Romance Bars

Chewy bar cookies with coconut, walnuts and maraschino cherries. This recipe was passed on to me by my mother-in-law. They are a Christmas tradition in our family, but I think they're perfect for Valentine's Day.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 131 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon boiling water
• ⅔ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup chopped maraschino cherries

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup flour and 1 tablespoon white sugar. Stir in melted butter. Spread thinly over the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.

Step 2

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar , 2 tablespoons flour, and baking powder. Mix in the eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla until well blended. Stir in the walnuts, coconut and maraschino cherries. Pour the mixture over the prepared crust.

Step 3

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top is light brown. Cool completely before frosting. To make the frosting, mix together 3 tablespoons butter and confectioners' sugar. Beat in water, milk, almond extract and vanilla extract until smooth. Spread over cooled bars. Let stand until firm, then slice into squares.