Cookie Recipes
Chewy Cherry Bars
Yield: about 12 to 16 servings
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup walnut pieces, divided
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup flake coconut
Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large can cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan with shortening. Set aside.
Crust
- Chop 1/2 cup nuts coarsely for topping. Set aside.
- Chop remaining 1/2 cup nuts finely.
- For crust, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in shortening until fine crumbs form.
- Add 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts and coconut. Mix well. Remove 1/2 cup. Set aside.
- Press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.
Filling
- Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in a small bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until smooth.
- Spread over hot baked crust. Return to oven.
- Bake 15 minutes longer.
- Spread cherry pie filling over cheese layer.
- Combine reserved coarsely chopped nuts and reserved crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over cherries. Return to oven.
- Bake 15 minutes longer.
- Cool. Refrigerate several hours.
- Cut into bars.