With sweet apricot jam atop a thin, buttery dough and a piped lattice topping, this bar cookie is as lovely to look at as it is to eat.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 dozen bars or 2 dozen squares

　　2 1/4 cups apricot jam, room temperature

　　3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 1/3 cups yellow cornmeal

　　3/4 teaspoon salt

　　2 1/4 cups (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

　　1 1/2 cups sugar

　　3 large eggs, room temperature

　　Vegetable oil cooking spray

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat an 11 by 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and line bottom with parchment paper.

　　

Step 2

Spoon jam into a bowl, and beat with a rubber spatula to smooth out texture; set aside. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt.

　　

Step 3

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Reduce speed to low, add reserved flour mixture, and beat until thoroughly combined. Remove 1 3/4 cups of the dough; use it to fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip (such as Ateco #11). Fold the end over to keep dough from drying out.

　　

Step 4

Using an offset spatula, spread the remaining dough into prepared pan as evenly and smoothly as possible. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Remove pan from oven, and transfer to a heatproof surface. Using an offset spatula, spread jam on top in an even layer. Using a prepared pastry bag, pipe parallel lines of dough spaced 1 inch apart over the jam. Pipe perpendicular lines of dough at 1-inch intervals over first lines. Place in oven and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 1 1/2 by 3-inch bars or 3-inch squares. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

　　Martha Stewart's Cookies