Festive Two-in-One Bars

roll (18 oz) refrigerated sugar cookies

1/4

cup unsweetened baking cocoa

cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)

1/4

cup chopped salted peanuts

1/2

cup chopped mixed candied red and green cherries

1/2

cup chopped pecans

oz vanilla-flavored candy coating or almond bark

teaspoons vegetable oil

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1

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark pan). In medium bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in cocoa until well blended. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
2

Sprinkle half of dough with chocolate chips and peanuts; sprinkle remaining half with cherries and pecans.
3

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are set. Cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
4

In 1-quart saucepan, heat candy coating and oil over low heat about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until coating is melted and smooth. Drizzle over cooled cherry-topped bars. Let stand until set, about 30 minutes. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

You can use leftover candy coating to make candy-coated pretzels. Melt the coating and dip pretzel shapes into it. Let them stand until set. Look for tree- and bell-shaped pretzels around the holidays.

Nutrition Information

0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.