Pages

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Cranberry Maple Bars



I love making bar cookies.  You can have a whole pan full ready in no time and there's no cookie cutters involved or dropping by spoonfuls...just bake in the pan and cut when cooled.  When I'm asked to bring a dessert to an event, I usually bake bars.

This recipe is based on one from an outdoor cooking Dutch oven dessert contest.  There were some specifics missing from the recipe, so I reworked the recipe...cut some ingredients in half and increased others, added maple syrup instead of extract.  I love the mapley flavor of the bars and the glaze.  It is a nice change of pace from chocolate.  I did not add nuts but if you are a nutty cook, add away!  I'm sure you, your family and friends will love these bars.

Cranberry Maple Brownies

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Glaze
2 Tbls cream cheese, softened
1 Tbl butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tbl maple syrup



In mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Gradually add eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down bowl sides between each addition.  Add vanilla and maple syrup and blend well.



Measure flour into a mixing bowl and blend in salt and baking powder, stirring well.  Gradually add to butter sugar mixture, combining well after each addition.  Hand mix the cranberries into the batter with a spatula.  Lick spatula...rinse spatula.



Prepare 9 x 13 pan by greasing or using parchment paper  (I like to use parchment paper because it makes it much easier to get the bars out in one piece).  Spread batter in pan using a spatula, being careful not to pull the paper up.




 Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 25-28 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.  Don't overbake.  Allow to cool competely.  Mix glaze ingredients until smooth and frost top.




See how simple it is to get them on the table?  The guys started grabbing these almost as soon as I got them frosted.  I would add 1/4 cup more cranberries next time as I am a cranberry lover.



Homestead Barn Hop
                

1 comment:

  1. Hi my friend!
    Oooh bar cookies are the best, especially when they are coming out of a pretty red Kitchen Aid! :D I love cranberry too! It's so good for us.

    I'd love it if you came and shared this (and other posts, if you'd like) at Blog Fest #20. It's live now! :)

    Farm Girl Blog Fest #20

    Hope to see you over there!
    ~Kristi@Let This Mind Be in You

    ReplyDelete