Pillsbury Plus Cherry Dream Squares

These bars split the difference between a fruit crumble and a cookie, and they do it with a shortcut that actually works.

A white cake mix gets combined with rolled oats and margarine until crumbly. Part of that mixture gets pressed into the pan as the crust, and the rest gets enriched with extra oats, brown sugar, margarine, and nuts for the topping. Cherry pie filling goes in between.

The egg mixed into the crust portion is what holds it together and gives it a slightly cakey chew rather than a sandy, crumbly texture. Without it, the base falls apart when you try to cut squares.

Bake until the topping turns golden brown and the cherry filling just starts to bubble at the edges. Let them cool completely before cutting. Warm, these are a gooey mess. Cool, they slice into clean squares with distinct layers.

Kitchen Tips

• Cool completely before cutting. This is a must. The cherry filling needs time to set or the squares will fall apart.
• Spread the cherry filling all the way to the edges. Bare crust without filling tastes dry and bland.
• Press the base firmly and evenly into the pan. Loose spots bake unevenly and crumble when you lift the squares out.

Variations

• Use blueberry or apple pie filling for a different fruit version.
• Swap the white cake mix for yellow cake mix for a richer, more buttery base.
• Add a drizzle of powdered sugar glaze over the cooled squares for extra sweetness and presentation.