Cranberry Almond Cookie Bars (low sugar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash & select 2 cups of fresh, unspoiled cranberries. Add to small saucepan over medium heat 1 cup sugar, 1 cup Splenda, 5 Tbs butter, & 2 Tbs vanilla extract. Stir until all the flavors are heated and combined. (You can also add 1 Tbs cinnamon). Cook down part way.

In large mixing bowl, add 2 cups flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, and 4 large eggs which have been well combined. Add the saucepan full of cranberry mix. Mix all of this well.

Have 1 cup slice almonds ready and an 11 oz bag of white baking chips (you could substitute chocolate chips). Mix these ingredients into the cookie mix, which will look rather red or pink by now!

Butter a 13" x 9" pan. Spread batter into buttered pan evenly. Bake in middle of 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes until toothpick comes out cleanly. Cool on rack in the pan before cutting.

Note: my mother's recipe said 30 minutes. I have a baking stone in my oven. That may be why 15 minutes is all it took. OR: I spread out the cookie into a thinner bar.

The cookie is done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cookie cool on sheet for 2-3 minutes, then cut into squares. Cool completely, and transfer to gift plates.

You need a small sauce pan to cook down the fresh cranberries plus a rectangular, shallow cookie pan for the cookie baking itself.

Serving Size: 60 pieces 2 inches square

Number of Servings: 60

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user REVCORNIE.