Pistachio and Cranberry Sugar Cookie Bars

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with aluminum foil and be sure the foil hangs over two sides. Spray with cooking spray; set aside.

Finely chop your pistachios, and divide them in half. I used my mini food processor to chop the nuts.

In a mixing bowl, add sugar cookie mix and butter; beat until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract, beat until combined. Fold in 1/2 of the pistachios and reserve the other half for the topping.

With a spatula, evenly spread the cookie dough into the prepared pan. The dough will be the consistency of frosting.

Bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes until lightly browned and the edges pull away from the pan. Remove pan from oven and set it on a rack. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes.

In a bowl, add powdered sugar and lemon juice. Mix until it is a consistency you like and no lumps remain. Spread frosting over cookies. Sprinkle remaining pistachios and cranberries over the frosting.

Use the foil to lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into 6 x 6 rows, making 36 cookies. Once frosting completely hardens, store in an airtight container.

Note: I had a little frosting left over but just use your best judgement. You just want a nice thin layer.