Chewy Bar Cookie Recipe For Today

Its icky and slushy and snowy today... so what better to do then bake and keep the house warm with those lovely smells that remind you of being in Grandma's kitchen!?

Chewy Cherry Dessert Bars

• Cooking Time: 35 minutes
• Servings: 12+
• Preparation Time: 10 minutes
• Cookie Bar:
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and juice reserved
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• Frosting:
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
•  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  
  
  
  In a medium bowl, mix flour, white sugar and 3/4 cup butter until crumbly. Press into prepared pan.
  
  
  
  Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes, until light brown.
  
  
  
  In a mixer, combine eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and baking powder and process until smooth. Pour in cut up cherries and walnut or pecan chopped pieces beating on high. Pour over crust.
  
  
  
  Bake 25 minutes, until center is set. Set aside to cool.
  
  
  
  To frost, cream together confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons cherry juice until fluffy. Frost cooled dessert and cut into bars.
  
  
  I have most of my recipes indexed over at bakespace.com now a days... so if you don't see what you would like here, check out my other recipes here:
  
  http://www.bakespace.com/members/profile/BiscottiQueen/23641/