Canned Cherry Pie Bars
Some recipes, as much as I try, I cannot make them all Weight Watchers recipe friendly. And by that I mean that most people on Weight Watchers are looking for the LOWEST point everything. Side note: I think I love these canned cherry pie bars more than cherry pie!
However, these canned cherry pie bars are only 190 calories each, and perfect for your spring Sunday dinner dessert, or Easter dessert because it can be made in advance.
How To Make Smart Swaps in Recipes
Whenever I adapt a recipe from another creator, I ALWAYS give them credit. I’ve had so many of my recipes just cut and pasted on other sites, with zero mention of My Bizzy Kitchen or where it came from. This recipe is from Crunchy Creamy Sweet. Her full recipe can be found here.
Baking is a science, so sometimes when I mess with a recipe too much, it doesn’t work out. For this recipe, I immediately knew that I could halve the butter, sugar and used canned cherry pie filling for a light, bright and delicious dessert. Thanks for the inspiration Anna!
Ingredients
- butter (I prefer to use salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you prefer)
- sugar – I mixed half regular sugar with Splenda (you can use your prefered non-calorie sweetener)
- flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- canned cherry pie filling (I used light pie filling, but if you can find sugar free I’d suggest that to lower the Weight Watcher points)
Canned Cherry Pie Bars
This recipe was adapted from Crunchy Creamy Sweet. I used canned cherries in place of fresh cherries, and reduced the butter by half, and added 1/2 Splenda and 1/2 sugar to make them a bit more Weight Watchers friendly. Her original recipe can be found here.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup Splenda (or any non calorie sweetener of choice)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1.5 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 20 ounce can light cherry pie filling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with avocado oil (or any nonstick spray).
Mix wet ingredients:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, Splenda, and sugar until well combined.
Combine dry ingredients:
In a separate large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Form the dough:
Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until a crumbly dough forms. Set aside 1/2 cup of the dough for the topping.
Create the crust:
Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.
Add cherry filling:
Spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the crust layer.
Top with crumble:
Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup of dough over the cherry layer for a crumble topping.
Bake:
Bake for 28–30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling slightly at the edges.
Cool & serve:
Let the bars cool completely in the pan before slicing into squares. Enjoy!
Notes
Each serving is 9 WW points. If you count calories or macros,
Canned pie filling is one of my favorite pantry staples to keep on hand—it’s a game changer when you want to whip up a quick and easy dessert without a lot of prep. While you can absolutely use fresh or frozen cherries in this recipe, I love the convenience of popping open a can and getting right to baking. It cuts down on time without sacrificing flavor, and when paired with a few other common kitchen staples, you’ve got a no-fuss dessert that feels special enough for guests but simple enough for a weeknight treat.
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If you are new here, welcome to My Bizzy Kitchen! I started this blog 16 years ago to document my recipes and daily life, never imagining it would one day become my full-time career. After losing my husband nearly 10 years ago, I navigated the hardest chapter of my life while still finding joy in cooking and sharing my journey.
In December 2020, I took a leap of faith and left my 30-year career as a legal secretary to pursue My Bizzy Kitchen full-time—a decision that changed my life.
Two years later, in October 2022, I was able to hire my daughter, Hannah, full-time, which brings me so much joy. Now, My Bizzy Kitchen is more than just recipes—it’s about embracing life, finding balance, and making healthy living sustainable and fun.
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Looking for more Weight Watchers recipes? Check out my dessert recipes!
