I've never been big on baking cookies. That's not to say I don't like cookies. Actually I love cookies. My chocolate chip Heath bar almond crispy cookies are legendary. Other than that, I don't have a big cookie repertoire. But I do like making cookie bars such as shortbread, lemon squares and these delightful apricot walnut cookie bars. For me, bar cookies are my Seriously Simple answer to cookie making. No need to spoon or pipe the dough onto cookie sheets.

What makes these so easy to bake and serve is that after they are cooked in one pan, they are cut with a serrated knife and then arranged on a platter. Easy and attractive.

I tested this recipe a number of times. Depending upon the humidity, the dough was either very soft, almost sticky or more like a ball of dough. Make sure to divide the dough in half evenly. Either smooth the dough half in the pan with a spatula, if very soft and sticky, or pat the ball of dough half into the bottom of the pan. The jam is carefully smoothed over the bottom layer of dough with a knife and then the remaining dough half is dropped on top of the jam and spread across the top. Each time that I made these I noticed that the top dough layer was uneven with jam peeking out around the dough holes. Don't worry. That's what makes them so pretty.

I like to make these to serve with coffee or tea, or on a dessert buffet. These freeze beautifully, and I can't decide how I like them best: slightly warm, room temperature or frozen (when they taste like a cold candy bar). Enjoy!

Apricot Walnut Cookie Bars

Makes about 35 small, 1.5-inch bars

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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