These Red, White & Blueberry Pie Bars are so festive and fun any time of year, but especially for Memorial Day and Fourth of July! Similar to kuchen with swirls of cherries and blueberries!
I cannot believe it, but I went swimming for the first time in 10 years yesterday.
What brought on this monumental occasion? The fact that Sacramento hit 100 degrees already.
Meanwhile, I have friends in Minnesota who said it’s 46 and freezing there. So. Wanna trade me, Minneapolites?
A little back story real quick…
In junior high and high school, I used to dye my hair crazy rainbow colors. I had a new color about every month or two and it required severe bleaching of my entire head of hair every single time. Miraculously, my hair never felt damaged or fell out, even though my mom threatened that’d happen. (Still wasn’t worried; I was actually kinda excited for the possibility of wigs).
And because some of these dye jobs cost me (and my mom) quite a pretty penny, I never wanted to ruin my beautiful kaleidoscopic hair by dunking it in chlorine. So I spent summers avoiding the pool completely, because I found that once I waded in the pool without going under, I was more tempted to get my whole head wet, too. And dingy chlorine hair on pretty pastel pinks or vibrant purples was no bueno.
So even though my Grammie lived two doors down from us and had her very own (gorgeous) pool, I stayed away as if it were contaminated and preferred to cool down in an air-conditioned house.
But now that I live in an apartment complex and I have to pay for my own A/C *cries*, I wanted another way to cool down… so I took to the complex pool when no one was in it. It was nothing short of amazing, and I didn’t even go underwater (I’m platinum blonde now and not about to look like I dipped my hair in sewer water, thanks).
And now, if you need me, I’ll be lounging in the shade by the pool (if I’m not physically in the pool) for the rest of summertime. You know, with this attitude, I may actually enjoy the summer now… but don’t quote me yet 🙂
Since summer’s approaching, we’ve gotta start thinking backyard BBQs, pool parties, and the like. And with that (and Memorial Day/Fourth of July coming up), I figured these Red, White, and Blueberry Pie Bars were PERFECT to kick off the unofficial start of summah!
These bars are similar to cherry kuchen, which has a cakier texture than a pie-texture. These bars are a little more on the cakey side, but they’re still moist and chewy and delicious. They’re swirled with cherry and blueberry pie fillings and topped with a sweet lemony glaze.
Oh, and they’re delicious and feed a crowd. WIN.
(Psst: they also taste great by the pool)
*adapted from Taste of Home
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- One (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
- ½ of a 21 oz can blueberry pie filling (see Note below for what to do with the rest!)
- FOR THE GLAZE:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 4 Tbsp heavy cream or milk
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt until creamy & fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the extracts. Lastly, beat in the flour. The dough will be VERY sticky.
- Spread 3 cups of the dough in the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the cherry pie filling evenly. Dot the cherry pie surface with the blueberry pie filling and gently swirl together with the back of a spoon. Drop the remaining dough by the teaspoonfuls over the top of the fillings.
- Bake for approx. 30-37 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Cool completely in the pan.
- For the glaze, mix the confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, and lemon juice together until pourable. Pour over the tops of the bars before cutting into squares.
- NOTE: Use the remaining pie filling in the following ways (or eat it with a spoon!): blend into a milkshake (try vanilla ice cream with graham crackers), fold it in with Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream for a mousse, top an ice cream sundae with it, make mini pies with it, or swirl it into homemade ice cream!
Festive, perfect for picnics or BBQs and delicious, these pie bars are sure to win everyone over!
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley
These Raspberry Almond Linzer Bars taste just like linzer cookies but made easier in bar form! Don’t like raspberry? Substitute with any flavor of jam!
Next, spread on your jam situation. For these, I used seedless raspberry jam which is an underrated jam flavor in my opinion. These bars would also be fab with strawberry jam, apricot jam, or maybe even blueberry or boysenberry. The options are seriously limited to your store’s jam availability.
Also top the jam layer with some slivered almonds, which add a delightful buttery crunch as well as that sweet almond flavor. Top with the remaining dough and a few more almonds before baking some more until everything is light golden brown, set, and utterly gorgeous.
*adapted from 
These have a wonderful raspberry flavor and the sweet almond is accentuated by the almond extract, which really pairs beautifully with the bright, juicy raspberries.
Have a super sweet day!
You’re only four simple ingredients away from making these super coconutty Coconut Macaroon Bars! Chewy, slightly crisp, nutty and sweet, they’re only a few ingredients you probably have at home in your pantry!
These bars only have four ingredients, and I’m guessing you likely have those ingredients at home already. The one surprise ingredient? Refrigerated crescent roll dough, which is the base of these bars. No, these bars will not taste like a dinner roll with coconut sprinkled on top. Yes, they will surprisingly taste like a coconut macaroon cookie but baked into a bar form for something unique, unexpected, and totally hassle-free, unlike scooping individual mounds of cookie dough.
If you’re wondering, the almond extract brings out the sweet nuttiness of the coconut so beautifully! It’s definitely a must-have ingredient for these fabulous bars! Want to take these over the top? Dunk or drizzle them in CHOCOLATE!
Have a super sweet day!
