Cranberry Bar Cookies

Ingredients

COOKIE BATTER
1 Cup Butter - Softened
1 ¾ Cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Gluten Free Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Orange Rind (dehydrated is fine)
3 Cups Rice Flour
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder

FILLING
2 Cups Whole Cranberries
¼ Cup Orange Juice
1 Tablespoon Orange Rind
¾ Teaspoon Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
3 Tablespoons Sugar

GLAZE
1 ¼ Cups Confectioner's Sugar
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Butter - Melted

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add in one cup of flour, orange rind, baking powder and (x gum) and beat until well mixed. Add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, until well mixed. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, mix all the filling ingredients until well combined.

4. Spread half of the batter in a greased 15x10 baking pan. Spread filling evenly over the batter. Drop the remaining batter by spoonfuls over the filling and spread out. It is ok if the filling is shown through, cookies look nicer like this.

5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

6. In a small sandwich bag or bowl, combine all the glaze ingredients. Stir or squish until smooth. I like to use a sandwich bag and cut off a bottom corner and swirl the glaze over the cookies bars after they are cooled.

7. Enjoy! You can also try apples, blueberries, pineapple, pre-mixed fruit, anything your heart and taste pallet desires.

Recipe Entry from Eat Well Event Recipe Contest 2011
Submitted by:  Spirit Baker