Strawberry Lemon Cookie Bars

I love using different kinds of fresh fruit in desserts during the spring and summer months. There is just something very refreshing about quality fresh fruit. These strawberry lemon bars are absolutely delicious. Yes, they are slightly sinful, but as long as you only enjoy a portion at a time, you should have no worries. :)

Strawberry Lemon Cookie Bars
Serves: 9
Adapted by: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/strawberry-lemon-cookie-bars/

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour OR wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon lite salt
3/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute equivalent (I use Splenda Sugar Baking Blend)
1 cup butter, softened (I used 1 stick regular butter and 1 stick light butter)
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice from a lemon
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest from a lemon
1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 whole Lemon, juiced

Directions
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking dish with foil. Set aside.
-In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
-In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter with an electric mixer. Make sure the sugar and butter is fluffy and creamy before adding the egg, lemon juice and lemon zest.
-Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients bowl and mix together until combined. Fold in the diced strawberries by hand or with a wooden spoon. Do not over mix!
-Press the dough into the bottom of the 8x8 baking dish.
-Bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool.
-To make the glaze that goes on top of these bars, you will whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over the cooled cookie bars.
-Serve

Enjoy! :)