Chocolate and cherries collide in these shortbread bars. They are topped with streusel and a white chocolate drizzle.
Would you prefer to just go with the flow or fight everything with resistance, stubbornness and lots of tears?
Former me (& a little bit of present day me) chose the latter. Especially when my family went out to eat on beach vacations.
If we didn’t go where I wanted to (which consisted of probably one place,) I pitched a huge fit, pouted, and probably created a huge scene – what a nightmare!
The only thing that would calm me down was a special drink – the infamous Shirley Temple, my favorite carbonated drink, in a gorgeous hue, with a cherry on top! Even back in the day, I believed in not wasting anything because I even tried to eat the stem!
After all that, I still wasn’t happy until we stopped at my favorite frozen custard spot. Each day they have a special flavor and I couldn’t miss one.
Well, these days I’m perfectly happy making dinner at home and, of course, baking all my favorite sweet treats.
This summer I’ve been having entirely too much fun baking with fresh fruit. From strawberries, to blueberries to peaches – can’t it always be fruit season?!?
These cherry bars are a mash-up of some old TEB recipes. I took the chocolate shortbread from my Chocolate Pecan Shortbread Bars and the streusel from my Banana Streusel Muffins to create the perfect complement to this cherry pie filling. & just to make these even more special, I drizzled some white chocolate on top. You have to try these bars!
Are you easy to please or more demanding?
PS: Following the TEB garden saga? This vegetable turned out to be a Spaghetti Squash! I see lots of stuffed squash in my future ๐
Ingredients
- 3 cups cherries
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup margarine
- 4 tbsp margarine
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 tsp canola oil
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, water and cornstarch. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir continuously. Lower heat and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch square pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Grease paper.
- In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Cut margarine up in tablespoon segments. Use hands to incorporate margarine and flour.
- Press dough into prepared pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Combine margarine, brown sugar, sugar and flour. Use fingers to incorporate ingredients.
- Spread cherry filling on cooked shortbread. Sprinkle streusel topping on top of cherries. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cherries are bubbling and streusel is golden brown. Allow to cool completely.
- Slice into bars.
- Melt white chocolate chips in microwave for 45 seconds at 50 percent power. Add canola oil. Stir until smooth. Transfer melted chocolate to zip lock bag. Cut end. Carefully drizzle chocolate over bars.
Disclosure: I received free Bing Cherries from Hale Groves in exchange for developing a recipe. As always, all opinions and recipes are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support The Emotional Baker!
These bars are absolutely gorgeous, Megan! I wish I could reach through my screen and grab a few for breakfast. Cherry anything is a favorite of mine, especially during the summer, so I’m loving these shortbread bars!
Thanks Gayle! I love cherry, too ๐
YUMMY Megan! Shortbread is probably my favorite type of cookie ever. And these are certainly going on my list. They sound wonderful and look fabulous! Can’t wait to try!
Thanks Mary Ann! I don’t make shortbread often enough. Hope you love these!
The white chocolate glaze really takes these over the top! Must try!
I agree, Karen! As you can see, I started off with just streusel topped, but then decided to splurge and make these extra pretty ๐
Oh gosh, I loved Shirley Temples – that takes me back!! But not as much as I think I would love these shortbread bars – with a nice cup of tea – happy sigh.
Yay – fellow ST lover ๐ Thanks Kate!
Love cherries,those bars look delicious
Me too. Thanks John ๐
Megan, you’ve completely outdone yourself with this recipe! Those stacks of cherry bars are pretty much ALL I’ll be thinking about for the rest of the week. <3 So glad you decided to mash-up a couple different TEB recipes to create these. ๐ Also, you must've been quite the easy-going kid back then… Lololol. I'm a halfway mix between easy to please and demanding. Mostly, I just like to do things myself so I won't be disappointed or have to depend on anyone. That's the spirit! Haha. Hope you have an awesome week, my friend! Pinning! xo
I think I’m more in the middle these days, too. & I also prefer doing things independently. Thanks Demeter ๐
Cherries are my #1 favorite summer fruit (just had some now with lunch!) <3 My fridge is never without!
I wish my fridge was always stocked with beautiful cherries! Thanks Rebecca ๐
I used to love Shirley Temples too, and that cherry on top was so special! I love fresh cherries so much more, and these bars look just incredible, Megan. Love the addition of the chocolate and that gorgeous drizzle!
I agree – fresh cherries are better. Thanks Marcie ๐
Ooh, I wish I’d never seen these! I’m going to bake them and never stop eating them!
Ha ha! Thanks so much, Jeff! I really appreciate you visiting ๐
I surely can’t resist anything with streusel! These shortbread bars look droolicious!
