Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes.
Add the vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder to the butter mixture, and mix until well combined.
Gradually add the flour to the mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. Reserve about 1 cup of the dough for the topping.
Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to create a crust.
In a separate bowl, combine the cherry pie filling, lemon juice, almond extract, and cinnamon (if using). Stir gently to mix.
Spread the cherry filling evenly over the crust in the baking dish.
Crumble the reserved dough over the cherry filling to create a topping.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.