bar cookie

These chocolate brownies use both Dutch cocoa powder and dark chocolate, as well as brown butter, for a rich and complex flavor.

Glossy Fudge Brownies Recipe | BraveTart

unsalted butter (about 3 sticks; 340 grams)

dark chocolate, about 72% (about 1 cup; 170 grams)

white sugar (about 2 1/4 cups; 450 grams)

light brown sugar (about 1/4 cup, packed; 55 grams)

eggs,

vanilla extract (about 1 tablespoon; 15 grams)

instant espresso powder,

all-purpose flour,

cocoa

Getting Ready: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9- by 13- by 2-inch anodized aluminum baking pan with foil to cover the bottom and long sides of the pan. (It's all right to leave the short sides exposed.) If you like, grease lightly with pan spray.

In a 3-quart stainless steel saucier, melt butter over medium-low heat. When it has completely melted, increase heat to medium and simmer, stirring with a heat-resistant spatula while butter hisses and pops. Continue cooking and stirring, scraping up any brown bits that form inside the pan, until butter is golden yellow and perfectly silent (see note). Remove from heat and stir in dark chocolate; the mixture will seem quite thin.

Making the Batter: Combine white sugar, brown sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, and instant espresso (if using) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high until extremely thick and fluffy, about 8 minutes. (The whipping time can vary significantly depending on bowl size, batter temperature, and mixer wattage, so use the visual cues as your primary guide.)

Meanwhile, sift together flour and cocoa powder. When the foamed eggs are fluffy and thick, reduce speed to low and pour in the warm chocolate-butter. Once it is incorporated, add cocoa-flour all at once and continue mixing until roughly combined. Finish with a flexible spatula, scraping and folding to ensure batter is well mixed from the bottom up.

Pour into prepared pan and bake until brownies are glossy and just barely firm, about 30 minutes or to an internal temperature of 205°F (96°C). (Take care that the probe is inserted at a sharp angle to avoid touching the bottom of the pan.) The timing of this recipe is based on anodized aluminum and will vary significantly with glass, ceramic, or nonstick pans, materials that will also affect the brownies' consistency. 

Cool brownies to room temperature to allow their crumb to set before slicing. Slide a butter knife between the brownies and the short ends of the pan; gently tug on the foil, then lift to remove the brownies from the pan. Cut into 24 two-and-a-half-inch squares and store in an airtight container with a sheet of wax paper between layers, about 1 week at room temperature.

On the verge of spring, when you're craving fresh flavors, but few fruits are in season, lemon bars are just the thing. My version is something of a cross between lemon curd and lemon meringue pie, soft and rich with egg yolks, but thick enough to slice into neat squares—no cornstarch required.

Sunny Lemon Bars Recipe

For the Crust:

(1 cup; 130 grams) all-purpose flour

(1 tablespoon; 4 grams) freshly grated lemon zest

(1 stick; 115 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch dice

For the Custard:

eggs

(1 1/3 cups; 270 grams) granulated sugar

kosher salt

(1 packed tablespoon; 8 grams) freshly grated lemon zest

(1 1/3 cups; 310 grams) lemon juice,

For Garnishing:

(1/2 cup; 55 grams) powdered sugar (optional)

(1 cup; 170 grams) Lemon Chantilly (optional)

(1 cup; 140 grams) Crispy Citrus-Candied Pistachios (optional)

For the Crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position, preheat oven to 350°F, and line an 8- by 8- by 2-inch anodized-aluminum baking pan with a piece of parchment paper long enough to overhang the pan's edges. Combine flour, powdered sugar, salt, lemon zest, and butter in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to form a dry but pebbly meal, about twelve 1-second pulses. Scatter into the prepared baking pan, press into an even layer, and bake until pale gold and firm, about 30 minutes. Use hot or set aside until needed, up to 48 hours at room temperature if tightly covered.

For the Custard: Combine whole eggs, yolks, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a 3-quart stainless steel saucepan, then whisk in lemon juice. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly but not vigorously, until warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-low and continue cooking and stirring until thick and steaming-hot (custard should register 170°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 8 minutes. Immediately strain into the prepared crust, smooth into an even layer, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until smooth and firm, about 10 minutes. Remove foil and cool to room temperature, then re-cover and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 1 hour.

To Serve: Loosen chilled custard from sides of pan with a bench or butter knife, then carefully tug loose and lift using overhanging parchment and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 two-inch squares, rinsing the knife clean between each slice. Serve plain, lightly dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with Lemon Chantilly and Crispy Citrus-Candied Pistachios. Store up to 1 week in an airtight container.

A cross between a moist pear cake and the best oatmeal cookie you’ve ever had, these blondies will have kids and adults coming back for more.

