These are little fruit and nut powerhouses. I could see packing a few of these bars for a hike, because they travel well and have tons good stuff inside. The lack of eggs makes them great for vegetarians or those with dietary restrictions. The recipe has some strange measurements (1/3 tsp), but I just sort of eyeballed it and the recipe worked fine.
Eggless Gingery Fruit-Nut Bars Cookie Recipe
By Cynthe Brush
“I have been making these Gingery Fruit-Nut Bars for a couple of decades or longer and cannot recall where the original inspiration came from… I’m constantly adapting cookie recipes to be egg free since my family doesn’t eat eggs or baked goods made with eggs. Usually improvise (ie. improve) the recipe as I go.
This recipe is really easy to put together. The dried fruit & nut prep and dicing the candied ginger being the only involved prep, which can be done while watching a good NetFlix movie or having a conversation. Dried fruits and nuts may be varied to your taste or made from what you have in the pantry. Tart fruits are best as they contrast with the molasses and complement the ginger.
These are not fancy-looking cookie bars, but they WILL catch your fancy and that of most anyone who enjoys (brownie-texture) chewy molasses-y gingery fruited confections. Guaranteed to please! And they’re a yummy change from all the chocolate recipes we see every Christmas season.”
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour or light whole wheat flour (King Arthur’s is great)
2/3 tsp baking soda
1/3 tsp salt (an odd amount due to adapting the recipe fit a large Pyrex pan)
1 1/2 tsp each, ground Ginger & Allspice (freshly purchased & organic is best)
2/3 cup Butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup light Molasses
1/3 cup honey (use a mild local Sonoma county honey)
1/3 cup buttermilk (replaces 1 egg)
1/2 cup diced Candied Ginger
1 1/3 cups chopped Walnuts
1 1/3 cups diced tart dried fruits (apricots, orange-flavored cranberries, dried tart cherries)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Sift the first 5 ingredients together, set aside. Cream the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy.
Add molasses and buttermilk, beat until well blended. Add sifted dry ingredients to creamed mixture, mix well. Add the ginger, walnuts, and dried fruits, mix completely.
Spread batter in a greased 10” x 15” x 2” Pyrex baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350F oven 25-30 minutes, until springy to the touch. Place on wire rack to cool completely. Cut with a sharp knife. Store in airtight containers.
Yield: 5-6 dozen wonderfully chewy *addictive* bars!