WALNUT CHERRY COOKIE BARS

By JoyceW-2

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons margarine, chilled, cut up
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups cherry preserves
• powdered sugar for sprinkling

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350° F. Spray 9 inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Pulse walnuts in food processor until chopped to medium consistency. Add flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; pulse to combine. Add margarine; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and vanilla; pulse until blended and moistened.

Press 3 cups of the crumb mixture into bottom of pan; spread with preserves. Sprinkle remaining 2 cups of crumb mixture over preserves, squeezing to form clumps.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire reack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.