One of the benefits of being married for as long as Joey and I have is that there are times when I can perfectly judge what his reaction to a recipe will be before I even make it.
When I spotted this week’s recipe—featuring cherries, coconut and pecans—online, I knew I had a hit on my hands, and I couldn’t wait to try it out.
But then, after the bars were cooled and I took my first bite, I realized I majorly underestimated this particular dessert.
It was better than I ever could have imagined, and Joey was going to love them. He was also going to lobby for me to get the entire pan out of our home as quickly as possible so he wouldn’t be tempted to finish them off.
I was correct on both counts.
So, the recipe you must try—especially if you like cherries, coconut and pecans—comes from the blog “Red Cottage Chronicles.” You can find the original at https://www.redcottagechronicles.com/baking/cherry-chews/. I replaced the almond extract with vanilla in my version, and I added toasted coconut.
Cherry Chews
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup oats I used quick oats
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
Filling Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup drained maraschino cherries quartered (save the juice)
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
Topping Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 to 5 tablespoons reserved cherry juice
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a nine-by-13-inch pan by spraying it with cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, prepare the crust by combining the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt, stirring to combine. Cut in the butter with a fork or a pastry cutter until it is mixed well and the mixture is coarse crumbs.
- Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, and bake for 10 minutes.
- For the filling, beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat in the brown sugar and vanilla until it is smooth.
- Beat in the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in the coconut and cherries, and then spread the batter evenly over top of the crust. Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the batter, and then bake for 25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
- Let the bars cool completely before adding the topping.
- For the frosting layer, add the butter, powdered sugar, cherry juice and vanilla to a bowl and whisk thoroughly. You want the mixture to easily coat the back of a spoon, but create the texture you like best. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add more cherry juice.
- Spread the frosting over the top of the bars. (This will be a thin layer. If you want it thicker, double the ingredients.)
- Finally, add the shredded coconut to a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir regularly until most of the coconut is lightly browned. Remove it from heat and sprinkle on top of the chews. Cut and serve, and store any leftovers in an airtight container.
Like I said, these were amazing. They’re definitely sweet, but since they feature the pecans and brown sugar, it’s not a sickeningly sweet dish. It’s actually decently balanced. I was also really glad I used vanilla instead of almond extract in these. I think the almond would have been good, but I also think it would have overshadowed some of the other flavors.
Also, I highly recommend the toasted coconut on top. That was fabulous.
And, as I predicted, these ended up on our office counter the day after I baked them, tempting our co-workers instead of just us, which is just as well.
I can deal with all of them grumping at me about their diets. I have to live with Joey.
This piece first appeared in print Oct. 31, 2024.
Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.
