Old-fashioned favourite · 9 × 9 pan

Christmas Gumdrop Bars

They look fancy. They are not. Don't tell anyone. Chewy oat and coconut squares, studded with jewel-bright gumdrops and finished with a snowfall of icing sugar. I've made these for years. These days they're too sweet for me, so I bake them for everyone else and watch them vanish.

• 350°F (175°C)
• 25 to 30 min bake
• Makes 36 squares

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup butter or margarine
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sweetened coconut
• ½ cup chopped gumdrops (no black ones!)
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9 × 9-inch pan.
2. Cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together well.
3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
4. Add the rest: flour, salt, oats, baking powder, baking soda, coconut and chopped gumdrops. Mix it all together.
5. Press the mixture evenly into the pan.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden.
7. When cool, sift icing sugar over the top and cut into 36 squares.

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