Browned Butter Cherry Bars

I’m having a hard time keeping up with all the beautiful produce this summer. Well, that might not be an accurate statement… We’ve been eating amazingly this summer. But I haven’t been baking very much. When I found a bag of cherries in my cart at the store, I knew I’d be baking with them.

Browned Butter Cherry Bars

Hubby snacked on a quite a few of the cherries, but he didn’t get his way through all of them before I whipped up these Browned Butter Cherry Bars. As with anything you put browned butter in, these bars had a great caramely nuttiness from the browned butter.

Browned Butter Cherry Bars

The cookie crust on these bars is buttery and crisp. the cherries really shine through their ripeness. I went ahead and cut them into smaller rectangles as opposed to regular sized squares. I honestly couldn’t stop snacking on these little bars.

Browned Butter Cherry Bars

Three Years Ago: Family Favorites Cookbook
Four Years Ago: Banana Nut Bread Mini Muffins and Breakfast Pizza
Five Years Ago: Blueberry Lemon Basil Cupcakes

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Browned Butter Cherry Bars

Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients:

For the Crust
7 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp flour
Pinch of salt

For the Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
1 pound sweet cherries

Directions:

For the Crust
Preheat over to 375°F. Cut two 12-inch lengths of parchment paper and trim each to fit the 8-inch width of an 8×8-inch square baking pan. Press it into the bottom and sides of your pan in one direction, then use the second sheet to line the rest of the pan, perpendicular to the first sheet. (It should look like this.) Congratulations! You’ve just faked a square tart pan.

Using rubber spatula or fork, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl, or if you’re Deb, in the bottom of the small saucepan you used to melt the butter. Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated. Transfer dough to your prepared pan, and use your fingertips to press the dough evenly across the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust until golden, about 18 minutes (it will puff slightly while baking). Transfer crust to rack and cool in pan. Maintain oven temperature.

Make the Filling
Cook butter in heavy small saucepan (a lighter-colored one will make it easier to see the color changing, which happens quickly) over medium heat until deep nutty brown (do not burn), stirring often and watching carefully, about six minutes. Immediately pour browned butter into glass measuring cup to cool slightly.

Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add flour and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk browned butter into sugar-egg mixture; whisk until well blended.

Arrange pitted cherries, or the berries of your choice, in bottom of cooled crust. Carefully pour browned butter mixture evenly over the fruit. Bake bars until filling is puffed and golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes (though, of course, this took less time in my hyperactive oven so please watch your baking times carefully). Cool bars completely in pan on rack.

Use the parchment paper overhang to carefully remove cooled bars from pan and place them on a cutting board and cut them into squares with a very sharp knife. The cherries, if they fall over your slicing lines, will want to give you trouble but if you saw a sharp knife into them slowly before pressing down, they’ll cut neatly and with minimum carnage.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

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23 Responses to “Raspberry Meringue Cookies”

  1. #
    1
    Steph — January 16, 2009 at 1:09 am

    These are so cute and perfect for Valentine’s Day!

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    2
    bensbaby116 — January 16, 2009 at 1:43 am

    They’re so pretty!! I love meringues, I love raspberry, and I love chocolate… I might have to try this recipe. Thanks for posting!

  3. #
    3
    Linds — January 16, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    Those looks absolutely lovely! Great job!

  4. #
    4
    Melissa — January 16, 2009 at 1:34 pm

    How pretty, pink & perfect!

  5. #
    5
    Kristen616 — January 16, 2009 at 2:43 pm

    Not only are they SO pretty but they look delicious! I love that flavor combination.

  6. #
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    Erin — January 16, 2009 at 2:54 pm

    I bet those would be great for a wedding or baby shower! They look lovely! And I bet the raspberry/dark chocolate combo tasted great!

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    7
    Colleen — January 16, 2009 at 4:46 pm

    These are BEAUTIFUL!

  8. #
    8
    Jen — January 16, 2009 at 4:59 pm

    These would be perfect for a baby shower. You could probably use any flavor jello in them.

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    9
    Joelen — January 16, 2009 at 4:59 pm

    gorgeous pic and the flavor of raspberry and chocolate is wonderful!

  10. #
    10
    Lori — January 19, 2009 at 2:27 am

    Those look amazing. I love that first photo, nicely done!

  11. #
    11
    mooskietx — January 19, 2009 at 3:59 pm

    Just looking at the picture makes me feel like i need to go to the gyms in Boston.

  12. #
    12
    Katie — January 20, 2009 at 12:58 pm

    Oh my gosh, these look INSANELY awesome!! I want one right now!!

  13. #
    13
    Lucy — February 20, 2009 at 12:14 am

    These looks simply gorgeous! and… I have a cookie tray to make for a baby shower… my yet to born grandson. Wonder how these would look in a light blue????

  14. #
    14
    Jen — February 20, 2009 at 1:21 am

    You could definitely use blue jello.

  15. #
    15
    Alicia — February 20, 2009 at 3:43 am

    These are so pretty! Im having a baby shower this weekend for a baby girl and these would be perfect. Which tip did you use for the star?

  16. #
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    Jen — February 20, 2009 at 2:47 pm

    I used the really big star tip. Not sure what # it is, but it’s the same one that I used for my peppermint meringues (there’s a picture in that post).

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    creativecarryout — February 20, 2009 at 3:05 pm

    I saw this on tastespotting and wanted to comment on how gorgeous your photo is. I’ve bookmarked your recipe too – these are beautiful and I bet delicious with that flavor combination.
    Thanks,
    Michelle
    http://oneordinaryday.wordpress.com/

  18. #
    18
    Jen — February 20, 2009 at 9:15 pm

    Thanks for the compliments!

  19. #
    19
    Jennifer — February 21, 2009 at 11:57 am

    Those are so cute!!!!!!!!

  20. #
    20
    Erin — March 3, 2009 at 2:03 pm
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    21
    colleen — March 9, 2013 at 10:32 am

    Very good meringues… have made them several times for church since I found this recipe… they evaporate instantly ! Great also for a non wheat gluten item.

    • beantownbaker — March 9th, 2013 @ 3:01 pm

      Glad you enjoy them!

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    22
    behance — October 12, 2018 at 5:06 pm

    I feel useful from the sharing you bring. Thank you for the value you bring to the reader

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