Fruit Bar Sugar Cookies Food

SUGAR COOKIE BARS MADE EASY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 13x18-inch baking sheet.
• Beat white sugar and 1 cup butter together in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing after each addition. Add 2 teaspoons almond extract and vanilla extract; mix well.
• Whisk flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and baking soda together in a bowl. Add to egg mixture and stir until just combined. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cookie comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes; they won't look done. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Beat 1/2 cup butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add 1 teaspoon almond extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing until combined. Add heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency. Spread frosting over cooled cookie bars.

FRUITCAKE BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Grease and flour a 13x9x2-inch pan. (Or spray with nonfat cooking spray).
• In a small bowl, blend flour, salt, soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and eggs at medium speed until light and fluffy. Mix in rum or brandy extract.
• Stir in flour, dates, candied fruits, 1/2 cup cherries and nuts. Spread in prepared pan and bake 30 minutes until golden. Cool on wire rack, in pan.
• In the meantime, prepare the frosting by mixing together sugar and milk. Stir until smooth; then cover with a damp cloth until ready to use.
• When cake has cooled, frost, suing a spatula.
• Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars and decorate with red and green candied cherries. Store in a covered container, with pieces of wax paper between layers.

FABULOUS FRUIT BARS (COOKIE MIX)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F
• Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, stir base ingredients until soft dough forms.
• Press half of dough in bottom of pan.
• Spread pie filling over dough.
• Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool 10 minutes.
• In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth.
• If necessary, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until thin enough to drizzle.
• Drizzle glaze over warm bars.
• For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.
• Store covered at room temperature.

FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Snip off the hard stems of the figs with scissors or a small knife and coarsely chop the figs. In a medium bowl, combine the figs, raisins, cherries, apricots, honey, sherry, lemon juice, pecans, and a pinch of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit overnight at room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cloves, superfine sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the egg and mix until incorporated. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt just until combined. Don't over mix! Add the fruits and nuts, including any liquid in the bowl.
• Divide the dough in half and place each half on the long edge of a 12 by 18-inch piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll each half into a log, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-inch thick, making an 18-inch-long roll. Refrigerate the dough for several hours, or until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• With a small, sharp knife, cut the logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place the slices 1/2-inch apart on ungreased sheet pans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden.

FRUIT-FILLED OATMEAL BARS

Steps:

• In mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda.
• Cut in margarine/butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour mixture.
• Press remaining flour mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9x2 baking pan.
• Spread with desired filling.
• Sprinkle with reserved flour mixture.
• Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden.
• Cool in pan on wire rack.
• Cut into bars.
• FILLING OPTIONS:.
• ***Following cookbook's 'shortcut' suggestion of substituting 10 oz jar of preserves in place of homemade filling, I used a store-bought, very dense, low-moisture apple butter (like a thick jam). I have also tried it with blueberry preserves but the preserves were too moist--it made the bars sticky not good.***.
• RAISIN FILLING:.
• In medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Add 1 cup raisins. Cook & stir until thickened & bubbly.
• APPLE-CINNAMON FILLING:.
• Peel/core/chop 2 medium apples. In medium saucepan, combine apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a dash of ground cloves. Bring apple mixture to a boil; reduce heat & simmer 8-10 minutes or until apples are very tender.
• APRICOT-COCONUT FILLING:.
• In medium saucepan, combine 1 cup diced dried apricots and 3/4 cup water. Bring apricot mixture to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon all purpose flour. Stir into apricot mixture. Cook and stir 1 minute more or until mixture is very thick. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut.

HOLIDAY FRUIT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, stir base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press half of dough in bottom of pan.
• Spread pie filling over dough. Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.
• In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth. If necessary, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over warm bars. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, running it up the two long sides of the pan and letting it extend past the rim by about 2 inches.
• Make the bars: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing on low speed just until blended, about 1 minute.
• Using a spatula, scrape the dough into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake just until the edges are starting to turn light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle has moist crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. (Do not overbake! The bars should be quite moist, and almost slightly underbaked in the middle.) Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let cool completely. When fully cooled, remove the bars from the pan using the overhanging parchment paper.
• Make the frosting: Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup confectioners' sugar, beating on low speed until fully combined, then repeat with remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Add the 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the vanilla, salt and food coloring, if using, and beat on medium speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides halfway through, about 4 minutes. Add more milk if needed to thin out the mixture. Add lemon juice and vanilla to taste.
• Using a spatula, spread the frosting on top, then decorate with sprinkles, if using. Cut into 20 bars and serve.

FRUIT-FILLED COOKIE BARS

Steps:

• In small bowl, combine fruit and 2 tablespoons brown sugar; set aside.
• In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
• Press 1/2 of oat mixture into 8-inch square microwave-safe baking dish. Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes.
• Spread fruit mixture on top. Crumble remaining oat mixture on top of fruit; pat down slightly.
• Microwave on HIGH 2 to 4 minutes or until set; check after 2 minutes.
• Let stand 20 minutes before cutting.