Spiced Oat and Pear Blondies

⅓ cup cup all-purpose flour

⅓ cup cup old-fashioned oats

¼ cup cup (packed) dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon tsp. kosher salt

unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

½ cup cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces

all-purpose flour

oats

baking powder

cinnamon

tsp. kosher salt

brown sugar

tsp. vanilla extract

sugar (optional)

A cross between a moist pear cake and the best oatmeal cookie you’ve ever had, these blondies will have kids adults coming back for more.

Bon Appétit

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in butter until moist crumbs form and no dry flour remains. Cover and chill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 13x9x2” baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside. Stir butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until melted, deep golden brown, and dark brown bits form at the bottom of pan (do not burn), 7–8 minutes. Pour into a medium bowl; let brown butter cool slightly.

Whisk flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Whisk brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in another large bowl until mixture is smooth.

Slowly stream brown butter into brown sugar mixture, whisking constantly; whisk until well blended. Add pears to dry ingredients; toss to coat. Stir into brown sugar mixture (batter will be thick). Using a spatula, scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth top. Scatter chilled topping over batter.

Bake blondie until golden brown, edges pull away from sides of pan, and a tester inserted into the center comes out almost clean, with a few moist crumbs attached, 30–35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let blondie cool completely in pan.

Cut blondie into squares. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, if desired.

British Flapjacks

(1 stick) unsalted butter,

(packed) golden brown sugar

golden syrup*

salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves, and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Add oats and salt; stir until coated. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread out in even layer.

Bake until top is golden (edges will be darker), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 5 minutes. Cut into 4 squares; cut each into 4 triangles (mixture will still be soft). Cool completely in pan before serving.

Rice Krispies Treats meet sesame halva in these savory-sweet six-ingredient bars (salt doesn’t count!). Use whatever brand of crispy brown rice cereal you can find, avoiding the “puffed” varieties, which have a tendency to be more squishy than crunchy. For the sturdiest bars, be sure to really compact them and keep them in the fridge so they stay firm.

Rice Crispy Treats

(130 g) crispy brown or white rice cereal

(30 g) cacao nibs

Tbsp. virgin coconut oil

(185 g) tahini

honey

vanilla extract

Rice Krispies Treats meet sesame halva in these savory-sweet six-ingredient bars (salt doesn’t count!). Use whatever brand of crispy brown rice cereal you can find, avoiding the “puffed” varieties, which have a tendency to be more squishy than crunchy. You can even use regular Rice Krispies cereal instead of crispy brown rice cereal, but since Rice Krispies are smaller and less dense, your bars might be a little bit softer than intended, though still delicious. For the sturdiest bars, be sure to really compact them and keep them in the fridge so they stay firm.

Line an 8" or 9" square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Toss cereal and cacao nibs in a large bowl to combine.

Melt oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add tahini, honey, and salt and whisk until warmed through, smooth, and slightly thinner, 45–60 seconds. (Don’t be tempted to cook this longer—the tahini can start to crystallize, which will make it grainy.) Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.

Pour tahini mixture over cereal mixture and stir to coat. Transfer to prepared pan and press down very firmly (seriously, give it your all!) with the bottom of a heavy glass or measuring cup to compact. Chill bars until firm, 30–40 minutes.

Lift out bars using parchment overhang and cut into 16 squares.

Do Ahead: Bars can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

The original recipe (called Shortbread Stars) came from my McCall's recipe box collection, which I subscribed to in the 80's.  It was the first shortbread recipe I ever made, and I've never found a better one.  The ingredients are so basic and easy that you'll soon have them memorized.  Other recipes don't seem to produce the same perfect texture and flavor.

My modification to the original was to try using a 9 x 13 pan rather than chilling, rolling out, and cutting into shapes. (Who has time for that, except on special occasions?)  However, using a 9 x 13 pan changes the baking time, and the time given is approximate and based on my experience with a convection oven.  I tend to overbake them a bit because I like shortbread very crisp.

These are perfect with a cup of tea, of course, and ideal for tea parties or even a quick dessert for company.  You nearly always have the ingredients on hand.  Now you'll never need to buy (delicious but expensive) Walker's shortbread again!

Super-Easy Shortbread (3 Ingredients)

butter, softened

sugar

flour

Add flour and mix till texture is like clay.

Press dough into ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan, prick all over with a fork, and sprinkle with sugar (tilt pan to cover the top evenly, then shake excess sugar back into the sugar canister).

Bake for about 40-45 minutes (till very lightly browned--just golden around the edges).

Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut into 24 squares while warm.

Leave in pan to cool thoroughly. (Shortbread will not be crisp until cool.).

Less easy method: Chill dough. Roll into 1-inch balls, then press balls to about 1/4-inch thickness on ungreased cookie sheets with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar (sometimes you can find a glass with a pretty design on the bottom, like a star). Bake at 300&deg; for about 20-25 minutes (until edges are very lightly browned).

