Recipe: Treasure Chest Bars
๐ Cook Time: 25 minutes
๐ Prep Time: 15 minutes
๐ Total Time: 40 minutes
Description:
A cherished recipe passed down from a co-worker, these Treasure Chest Bars have been a holiday staple for nearly three decades. Laden with cherries, nuts, and chocolate chips, they are a delightful addition to any Christmas cookie tray. For one family member, they symbolize the essence of the holiday season, making Christmas incomplete without a batch of these decadent bars.
Recipe Category: Bar Cookie
Keywords: Dessert, Cookie & Brownie, < 60 Mins
Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Calories: 157.5
- Fat Content: 7.3g
- Saturated Fat Content: 3.5g
- Cholesterol Content: 21.1mg
- Sodium Content: 104.4mg
- Carbohydrate Content: 22.1g
- Fiber Content: 0.9g
- Sugar Content: 15.1g
- Protein Content: 2.2g
Yield: 36 bars
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Butter | 1/2 cup |
| White sugar | 1/2 cup |
| Brown sugar | 1/2 cup |
| All-purpose flour | 2 cups |
| Baking powder | 1 1/2 tsp |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp |
| Milk | 3/4 cup |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp |
| Eggs | 2 |
| Chocolate chips | 6 oz |
| Maraschino cherries | 1 cup |
| Powdered sugar | 1 cup |
| Butter (for icing) | 1 tbsp |
| Milk (for icing) | 1 tbsp |
| Vanilla extract | 1/2 tsp |
| Unsweetened chocolate | 2-3 squares |
Instructions:
-
Preheat your oven to 350ยฐF. Grease and flour a 15x10x1″ jelly roll pan.
-
Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
-
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, milk, vanilla, and eggs. Blend at medium speed until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
-
Stir in the maraschino cherries, chocolate chips, and nuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
-
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
-
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the bars are lightly browned around the edges.
-
Prepare the icing by combining powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of milk, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
-
Spread the icing over the warm bars immediately after removing them from the oven.
-
Drizzle melted unsweetened chocolate over the bars for added richness and flavor.
-
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
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Serve and enjoy these delightful Treasure Chest Bars as a festive treat or a sweet indulgence any time of the year!
These bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, although they’re likely to disappear much sooner due to their irresistible taste!
