Dorothy’s Fruit Cookie Bars and Coconut Shortbread Cookies

Source: Dorothy Martin Sept. ’03

Ingredients

• 1½ cups Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1½ cans Quick-Cook Oats
• ¾ cups Margarine Or Butter
• 1 cup Jam (Apricot Preserves)

Method

Mix first 4 ingredients in bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Pour ⅔ of mixture in 9x13 Pyrex baking dish. Press mixture in dish. Spread jam on top. Sprinkle remaining mixture on top of jam. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes. Watch so cookies don’t get too dark.

Coconut Shortbread Cookies

1 cup softened butter ¼ c sugar 1 tsp vanilla 2 c flour ¼ tsp salt 2 c flaked coconut 1 c macadamia nuts finely chopped

In large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter until creamy; add granulated sugar and beat until smooth. Mix in vanilla. In another bowl, stir together flour and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture blending thoroughly. Add coconut and macadamia nuts and mix until well combined. Shape dough into two rolls about 1½ inches in diameter; wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours) or for up to 3 days.

Unwrap dough. Using sharp knife, cut into ¼ inch slices; place slightly apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until cookies are firm to touch. Transfer to racks and let cool for 5 minutes. Sift powdered sugar onto wax paper and transfer cookies to it in a single layer; sift additional powdered sugar on top to cover cookies lightly. Let cookies cool completely. Store airtight.

Makes about 4 dozen.