Least easy method: Chill dough. Roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness, sprinkle with sugar, then cut with cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 300&deg; for about 20-25 minutes (until edges are very lightly browned).

Variation: Add 2 tablespoons dried lavender to the creamed butter and sugar before adding flour. It may sound strange, but the flavor is subtle and elegant.  Food-grade lavender is usually available in herb bins at health food stores, and I recently found it at a great price from Atlantic Spice online (their Lavender #1).

Variation: After cutting shortbread into squares (it will still be warm), scatter 1 cup of chocolate chips over the top, let the chocolate soften completely, then spread as a thin layer and let cool completely before removing from pan.  (No need to sprinkle shortbread with sugar before baking if you plan to do this.).

Variation: Stir 1 cup chocolate chips or butterscotch chips into the dough before pressing into pan. You can also try melting the butterscotch over the top, as above. In England, you'll find &quot;caramel shortbread,&quot; which has a layer of caramel and a layer of chocolate on top of the shortbread. It's wonderful (of course!). I've tried various ways of doing this and various kinds of caramel, but it's been a while and I don't remember what works best.  It can be tricky not to make a mess!

Tried this several days ago and made a couple of small changes.  It seemed a bit dry, so I added a couple of teaspoons of vanilla.  I was waiting for the &quot;clay&quot; like texture, but it seemed more like sand to me.  Also used vanilla sugar for the topping.  Had to cook it about 10 minutes extra until it was lightly browned. .  I will be making this again and again.  Love the taste and the simplicity.  Thanks for posting this.

Passion Fruit Bars

(125 g) all-purpose flour

(100 g) granulated sugar

½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled

¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour

¾ tsp. cream of tartar

Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

passion fruit juice (preferably Ceres

lemon juice

(200 g) granulated sugar

unsalted butter

passion fruit sugar

Like lemon bars on holiday in the tropics, this two-layer confection is flavored with passion fruit juice (that’s right: You don’t need to seek out whole fruit or purée). By starting the curd on the stovetop, you’ll ensure that it sets quickly when transferred to the oven, which will keep its texture soft yet sliceable. The secret ingredient—okay, it’s cream of tartar—provides a sour counterpoint that keeps these from being cloyingly sweet, and the buttery vanilla shortbread offers just enough heft to anchor the curd while still keeping the bars melt-in-your-mouth tender.
If you do happen upon the fresh fruit, buy it—we love it spooned over each bar as an optional garnish that offers pops of crunch to counter the silky curd below.

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Line an 8x8" baking pan, preferably metal, with overlapping sheets of parchment paper, leaving generous overhang on all sides. Whisk flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl to combine. Add butter and vanilla and mix with a rubber spatula until butter is evenly distributed. The dough should stick together in clumps while still remaining crumbly.

Transfer dough to prepared pan (you may find it easier to form into a ball first instead of working with clumps—entirely up to you) and press into pan in an even layer, working it all the way to the sides and corners.

Bake shortbread until top and edges are golden brown, 13–17 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

While the shortbread is cooling, whisk flour, cream of tartar, and salt in a small bowl to combine. Vigorously whisk eggs, egg yolks, passion fruit juice, lemon juice, and granulated sugar in a large saucepan just to combine. Add dry ingredients and whisk to incorporate.

Set saucepan over medium heat and cook curd, whisking constantly and making sure to get into the corners of the pan, until it begins to release steam and thicken, 9–12 minutes. Immediately remove pan from heat, add butter, and whisk until smooth.

Pour hot curd through a fine-mesh sieve onto shortbread crust, using a rubber spatula to scrape off any curd that clings to the bottom of sieve. Spread curd into an even layer, working it all the way to the sides and corners. Tent a sheet of foil over baking dish to cover loosely and bake 12 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 325° and remove foil from pan. Continue to bake bar until sides of curd are set but center still jiggles slightly when pan is gently shaken, 8–10 minutes more. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let bar cool, about 1 hour. Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and chill at least 3 hours before serving.

Just before serving, slice passion fruit bars into 2" squares and top with spoonfuls of fresh passion fruit or dust with powdered sugar with a fine-mesh sieve if desired.
Do ahead: Bars can be baked 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Baked lemon bars will be stable and set at room temperature. Unbaked bars should be refrigerated until ready to serve, otherwise the lemon curd will soften. This is part of <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/best">BA's Best</a>, a collection of our essential recipes.

Lemon Bars 

unsalted butter,

poppy seeds (optional)

sugar, divided

vanilla bean, split lengthwise

(1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Powdered sugar (for serving)

Baked lemon bars will be stable and set at room temperature. Unbaked bars should be refrigerated until ready to serve, otherwise the lemon curd will soften. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Preheat oven to 350°. Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat butter, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until butter is almost completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and beat until butter is creamy, about 2 minutes more. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add flour and poppy seeds, if using, and mix until no dry spots remain.

