Cookie Bars with Pistachios and Cherries

5 from 7 votes

Cookie Bars with Pistachios and Cherries

These low-fat cookie bars are lower in fat and calories than traditional cookies, but loaded with taste and holiday festiveness! Use dried cranberries in place of cherries if you'd like.

Prep Time30

Cook Time14

Total Time1

Course: cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cookie bars, pistachios

Servings: bars

Calories: 117kcal

Author: Tara Teaspoon

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup butter melted
¼ cup apple sauce
2 large egg whites
⅔ cup sugar
⅔ cup light brown sugar lightly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup Wonderful Pistachios No Shells, coarsely chopped plus more for garnish
½ cup chopped dried cherries plus more for garnish
½ cup white chocolate melts
sanding sugar

Instructions

Heat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, or dish, with parchment, allowing two sides to hang over so you can lift the cookie bars out of the pan. Spray with cooking spray.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and ginger and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, apple sauce, egg whites, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until combined and lightened, about 2 minutes. Stir the dry ingredients into the mixture in two batches, scraping sides and bottom of bowl frequently.
Fold in pistachios and cherries and transfer to the pan. Using a small spatula gently spread batter into the corners and edges of the pan and smooth the top so the batter is an even layer in the pan.
Bake until the edges are just turning golden and there are no crumbs when a toothpick is inserted in the center, 12 to 14 minutes. Do not over-bake. Let cool in pan completely then loosen edges and lift the cookie bar out with the parchment.
Cut into 15 squares then cut those squares in half diagonally. Set close together on a work surface.
Melt white chocolate melts and drizzle over cookie bars. Immediately sprinkle with extra pistachios, cherries and sanding sugar. Let chocolate set then serve. Will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Notes

• I like to fluff, or sift my flour before measuring

• You can use dried cranberries in place of cherries if you like

• You can use a chopped white chocolate bar in place of the white chocolate melts. I don't use white chocolate chips because I don't think they set and firm-up as well after melting.

Nutrition