Pineapple Dream Bars

These pineapple cookie bars have a brown sugar shortbread crust topped with a spiced custard filling with pineapple, coconut, maraschino cherries and walnuts.

Recipe Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed - divided use
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour - divided use
1 (8.25-ounce) can crushed pineapple in syrup or juice
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. In medium mixing bowl, beat butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Blend in 1 cup flour until mixture is crumbly. Pat onto bottom of prepared pan.
3. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly.
4. Drain pineapple well, pressing out excess liquid with back of spoon.
5. In large bowl, beat eggs with remaining 2/3 cup brown sugar until thick.
6. In small bowl, combine remaining 1/3 cup flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir dry ingredients and rum extract into egg mixture.
7. Fold in pineapple, coconut, nuts and cherries. Spread over baked crust.
8. Bake 30 minutes longer or until set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Makes 24 bars.