Easy Holiday Cookie Bar Recipes

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

27 Nov 2007 07:17 AM

Have you seen that commercial where the mom finds a note in her son's backpack that says he needs 60 cupcakes to take to school... by tomorrow? The woman just so happens to have all the ingredients in her pantry (including frosting and decorative sprinkles) for 5-dozen cupcakes.

If it were me I would have a.) Gone to the bakery and bought the cupcakes or b.) Told my son he would be taking cookie bars to school instead.

Cookie bars (or bar cookies, whichever you prefer) are one of the easiest cookie recipes out there. Talk about saving time, energy and money. Cookie bars are so much easier to prepare than regular cookies -- you simply spread the batter on a baking pan, bake, cut and serve. Forget about scooping individual balls of batter and shuffling multiple cookie sheets in and out of the oven.

If you are looking for last-minute treats to whip up for a school or office holiday party or you just need to take something yummy over to playgroup I would highly recommend making the following recipes. What's more, they make great holiday gifts to give to your mail carrier or paperboy.

TOLL HOUSE KOOKIE BRITTLE

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces

1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar. Add salt and vanilla. Mix in flour, chocolate pieces and 3/4 cup of the nuts. Press evenly into an ungreased 15-by-10-by-1-inch pan. Sprinkle remaining nuts over top and press lightly.

Bake 25 minutes.

Cool and break into pieces.

Makes about 30 cookies.

FUDGE NUT BARS

Ingredients:

For the Bar Layers:

1 cup butter or margarine

2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar (can be reduced to 1-1/2 cups)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick oats

For the Filling:

1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate pieces

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15-by-10-by-1-inch pan.

To make bar layer:

Cream butter with sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

Sift flour with baking soda and salt; stir in oats. Stir into creamed mixture. Set aside.

To make filling:

Combine chocolate pieces, condensed milk, butter and salt in saucepan. Melt over low heat, stirring occasionally. Mix in nuts and teaspoons vanilla.

Spread 2/3 of oatmeal mixture in bottom of prepared pan; cover with chocolate mixture. Top with remaining oatmeal mixture, swirling it over the filling.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool and cut. Makes about 32 bars.

Related Articles:

Hawaiian Style Christmas Cookies

Holiday Quick Bread with a Tropical Twist

Cookie Exchange: Lebkuchen

Spicy Black Pepper Cookies

Cookie Exchange: Pignoli Cookies

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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