Chocolate Covered Cherry Bars are chewy and chocolaty, with a sweet-tart tang from dried cherries and preserves. These eye-catching bars are irresistible! Made with a super easy, time saver recipe, Chocolate Covered Cherry Bars are great for care packages, gifts, and holiday dessert platters.
Why you'll love this recipe
A few weeks ago, I placed an order with Better World Books for a pile of used (great condition) cookbooks. It may be “old school”, but I love flipping actual pages as I search for baking ideas and blog inspiration.
The cookbooks were all a bargain, $3 each, so I was willing to take a risk on a few books that appealed to me, with just the title to go on. I have also been known to judge a book by its cover.
One of my gamble cookbooks is titled, “The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book” by Camilla Saulsbury. The time saving premise of the book seemed very appropriate for this very busy time of year and shortcuts with excellent results are always welcome.
Everyone seems pressed for time in December. There is so much to do and only a limited time to get it all done.
Baking is a big part of many holiday festivities, but finding time to bake can be stressful. I firmly believe that baking and celebrating with family and friends should only be joyful.
To help make December baking a tiny bit easier, The Monday Box is sharing a week of time saver recipes for luscious cookies, like Chocolate Orange Cookies, and bars like Butterscotch Bars, that are amazingly quick and easy to make.
Each recipe uses a “secret time saver ingredient” and a handful of add-ins. The “secret time savers” are cake mix, brownie mix, or refrigerator cookie dough! No one will guess how simple these show stopper treats are to prepare!
Time Saver Recipe #1 is for Chocolate Covered Cherry Bars. A roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough quickly creates the chewy crust and crumble on the bars. Chocolate chip dough can be used, or I used sugar cookie dough and mixed in fair trade chocolate chips (Whole Foods 365 brand).
Tart dried cherries and cherry preserves, combined with more chocolate chips, complete the sweet-tart topping. These Chocolate Covered Cherry Bars couldn’t be easier or more delicious!
With a roll or two of refrigerated cookie dough stashed in the fridge, you will be ready at a moment’s notice to whip up some quick home-baked love for all kinds of gatherings, gifts, and care packages. If you want to keep the time saver ingredient a secret, I won’t tell!
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
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- In a medium mixing bowl, use a spoon or fingers to combine the cookie dough and ½ cup chocolate chips.
- Crumble ⅔ of the cookie dough into the prepared pan. Use fingers to press the dough evenly into the pan forming a crust.
- In the mixing bowl, combine by hand the remaining dough, chopped cherries, and flour.
- Spread the preserves evenly over the dough crust. Sprinkle on the cherry-dough mixture and press gently into the preserves. Top with ¼ cup chocolate chips.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown.
Storage
Store between layers of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
More quick and easy cookie recipes
Peppermint Crunch Cookies are crisp sugar cookies full of cool peppermint flavor, drizzled with chocolate and crunchy candy bits.
Cinnamon Chip Biscotti are crunchy spiced cookies for nibbling and dunking. Starting with cake mix makes this delicious recipe fast and simple.
Gingerbread Spice Cookies are a soft and chewy spice cookie that will disappear fast from holiday cookie trays!
Butterscotch Blondie Bars these cozy bars are ready in no time. So delicious with a cup of tea or coffee!
Mocha White Chocolate Biscotti have chocolate espresso dough and white chocolate chunks. Dipped in dark chocolate and with sprinkles, no one will guess how easy this recipe is!
Sugar Cookie Bark has a sugar cookie crust topped with chocolate and sprinkles. Packaged cookie dough makes this treat fast and easy to prepare.
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Chocolate Covered Cherry Bars
Ingredients
- 1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough 16.5 ounces
- ½ cup and ¼ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped dried cherries
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cherry preserves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat an 8” x 8” pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a spoon or fingers to combine the cookie dough and ½ cup chocolate chips.
- Crumble ⅔ of the cookie dough into the prepared pan. Use fingers to press the dough evenly into the pan forming a crust.
- In the mixing bowl, combine by hand the remaining dough, chopped cherries, and flour.
- Spread the preserves evenly over the dough crust. Sprinkle on the cherry-dough mixture and press gently into the preserves.
- Top with ¼ cup chocolate chips.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown.
- Cool completely in the pan.
- Once cooled, cut into bars and remove from the pan for storage.
- Store between layers of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Send these bars only in cool weather.
- For longer shipping times, wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap. Store snuggly between layers of wax paper in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
Nutrition
First Published: December 2, 2016. Last Updated: February 21, 2022. Updated for additional information and better reader experience.
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures
Who wouldn't enjoy receiving this in the mail! Yum!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Laura! I agree. 🙂