1-Gather and Prep Your Ingredients: First, preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a 9×9 or 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper. This keeps the bars from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze. In a bowl, mix together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and the zest of 1 lemon or lime. Adding that citrus zest brings a fresh twist to your nutty crust.

2-Gather and Prep Your Ingredients: Next, incorporate 12 tablespoons of unsalted butter at room temperature into the dry mix. Use a spatula or your hands to blend it until there are no butter chunks left it’s like giving your dough a good massage. Then, stir in 1 large egg, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, and the juice from that lemon or lime to form a soft, sticky dough. On the other side, prepare the cherries by mixing 3 cups of pitted cherries with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in another bowl; this helps thicken the cherry filling as it bakes.

3-Assemble and Bake the Bars: Now, spread half of the dough evenly across the bottom of your prepared pan. Pour the cherry mixture over it, making sure it’s spread out nicely. Drop the rest of the dough in chunks over the cherries and gently press it down if it’s sticky, lightly flour your hands to make it easier. Pop the pan into your preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes, though it might take up to an hour depending on your oven and pan size. Keep an eye on it until the top turns a lovely golden brown.

4-Assemble and Bake the Bars: Once baked, let the bars cool completely before slicing them into squares. For the glaze, mix 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon almond milk and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, adjusting as needed for the right consistency. Drizzle it over the cooled bars for that extra sweet touch. This whole process takes about 20 minutes to prep and 45 minutes to cook, totaling around 1 hour and 5 minutes perfect for busy schedules.