I also know that people have strong opinions about the mix-ins for their carrot cake, to which I say: MIX IN WHATEVER YOU WANT. Prefer walnuts over pecans? Throw them in. Like raisins in your carrot cake slice? Add ’em. Think pineapple is sacrilegious and has no place near your pizza or your cake? Leave it out. This is like a choose-your-own-adventure cake. There is no wrong thing to leave out or mix in.
That said, I did find that this cake was perfect with some crunchy pecans & sweet pineapple. Next time I think I’ll add in some coconut, too! (< And yes, there will be a next time!)
Moist, fluffy, tender spiced cake packed with juicy pineapple and crunchy pecans and topped with a glorious orange-spiked cream cheese icing. There is nothing better!
Have a super sweet day!
These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars taste just like sweet cream & vanilla bean ice cream in one gooey, chewy, outrageously delicious bar and are made EASY with International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer!
So I bet you’re wondering what my favorite coffee creamer flavor is… and hands-down, it’s Sweet Cream. There’s something about that vanilla-y, ice cream-y flavor that’s so irresistible to me. I just can’t have my coffee without it!
These bars are made with International Delight’s Sweet Cream Creamer IN THE FILLING which imparts such a wonderful, creamy, almost melted ice-cream flavor to these bars. Combined with vanilla bean, these bars taste like your favorite ice cream parlor’s vanilla ice cream but in a gooey, chewy bar form. SO delicious!
And if you’re looking for an awesome Easter recipe… may I suggest these bars!? Topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar and studded with fresh vanilla bean seeds, they’re elegant and perfect for a springtime fete. Serve them up on a gorgeous tiered cake stand so guests can help themselves to a piece to snack on alongside their coffee.
Be sure to follow International Delight on 
If you’re on the search party for a fantastic vanilla pound cake recipe, I’ve got you covered. This Best-Ever Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is moist, fluffy, and delectable on its own or topped with freshly whipped cream and berries.
But then I went out and bought myself a nice light metal loaf pan thinking I would be left with the glass loaf pan curse. I baked this in my new loaf pan, basically putting a voodoo hex on the pound cake before I even put it in the oven because I am cynical.
ANYWAY, no matter how ya slice it, you’re going to want to bake this Vanilla Bean Pound Cake. It is so supremely moist and flavorful, with little flecks of vanilla bean swirled throughout in every bite. It’s the perfect thing to snack on straight-up, but it’s also an amazing vehicle for dressing up freshly whipped cream and assorted berries for a lovely dessert, or cube it up and toss it in a trifle.
What are you waiting for? Find your trusty pan and make it!
*adapted from Southern Lady Magazine
Moist, flavorful, tender pound cake bursting with fresh flecks of aromatic vanilla beans. This pound cake is SO divine!
Have a super sweet day!
These Lemon Coconut Cupcakes are as tasty as they are festive! Fluffy & moist lemon cupcakes topped with the most amazing coconut whipped frosting and toasted coconut.
In fact, I gave these cupcakes to my sweetie pie downstairs neighbor who declared these the BEST cupcakes she’s ever had. Just sayin’!
The frosting sits atop a buttery, zesty lemon cupcake that’s moist and has a lovely, tender crumb. It’s bright and fruity from the fresh lemon zest swirled throughout and makes for a great tart contrast to the sweet & nutty frosting. And of course, the whole thing is dredged in toasted coconut because toasted coconut = life.
Lemony, zesty cupcakes topped with that heavenly coconut pudding frosting… this recipe is a must-make for springtime!
Have a super sweet Tuesday!
ANYWAY. When I’m not being suspicious of strange business models, I’m making candy – specifically this Easy Jell-O Divinity. And I’m here today to tell you A) not to be scared of divinity, as it’s just a harmless little blob of nougat-y, fudgy goodness, and B) it’s not just a Christmas candy anymore!
This Jell-O Divinity is made with – you guessed it – fruity Jell-O powder which gives it that gorgeous pastel color and wonderful fruity flavor. The best part is, you can use whatever Jell-O you prefer, so this is totally customizable to your favorite flavors. I went with Strawberry, Lime, and Orange because those were classic, but these would be so delicious with Grape, Lemon, Berry Blue, or even one of the fun Jell-O flavors like Watermelon or Strawberry Banana. Or BLACK CHERRY. OMG. BRB, making Black Cherry Divinity!
I love the bright pop of color and the unexpected fruity flavor of these fudgy, nougat-y little morsels of heaven! These would make excellent Easter gifts, wrapped in little cellophane bags. 🙂
Have a super sweet day!
But as I actually became older, I stopped ordering fancy bar drinks and settled for plain ol’ Diet Cokes and iced teas. Now that I’m 26 and trying to slow down time, I barely order alcohol anymore because I’d rather spend the extra cash on a bangin’ dessert instead.
This pie is such a cinch to whip up and is SO tasty. It’s creamy, smooth, flavorful and fresh and tastes amazing frozen or chilled in the fridge, though it’s required to be frozen to set at first. I topped mine with dollops of fresh whipped cream, but this would be excellent drizzled with chocolate sauce, additional strawberry sundae sauce, or even white chocolate. The world’s your oyster, kid.
I love how creamy, fabulous and utterly delicious this pie is! I took it to my apartment manager’s office and it went fast. It’s a total hit!
Have a super sweet day!
