White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Bars

Guys, have you ever tried making shortbread cookies? It's kind of tough. The dough is only sugar, butter, and flour and you have to wait for the dough to come together and kneed it. I've tried making shortbread cookies two or three times and the dough just never comes out for me. It's always way too crumbly and the texture just isn't right. Then I thought, why not just throw all the ingredients together and press them down in a pan to make bars instead of cookies? Soooo much stinking easier than rolling cookies.

I took some maraschino cherries and strained the juice out of it. Patted them dry with a paper towel and added in some white chocolate chips. These bars are so good! I love using maraschino cherries in cookies and bars this time of year.

This is not a Weight Watcher recipe.

White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Bars

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• Author: Jenna
• Yield: 15 1x

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Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter, cold and diced into 1 tablespoon pieces* (cold butter)
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 jar of maraschino drained and patted dry
• 1 cup of white chocolate chips

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Instructions

1. Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and line with 2 sheets of parchment paper (one horizontally and one vertically. I also like to butter between parchment sheets so they stick) leaving a 1-inch over hang on all sides, set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer cream together butter and sugar until well combined. Mix in almond extract. With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour and mix until combined (it will take a while and will appear dry and sandy at first but it will start to come together). Mix and fold in the cherries and chocolate chips. Press dough into an even layer in prepared pan (I did it with my hands first then used the bottom of a flat measuring cup to help smooth it out). Chill dough in refrigerator 20 - 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
4. For garnish, drizzle some leftover melted white chocolate on top.

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Keywords: shortbread bars