I would have never THUNK it.

Both K-man and my dad ADORE those orange slice candies. It's not a birthday or Christmas without each of them getting a bag of them for the holidays. I can eat probably like three and then I am over it. I usually just suck off the sugar and let the jell melt in my mouth for a bit until I chew it up. That is probably why only 3 do it for me. In my travels I found a cookie recipe using orange slices and I found it very hard to believe for I would think they would just melt into oblivion all over the cookie sheet....Heading off that mess....I decided to tweak the recipe...


Notice the gram weights on the side. I used my digital scale and weighed those things that said grams instead of cups only for I am beginning to be a believer is weighing is better that using measuring cups when it comes to baking....

Orange Slice Cookies

1 cup butter flavored shortening (192 grams)

1/2 cup Splenda brown sugar blend (105 grams)

1 cup white sugar (192 grams)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour – (260 grams)

1 teaspoon baking powder – 5ml

1 teaspoon baking soda – 5ml

2 large eggs

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup orange slices, chopped

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

1. Cream shortening and both sugars with an electric mixer. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs and beat just until mixed (about 30 seconds).

2. Thoroughly stir flour, baking powder and baking soda together and add to sugar mixture. Stir until incorporated, then stir in chips, orange slices, oats and nuts.

3. Line a 10X17 cookie sheet (the smaller one) with non stick foil. Press down mixture onto sheet. Making sure you don't see 'pockets' of too much orange slices clustered.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until they appear set. Cool in pan until warm and cut into desired bar sizes.

We loved the fact that these were like oatmeal bars, very hearty with the rolled oats and toasted nuts but not overly sweet from the candy and mini chips. And guess what? The orange slice chunks stayed intact and did not melt as I thought!

You could definitely drizzle more chocolate on these or a powdered sugar with orange juice glaze if you like. But we thought they were great the way just they way the came out of the oven!

For a fun alternative to your standard oatmeal bar...give these a try!

Enjoy!