Recipe For Cooking Chewy Cherry Bars

Toaster Oven Cookies :: Bar Cookies

Chewy Cherry Bars

Crust
1 C. walnut pieces, divided
1 1/4 C. flour
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
1/2 C. vegetable shortening
1/2 C. flake coconut

Filling
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
2/3 C. sugar
2 eggs
2 tea. vanilla extract or flavoring
1 lrg. can cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-in. pan with vegetable shortening. Set aside.

Chop 1/2 C. nuts coarsely for topping. Set aside.

Chop remaining 1/2 C. nuts finely.

For crust, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in vegetable shortening until fine crumbs form. Add 1/2 C. finely chopped nuts and coconut. Mix well. Remove 1/2 C. Set aside.

Press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake for 12 to 15 min., until edges are lightly browned.

For filling, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract or flavoring in sm. bowl at med. speed of electric mixer until smooth. Spread over hot baked crust. Return to oven. Bake 15 min. longer.

Spread cherry pie filling over cheese layer.

Combine reserved coarsely chopped nuts and reserved crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over cherries. Return to oven. Bake 15 min. longer. Cool. Refrigerate several hr.. Cut into bars.

Serves about 12 to 16.