Blueberry Pie Bars

This year, after a lot of begging and groveling and talking-into, my 80 year old gramma consented and let Joe and I (and Josh!) make Thanksgiving dinner.

Now, I really wanted to make everything from the scratch.  Like, everything: food, sides, desserts, you name it.  But, my gramma is a stubborn little lady (this is where I get it from), and had already bought a few desserts, thus limiting my ability to make a ton of yummy things.  Alas, this didn't stop everyone from making requests.  Unfortunately, gramma didn't give us the go-ahead until the Monday before Thanksgiving, and there was no way I was going to the grocery store to get.. well, anything.  I already had a can of blueberry pie filling AND frozen blueberries, so this was perfect.


Blueberry Pie Bars
To print this recipe, click here

 For the dough:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 can (21 oz) blueberry pie filling (I also added about a half cup of frozen blueberries, slightly defrosted)

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk
(this makes about a quarter cup of glaze. I probably only used a couple of tablespoons worth as a drizzle)

1. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Mix in vanilla and salt. Slowly add in flour and mix well, until combined. Batter will be thicker than cake but runnier than bread.
2. Spread 3 cups of batter into a greased 9 x 13 dish. Spread with pie filling. Drop remaining batter on top of pie filling.
3. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes, until the top crust is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
4. While bars are cooling, combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over bars. Cut into 12 bars, about 3” square each.

Mom and gramma could not stop raving about them, and Joe asked me when I was making them again (although I think this is really because he didn't get any).  I have a can of pumpkin in the pantry so I've been thinking about making a pumpkin version, too.  I think these would be really good in the summertime with a strawberry filling. Mmmmmm!