No picnic would be complete without dessert, and that dessert ideally needs to be something that can be transported easily and has good keeping qualities. That’s why cookies, brownies, and bars are the usual choice. The problem is that summertime is busy, and it’s hard to find time to bake, and especially to choose a time when the hot oven won’t heat up the kitchen and make everyone in the house hot and miserable. Ultimate Picnic Squares can be baked early morning or late at night several days ahead, and keep well. They start with a cake mix to save time, but no one will guess because of the easy, decadent topping, which is baked on rather than spread after cooling; that makes these bars perfect for transport, since there is no gooey topping to worry about.

The Official Hancock Tasters as well as a few friends devoured these so fast that they had to be made again to test whether they kept well or not. If you can hide them, they do keep well as long as they are kept tightly covered at room temperature. Ultimate Picnic Squares aren’t just for summer picnics; you’ll want to serve them year-round and even include them on cookie trays all through the holidays.

48 Squares

Topping
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup chopped dates
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups coconut
1 12 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

18 1/4 ounces devil's food cake mix
1/2 cup butter
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spray a 9 x 13" shallow glass baking dish with non-stick spray.
3. Stir together the topping ingredients and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the cake mix, butter, and egg until crumbly; press into the prepared baking dish.
5. Spread the topping evenly over the top.
6. Bake 35-40 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting into 48 bars.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 117 Calories from Fat 57
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 48% Protein 5% Carb. 46%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 6 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 12 mg
Sodium 37 mg
Total Carbohydrate 14 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 2 g

Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% Iron 2%