Door County Cherry Bars

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 1/4 cups flour, divided
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup cherries, frozen (do not thaw)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f and butter an 8 x 8" square baking pan.
• 2 bottom layer: combine 1 cup of flour, the butter, and the confectioners' sugar in a bowl.
• 3 beat until smooth.
• 4 pat mixture into the prepared pan with fingers, and bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
• 5 top layer (this should be made while the bottom layer is in the oven): in a small bowl, toss frozen cherries with vanilla; set aside.
• 6 in a large bowl, slightly beat the eggs.
• 7 gradually add the sugar and beat until they are thick and light.
• 8 add the remaining 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl and stir with a spoon until blended.
• 9 stir in the walnuts and cherry-vanilla mixture.
• 10 immediately spread the cherry mixture over the hot bottom layer and return the pan to the oven.
• 11 bake for 25 minutes or until the bars are a deep golden brown.
• 12 allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack before serving.