Cherry Crumb Bars

Thick, moist, and dripping with cherries, these dessert bars are similar to a coffee cake. A sweet drizzle of icing is the perfect finishing touch


Ingredients
Cookies

• Nonstick cooking spray 
• 1/2 cup butter 
• 1- 17 1/2 ounce package oatmeal cookie mix
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1- 16 ounce package frozen unsweetened pitted tart red cherries, thawed and drained
• 1/4 cup sugar

Powdered Sugar Icing

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoons milk

Directions

COOKIES

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over pan edges. Lightly coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Set pan aside. In a large bowl, use a pastry blender to cut butter into cookie mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 1 cup of the mixture and set aside. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract to remaining mixture in bowl. Stir until combined. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. In a medium bowl, stir together cherries and sugar. Evenly distribute cherries over mixture in pan. Sprinkle evenly with reserved crumb mixture.
2. Bake in the preheated oven about 45 minutes or until top is golden. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Drizzle with Powdered Sugar Icing. Let stand until icing sets. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut bars out of the pan. Cut into bars. Makes 16 bars.

FROSTING

1. In a small bowl stir together powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make a drizzling consistency.

Tip!
Place bars in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.