Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, melted
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- Seeds from ½ vanilla bean
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- Seeds from ½ vanilla bean
- 4 cups cherries, halved and pitted
- ¾ cup carob or dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 inch pan.
- Make the crust. In a medium bowl, stir together butter, sugar, vanilla bean seeds, flour, and salt. Mix until combined. Pour into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake about 17 minutes, until light golden brown.
- While the crust bakes, make the filling. In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, syrup, salt, butter, eggs, flour, bourbon, and vanilla bean seeds. Mix until fully combined and lightened slightly in color.
- Once the crust comes out of the oven, toss the cherries and chocolate or carob chips with the remaining tablespoon of flour until well coated. Pour the chocolate and cherries on top of the crust. Spread into an even layer.
- Top with filling, making sure it soaks into all of the corners. Bake an additional approximately 30 minutes. They should be bubbling and may seem overly buttery … but wait. Allow bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving. Bars may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or frozen, individually wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag. Thaw at room temperature about 1 hour.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Wanderlust Kitchen
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes