A blanket of snowy white sugar covers these sweet, delicious bars.  The mincemeat, molasses, raisins, and brown sugar flavors, enhanced by the orange and vanilla extracts combine to give a wonderful rich taste. Perfect for your fall and winter dessert table. 

Recipe adapted from The Complete Cookie by Barry Bluestein and Kevin Morrissey

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground allspice

1 large egg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons light or dark molasses

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

½ teaspoon pure orange extract

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup prepared mincemeat

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Topping:

2 tablespoons confectioners (powdered) sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 13x9 inch baking pan.
   
   Dough:
2. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice together. Set aside.
   
   
3. In a large bowl, combine egg, butter, brown sugar, and molasses; beat together until mixture is thick and smooth. Add orange zest, orange extract, and vanilla extract; stir to mix. Add mincemeat, raisins and nuts; stir to mix. Add flour mixture; stir until mixed.
   
   
4. Spread the batter evenly in the baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
   
   Topping:
5. Remove from oven. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the top of the hot cookie with confectioners sugar. Leave cookie in pan to cool; place baking pan on wire rack to cool. Cut into 2 inch squares.
   
   Makes about 2 dozen bars
   
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