Shelly's Recipe

BAKLAVA BARS (COOKIE MIX)

Category: Cookies

Cookie Base
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel 1 egg

Filling
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

8 frozen mini phyllo shells (from 2.1-oz pkg)

Glaze
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Garnish
5 tbsp honey

Heat oven to 350. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir walnuts, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 tsp cinnamon and the salt with fork until mixture is well mixed and crumbly. Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over partially baked base. With hands, crumble frozen phyllo shells evenly over nut mixture. Bake 18 to 20 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave 1/3 cup honey, 2 tbsp butter, the brown sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 tsp cinnamon uncovered on High 1 minute or until bubbly. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle honey mixture evenly over phyllo. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Before serving, drizzle 1/2 tsp honey over each bar. Store covered at room temperature.