Me neither! Thanks Angie ๐
I can identify with resisting everything and wanting control. I’m the same way! Maybe I should try drinking Shirley Temples for soothing purposes. Never done that before!
These look so amazing. They’d calm me down, too!
Ha ha! Thanks Mir!
Mmm these bars look insane! Pass me some!
Ok – they’re coming your way ๐ Thanks Manali!
Shortbread has got to me on the top of my list for favourite cookies. And these are just at another level! Wishing I had, like, 5 right now for breakfast ๐ Pinning!
Aww – thanks Dawn! (& I think they’re acceptable for breakfast ๐ )
Shortbread has got to be on the top of my list for favourite cookies. And these are just at another level! Wishing I had, like, 5 right now for breakfast ๐ Pinning!
Aww – thanks Dawn! (& I think they’re acceptable for breakfast ๐ )
Oh. My. Gosh. I. Can’t. These look incredible, Megan!!!!! You have no idea how much I love cherries!!!!
I love them, too! Thanks Allie ๐
Well, weren’t you a little grouchy pants at the beach! ๐ I’m totally loving cherries and all things summer fruit right now. These bars look so delicious and I want to dive into white chocolate on top!
You’ve got that right! & summer fruit is the best ๐ Thanks Rachelle!
haha I was a pain in the butt growing up with going out to eat! I used to insist everything was too “exotic” – because we all know that outback is clearly just over the top exotic! haha Oh my kid self! ๐ But these bars!! Chocolate + cherry is just the best combo! These sound sooo good!
You sound like me! Ha ha! Thanks Ashley ๐
I am desperately needing a sugar fix this afternoon (it’s been a loooooooong day), and these shortbread bars would be a perfect snack!
They would, Eva! Thanks ๐
This looks so so yummy Meghan. My daughter is going to love this recipe. ๐
Yay! Let me know how she likes them ๐
Oh, my gosh!!! I love every decadent layer! What a fabulous summer treat.
Thanks Liz!!
It’s a good thing we don’t keep the same habits when we reach adulthood! Glad you have expanded your choices ๐ These shortbread bars look scrumptious! Love the cherry chocolate combo!
Absolutely!! Thanks Kathy ๐
Beautiful!! And I’m sure…delicious! Can’t beat fresh cherries in any form at this time of year. They’re so good. I love that you added that streusel topping, too. I’m sold on anything that includes streusel!
Oh, and I loved Shirley Temples when I was little too. The perfect sweet drink for a little girl!
Cherries are the best (& with streusel?!? Amazing!) Thanks Blair ๐
These look delicious, Megan! I just love the layers and the crumble and of course the rich red cherries!
Thanks Rahul!!
Yum! I love shortbread, I’ve only tried making the plain kind. Actually I just made some today. ๐ Your cherry, chocolate version looks incredible, love the white chocolate drizzle on top!
Thanks Katie! I need to make plain shortbread next. It’s so delicious on its own!
Oh wow, these shortbread bars looks incredible! I was thinking of baking some bread this afternoon but no I might need to make these!
Ha ha! You can’t go wrong with bread or bars! Let me know what you pick ๐
Guuurl, back in the day I had my fair share of temper tantrums when I didn’t get my way -Which was often! At least now I know how to handle myself… I think they call that #adulting. hahaha. Anyways, these bars!!! EEE!!! SO YUM! Since I’m allergic to cocoa, anything white chocolate makes my skirt fly up, but combine that with streusel and cherries and put it in a bar?! Holy bologna! NEEEEEED! These rock!! I’ll take 5 dozen. All for me. ๐ Cheers!
I’m sure you could omit the cocoa powder if desired, Cheyanne. & I can control my temper tantrums – sometimes ๐ Thanks!!
I can’t get over how amazing these look. So decadent! The combination of cherry filling and shortbread makes me so happy!
Aww – thank you, Amanda!!
Haha! Spaghetti squash for the win! ๐ Also, I like to think of myself as pretty easy to please. I love how you combined several of your favorites into these cherry chocolate shortbread bars. Desserts in bar form are perfect since they’re so easy to eat. These sound delicious, Megan, and I could go for a batch of these today for sure. Yum!
Yay – team Spaghetti Squash!! Ha! Thanks David – & I agree, desserts in bar form are the best ๐
These are some beautiful bars, and one of the BEST ways I’ve seen to use fresh cherries for sure. The chocolate shortbread sounds swoon worthy, and the crumble on top? Yes, please.
You are too sweet, Rachel! The chocolate shortbread and crumble complemented the cherries really well.
You wound like a girl who knew what she wanted! Chocolate and cherry are a great combination! Yum!
I agree! Thanks Laura ๐