Cookie Bar Recipes: My Family Favorites

There are a few favorite cookie bar recipes that I always make for the holidays every year. I sometimes try new variations of cookie bar recipes and add a few new ones every year, but I must confess, baking sweet treats is my weakness. I haven't developed a method for baking the cookie bars every holiday season without eating a few too many. I know this is one the perils of holiday baking, but I can't help myself. My family really looks forward to cookie bars and treats every holiday season and I have given so many cookies, candy and cookie bars away as gifts for over twenty-five years now, that I feel certain I've contributed to a few extra holiday pounds on others, as well. I try to do my part to help out! This first recipe is really easy and one I always make throughout the year. Any of these recipes are appropriate for year-round enjoyment, as none are holiday specific. I make several batches of this cookie bar for Christmas gifts as well. While I do enjoy baking cookies, cakes and candies, my favorites are cookie bars. Cookie bars are much less time consuming than making batches and batches of cookies. One recipe and one pan later and the oven if free to do it again and again!

Toffee Bars

1 cup butter (or margarine)

2 cups self-rising flour

1 cup packed brown sugar (light)

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz).

Optional: chopped nuts or colored nonpareils

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 13" x 9" pan.

~ Cream together the softened butter or margarine, egg, and vanilla.

~ Stir in the flour, batter will be thick.

~ Spread evenly in the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Do not over bake.

~ Immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly while the toffee bars are hot, they will completely melt in a few minutes, then spread the hot melted chocolate chips evenly. Before the chocolate cools, sprinkle finely chopped nuts or nonpareils.

~ After the chocolate becomes firm again, cut into bars.
(Milk chocolate bars can be substituted for the chocolate chips if desired)

Date Bars

1 8-ounce pkg. chopped dates

½ cup water

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

(note: if using self-rising flour, omit baking soda and salt)

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 ½ sticks) butter or margarine- melted

½ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees

~ Combine dates and water in small saucepan- bring to a boil over medium heat- reduce heat to low and simmer stirring occasionally for 3 - 4 minutes or until thickened - remove from heat. Stir in vanilla- set aside

~ Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt- mix well- Stir in melted butter -

~ Spread 2 ½ cups of the oat mixture in the bottom of a 9" square pan - press gently to make a firm crust

~ Top with date filling

~ Combine walnuts with remaining oat mixture and sprinkle over date filling- gently press into the filling (this will help prevent the topping from coming off when the bars are cut)

~ Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown

~ Cool and cut into squares

Lemon Bars

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup unsalted butter- softened

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

4 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

(I have substituted bottled real lemon juice)

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees

~ Beat together flour, butter and the ½ cup of confectioners' sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until well blended. Press this into the bottom of a 13" x 9" pan. This will be the crust.

~ Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 25 -30 minutes or until lightly browned.

~ Beat the eggs, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Pour this over the hot crust.

~ Bake 15- 20 minutes more until bubbly and lightly browned. (Note: I have baked mine 30 minutes before to set the lemon filling properly- I think this step needs to be watched and adjusted depending on oven variations in temp.)

~ Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Dust with the remaining confectioners' sugar.

~ Cut into squares and use a small spatula to get them out of the pan. Store in an air- tight container at room temperature. Dust with confectioners' sugar again before serving.

(These are not firm cookie bars, they have the consistency of thick pie, but very delicious!)

Peanut Butter Bars

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter

½ cup butter or margarine (softened)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1½ cups (9 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided)

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees

~ In a small bowl mix together the flour and baking soda

~ In a large bowl, cream sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla

~ Beat in the egg and gradually add the dry ingredients, beating after each addition.

~ Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips

~ Spread into an ungreased 13" x 9" pan, sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips

~ Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the center is set. Cool in pan and cut into bars.

Raspberry Bars

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup slivered almonds (about 4 oz.)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 12 ounce jar raspberry preserves

~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13" x 9" pan or use nonstick cooking spray

~ Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

~ Put the almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add vanilla and butter, whirl the processor until well blended. Add the flour mixture and sugar, mix again. Remove ½ cup of this mixture and reserve for topping later. Add the egg to the rest of the flour mixture in the food processor. Whirl until the mixture is well combined and begins to form into a dough.

~ Press the dough in the bottom of the greased pan, bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Cool crust slightly.

~ Spread raspberry preserves over the dough and then sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture in stripes across the top.

~ Bake for 12 more minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool in the pan on a wire rack and cut into bars.