

      Reply
  20. Elaine @ Dishes Delish says

    June 26, 2018 at 8:36 am

    These red white and blue bars look so delicious!! I love fruit bars and simply adore cherries and blueberries together!! I can’t wait to try these!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 1:37 pm

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  21. Paula @ I'm Busy Being Awesome says

    June 25, 2018 at 12:40 pm

    Such a tasty summer treat, they look delicious!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 1:48 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  22. Mimi says

    June 25, 2018 at 12:39 pm

    These look so yummy and perfect for 4th of July

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 1:51 pm

      Thanks Mimi!

      Reply
  23. Kate says

    June 25, 2018 at 12:13 pm

    Wow! Its only 9am here so Im wondering if I could justify these as breakfast…LOL! These look absolutely delish and nothing says 4th of July or Americana to me better than cherry(and blueberry!) pie. Cant wait to test these out!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 28, 2018 at 1:51 pm

      Haha I have to admit – I am guilty of having these before noon, for sure!

      Reply

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Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

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