I love to bake, especially for the holidays! I also like to EAT baking; this is my weakness. One of my favourite holiday treats are these Cherry Shortbread Squares. I’m a huge fan of cherries, but love shortbread too; this makes the perfect combination! I will warn you that you may want to freeze these once made, otherwise they may disappear much too fast, or at least that is what happens in my house!

INGREDIENTS
Base:
1.5 cup minus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1.5 Tbsp icing sugar
3/4 cup butter

Filling:
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped cherries
2 eggs well beaten
dash of vanilla

Icing:
1 cup icing sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp almond flavouring and a little cherry juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the base ingredients and press into a 9 inch square baking pan.
2. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes.
3. Mix together filling ingredients and pour over cooked base.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
5. Once squares have cooled, mix icing ingredients together and ice squares.

TIPS

• Line your pan with parchment paper, this makes for easier cutting of the squares as well as cleanup.
• Grease your hands when pressing the shortbread base down into the pan.
• You don’t need a mixer for this recipe. For the shortbread base, I use a pastry dough blender. For the filling and icing, I use a spoon.
• Wet a knife under hot water prior to cutting the squares and wipe it in between each cut to reduce mess.
• Freeze these squares in separate layers (or on a large cookie sheet). Once frozen, you can combine the layers into one container.