Jam-Filled Crumb Bars

This is a fairly quick, easy recipe for bar cookies that everyone seems to like! We generally use seedless raspberry preserves, but we've also tried this with boysenberry jam.

• 1-3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel (optional)
• 3/4 cup apricot preserves, raspberry preserves, or blackberry jam
• 1 T. flour

Stir together 1-3/4 cups flour and the nuts. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter until softened. Add sugar and lemon peel, if using, and beat until fluffy. Add flour mixture and beat until crumbly.

Press two-thirds of the crumbs into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9-inch baking pan. Spread with jam.

Stir 1 T. flour into the remaining crumb mixture and sprinkle over the jam.

Bake at 375F for 25 to 30 minutes or until crumbs are golden. Cool; cut into bars.

Adapted from Cookies for Christmas (Better Homes and Gardens)

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