Not Just for the Holidays

 

Despite the name of these dessert bars, these are wonderful at any time of the year.

Holiday Fruit Bars

Ingredients:

Base:

2 pouches (1 lb. 1.5 oz each) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs

Filling:

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling (any flavor of pie may be substituted)

Topping:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees 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 45-50 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.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: Holy cow, these were so good. My mom made these and brought them to a family gathering. As my mom does, she provided lots of options. She made cherry bars, mixed berry bars, blueberry bars, and lemon bars. For the lemon bars, she substituted the almond extract for vanilla extract. These are also really easy to make.

 

Above: Cherry.

  

Above: Lemon.

  

Above: Mixed berry. 

 

Above: Blueberry.

The possibilities are endless! I mean, how many flavors of pie filling are out there? Cherry, Lemon, Mixed Berry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Peach, Apple...yum!