Nebraska Raisin Bars Recipes

OLD FASHIONED RAISIN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine raisins and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat, add butter; cool to lukewarm.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and salt together in a medium-size bowl.
• Pour the raisin mixture in large mixing bowl; add sugar, egg and dry ingredients.
• With an electric mixer, beat until thoroughly blended.
• Pour into greased and floured sheet pan (15½x10½x1-inch) and bake about 25 minutes.
• Cool.
• To frost:
• In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, vanilla, confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon at a time of milk to the desired consistency.

RAISIN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet. Line bottom with parchment paper, and butter parchment; set sheet aside.
• Make filling: Pulse raisins and sugar in a food processor until almost pureed. Transfer to a saucepan. Whisk cornstarch into 1 cup cold water; whisk into raisin mixture. Stir in cider. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and sugar has dissolved, about 6 minutes.Let cool completely.
• Make dough: Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Add brown sugar, and mix until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Mix in oats.
• Press half the dough into prepared baking sheet. Spread raisin filling evenly over top of dough. Crumble remaining dough on top of filling using your fingers, gently pressing down so that topping covers filling. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until top is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely in sheet on a wire rack. Cut into 2-inchsquares. Bars can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 5 days.

RAISIN CINNAMON BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in coffee. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to the coffee mixture until blended. Stir in raisins and pecans., Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes., Meanwhile for icing, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough water to achieve spreading consistency. Spread over warm bars.