Firmly press dough into an 8x8" baking dish, working about ½" up the sides (the firmer you press, the easier it will be to cut the baked crust). Bake until golden brown on bottom and a shade or two darker at the edges, 25−35 minutes. Let cool completely if making unbaked lemon bars. If you are baking lemon bars, start the curd just before the crust is finished baking so that both are warm when you assemble.

Combine lemon juice, salt, and ¼ cup sugar in a small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and add pod. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Whisk egg yolks, egg, and remaining ½ cup sugar in a medium bowl until no longer grainy and slightly lightened in color, about 2 minutes.

Whisking constantly, gradually stream hot lemon mixture into eggs, then transfer mixture back to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and marks from whisk are just visible, 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth, adding a couple of pieces at a time and whisking until incorporated before adding more.

For unbaked lemon bars, strain warm curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium nonreactive bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly against surface. Chill until cold, about 1 hour. Stir curd to loosen and scrape into cooled crust; smooth top. Chill until curd has re-set, at least 1 hour.

Just before serving, cut lemon bars into squares and dust with powdered sugar.

For baked lemon bars, reduce oven temperature to 300˚. Strain warm curd through a fine-mesh sieve into warm crust and bake until curd is set around the edges (filling should still wobble when dish is jiggled; it will set completely as it cools), 12−15 minutes. Do not overbake or filling may curdle. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool, about 2 hours, then chill until cold, at least 1 hour.

Do ahead: Lemon bars (without powdered sugar) can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

From the Quaker carton (current as of 2012).
Also includes variations for Bar Cookies and High Altitude Cooking.
I like to substitute the craisins instead of raisins. You might also want to add a dash of nutmeg for an even better taste.

(New) Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

brown sugar, firmly packed

vanilla

baking soda

salt (optional)

quaker quick oats

raisins

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy.

Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown.

Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

For *Bar Cookies* Bake 30 to 35 minutes in an ungreased 9 x 13 - inch metal baking pan.

Quaker has changed their oatmeal cookie recipe over the years, which all have been pretty good!  I like this one!  It is a keeper. It is simple, delicious, and most importantly to DHs liking.  :) The only change I made was; instead of using all butter in the recipe, the full 7/8s cup of butter, I used &frac12; cup unsalted butter (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons of buttered flavored Crisco.  A perfectly delicious cookie!

One bowl, no-bake, and make-ahead-friendly? This South Asian dessert is all that—and chewy, tangy, and fruity too.

Coconut-Mango-Lime Barfi

condensed milk

mango purée

lime

lime juice

(320 g) unsweetened shredded coconut,

One bowl, no-bake, and make-ahead-friendly? That’s right: This South Asian dessert checks all the boxes. While the world of barfi is vast and varied, we love this mango version because it’s bright and tart, with tang, fruitiness, and a soft chew too. Using canned or frozen mango purée ensures a consistent level of sugar and moisture and means you don’t have to wait for rock-hard fruit to ripen (or mango season to come). Choose the shape that’s pleasing to you: We went for triangles, but it can also be sliced into bars or diamonds or simply rolled into truffles.

Line an 8x8" baking pan with parchment paper, leaving generous overhang on 2 sides. Using a rubber spatula or whisk, mix condensed milk, mango purée, lime juice, salt, and ½ tsp. lime zest in a large bowl until smooth and combined. Add 4 cups (320 g) coconut and mix until all of the coconut is coated.

Scrape coconut mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly all the way to the edges and corners, then use the spatula to flatten. Sprinkle with more lime zest and shredded coconut, then chill in freezer 45 minutes to let set. Cut into triangles with a large knife to serve.
Do ahead: Barfi can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Top 10 bar cookie recipes from across the web

The most viewed bar cookie recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Glossy Fudge Brownies Recipe | Brav...

Sunny Lemon Bars Recipe

Spiced Oat and Pear Blondies

British Flapjacks

Rice Crispy Treats

Super-Easy Shortbread (3 Ingredient...

Passion Fruit Bars

Lemon Bars

(New) Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cook...

Coconut-Mango-Lime Barfi

Top 10 bar cookie recipes from across the web

The most viewed bar cookie recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Glossy Fudge Brownies Recipe | Brav...

Sunny Lemon Bars Recipe

Spiced Oat and Pear Blondies

British Flapjacks

Rice Crispy Treats

Super-Easy Shortbread (3 Ingredient...

Passion Fruit Bars

Lemon Bars

(New) Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cook...

Coconut-Mango-Lime Barfi

The most viewed bar cookie recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine