Fruitcake Bars

Name: Fruitcake Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8 dozen.
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter, softened; 1-3/4 cups packed brown sugar; 3 large eggs; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 3 cups coarsely chopped walnuts; 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped candied pineapple; 1-3/4 cups red and green candied cherries, halved; 2 cups pitted dates, halved

"This recipe has been a family favorite for years," tells Terry Mercede of Danbury, Connecticut. "People who declare they won't eat fruitcake love these bars! They're so easy to make...and they're colorful, too - chock-full of candied pineapple and red and green cherries."

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1-3/4 cups packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped candied pineapple
1-3/4 cups red and green candied cherries, halved
2 cups pitted dates, halved

Directions

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla. Add flour and walnuts; mix well. Spread evenly into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with pineapple, cherries and dates; press lightly into dough.
Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Nutrition Facts

1 each: 87 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 10mg cholesterol, 21mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.

Originally published as Fruitcake Bars in Country Woman November/December 1998

Reviews

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Average Rating:

arneff

Nov 28, 2013

This was the first time I used this recipe, and it's very good. I used half pecans and half walnuts in the batter for a different taste. I also used raisins instead of the dates. My husband doesn't like dates, but does like raisins. The bars turned out very well with my changes. The fruitcake bars are sure easier than the fruitcakes I've made before.
DanniJacobson

Sep 13, 2013

I have made this recipe so many times I couldn't count. There has been no one who hasn't enjoyed them with a cup of tea of my honorary family.
nerrbie

Dec 15, 2012

These bars were easy to make. The hardest part was trying to spread the batter into the pan, probably cause I lined the pan with parchment to make it easy to remove. Next time I'll try not putting the walnuts in the batter first and just sprinkle them on with the rest of the fruit. I had packed dates and just cut them up small and only used about 1 cup. I think I would also reduce the pineapple to 1 cup but leave the cherries at 1 3/4 cup. Very pretty and smells delish. I am not a fruitcake lover but these are good.