Why not make a pan of these easy Strawberry Pie Bars? From the delicious crust to the cream cheese glaze these fruit filled bars are a crowd pleaser! If you love strawberry desserts, this recipe is a must-try.
Easy as pie? These bars definitely fit that description. You should try our peach pie bars next for a tasty treat. Or give our easy strawberry hand pies a try.
Why This Recipe Works
Have you ever made strawberry pie? It’s delicious but can be time consuming while you wait for it to chill, and tricky to serve to a crowd. You need a pie plate, a pie cutter and everyone needs plates and utensils.
When you make Pie Bars instead, you’ve got a handheld dessert that’s so easy to cut up and share!
For these Strawberry Pie Bars, I made a pie crust layer with flour, sugar and butter then topped it with canned Strawberry Pie filling. A cream cheese glaze on top adds the perfect touch!
Today’s pie bars are a cross between a sweet slice of strawberry pie and a sugar cookie.
- Serve chilled for best flavor.
- Chewy crust (sweet like a sugar cookie, firm like a pie crust).
- Choose any topping, we love strawberry pie filling.
Try our blueberry slab pie next for a delicious treat to serve a crowd. Of course, our cherry slab pie has the same easy assembly, with a cherry filling!
Ingredient Notes
- Strawberry Pie Filling – Use canned filling for ease and convenience or swap with your favorite homemade strawberry pie filling.
- Butter – I prefer unsalted butter so I can control the saltiness of the bars. Make sure to let the butter soften at room temperature for at least a few minutes so it’s easier to work into the flour.
- Cream Cheese – Full fat cream cheese has the best flavor for the glaze. Like the butter, it should be softened on the counter before using in the recipe.
Step by Step Instructions
Pie crust layer. Beat butter and sugar together, then add eggs, flour, vanilla extract and kosher salt. Pour into a prepared pan.
Strawberry filling. Feel free to use any flavor pie filling. Our blueberry pie filling is delicious! BAKE!
Glaze- Beat together the ingredients for the glaze, then transfer to a ziploc bag. Snip off the corner of the bag and pipe the glaze over the cooled bars in a diagonal pattern.
Homemade Strawberry Pie Bars taste delicious warm or chilled!
Recipe FAQs
Leftover bars should be stored covered in the refrigerator. I love the way they taste cold straight from the fridge! If you prefer, let them come to room temperature before serving.
Of course. This recipe would be delicious with canned cherry, peach or blueberry pie filling!
I used a 9 x 13 glass baking dish for this recipe. A square or smaller pan would work too but the thickness of the bars will be different and you may need to adjust the baking time.
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Strawberry Pie Bars
Ingredients
For the Batter:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 can Strawberry Pie Filling 21 ounce
For the Glaze:
- 4 ounce cream cheese softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add in flour, salt, baking powder and vanilla. Spread batter into a 13×9 baking dish. Top with strawberry pie filling.
- Bake pie bars in a 350 degree oven for about 28-32 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Allow to cool before adding the glaze.
- For the glaze, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spoon into a ziploc bag and cut off the tip. Pipe lines of glaze onto cooled bars. Serve warm or refrigerate and enjoy cold.
Notes
- How do you store these bars? Leftover bars should be stored covered in the refrigerator. I love the way they taste cold straight from the fridge! If you prefer, let them come to room temperature before serving.
- Can you substitute different pie filling instead of strawberry? Of course. This recipe would be delicious with canned cherry, peach or blueberry pie filling!
- What kind of pan works best for this recipe? I used a 9 x 13 glass baking dish for this recipe. A square or smaller pan would work too but the thickness of the bars will be different and you may need to adjust the baking time.
Nutrition
Strawberry Pie Bars–A dessert bar that’s easy as pie. . . except even easier! Topped with cream cheese glaze, it just doesn’t get any better.
If I make these ahead of time, can they be frozen??
Thank you! Just trying to get ahead of some of the holiday baking 🙂
I added cinnamon to the crust. I baked crust 10 minutes before adding the filling to ensure it cooked all the way. Used apple for one and peach for another.
Can you make these a couple days in advance like Friday for a Sunday baby shower?
These were easy and so delicious! I made them for a potluck, and someone at the party was eating one and asked me, “Have you tried these?” I said, “I made them.” He said, “You MADE them???? They’re amazing!” I am making them again, just a few days later. I love this recipe! Thank you so much!!!
Yay, glad they were such a hit!!!Thanks for the sweet comment 🙂
I was so excited to make these, but this recipe doesn’t quite work. I’m positive that my measurements were correct, but the middle was still raw after 32 minutes. I had to cover my pan with foil so that the edges wouldn’t burn, and I’ve put it back in the oven for far longer than the recipe calls for. It’s still baking, but so far we’re at an extra 20 minutes and the middle is still goo. Did you bake this in a convection oven or a conventional oven? I’m using a conventional oven. IF I make this again, I’d modify the recipe to bake in a much smaller pan.
Do you have an estimate on how long it takes to cool off before you glaze it?
Long enough so the glaze doesn’t melt. I would say 15-30 minutes minimum 🙂
I just made these and the entire middle was pure goo, did not harden up at all no matter how long I cooked them for. Horrible recipe and I followed the directions exactly. Waste of money and time.
Hmmm, I would double check your ingredient measurements. I’ve made these numerous times, with different pie fillings, delicious each time. Sorry it didn’t turn out for you, I know how disappointing that can be!
OMG I am SO glad I came across your adorable blog–These bars are perfect!! And stunning! I was looking to make some sort of ‘strawberry crumble bar’ – I have all of the ingredients to this recipe and can’t wait to make them!! 🙂
These pie bars look so delightful 🙂 I can’t wait to make this recipe myself!
I’m in love with these! I almost prefer pie bars to regular pie. It’s the thicker crust, I think. 🙂
Who needs pie when you have these perfect little fruity squares!?? Plus, I love the glaze, which is a lovely touch that you’d miss in a pie.