bars and squares

These tangy/sweet squares offer the perfect balance between a slightly nutty, buttery shortbread crust, and bright lemony filling.

Gluten-Free Lemon Squares With An Almond Flour Crust

almond flour

(74 grams) sugar

(21 grams) cornstarch

salt

butter

eggs

(198 grams) granulated sugar

(74 grams) lemon juice

(14 grams) cornstarch

(46 grams) mini diced ginger (optional but good)

Gluten-Free Lemon Squares with an Almond Flour Crust

Date Squares (The Best)

(425 g) Medjool dates, pitted and chopped (lightly packed)

(250 ml) water

tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice

brown sugar

tsp baking soda

(175 g) quick-cooking oats

(150 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

(160 g) brown sugar

tsp baking powder

(170 g) semi-salted butter, softened

With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a 20-cm (8-inch) square baking dish with a strip of parchment paper, letting it hang over both sides. Butter the other two sides.

In a pot, bring the dates, water, lemon juice, and brown sugar to a boil. Add the baking soda and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, or until the dates have fallen apart. Let cool.

Filling

In a bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, and baking powder. Add the butter and stir to combine.

Spread half the crisp in the baking dish and press firmly. Layer with the date mixture. Cover with the remaining crisp and press lightly. Bake for 55 minutes or until the crisp is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack for 4 hours. Unmould and cut into 16 squares.

Crisp

Just like my Mother used to make in New Brunswick!  Delicioius!

i'm wondering if i can substitute the white flour for almond flour in the crisp?

Fantastic recipe, velvety filling and really nice crumble, perfect level of sweetness. If I make it again I'll definitely try adding either more lemon/nuts/cardamon/cinnamon - I felt it was missing some kind of a "kick".  I also reduced the time to 45 minutes which was perfect. The top came out just-crispy enough.

Great easy recipe. Still sweet enough without the brown sugar! Substituted the white flour with rye and almond flour, any whole grain version will work.

Awesome easy to make and taste great. Not too sweet. Watch the baking time carefully your first time. I don’t have a hot oven and mine were perfectly done in 35 minutes. I also made it gluten-free using 1-1 Red-Mill flour . No one even noticed so great for celiacs like me!

These date squares are delightfully delicious!

I used the full 500 grams of dates, 1/4 cup unsalted butter plus 1/2 cup salted butter and regular dates. As suggested, could reduce baking time. Excellent!

Me and my friends are enjoying it. Love every bite of it because it's not too sweet. It's my first time baking it and will definitely be making more. Thank you for your recipe.

This recipe was excellent.  I don't know if the dates are the ones called for but they are dates brought to me from the Middle east and almost three cups.  I also used old fashioned oatmeal and it turned out just fine.  Delicious recipe.   I did use a wooden spoon to stir the date mixture.

I tried making these today, with success! It tasted super delicious. I added coffee in the water and followed the rest of the recipe however, I did add pecan nuts to the dates mixture... I couldn't wait 4 hours before slicing because I was sending it over to a friend. Yum

https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/fMB74cbd

Measuring Butter

This is one of those home recipes that emulates almost perfectly a store-bought treat: in this case, peanut butter cups.

No-Bake Peanut Butter-Chocolate Squares

(213 grams) graham cracker crumbs

(227 grams) butter

confectioners' sugar

(269 grams) peanut butter crunchy or smooth

chocolate chips

These are downright fun to eat. First, the meringue-like topping goes "poof" in your mouth — a nice little surprise start — then you sink into the juicy rhubarb. There's just a hint of lemon to bring out the rhubarb's flavor. These bars are just the ticket if you want to serve a lightly sweet dessert.

Rhubarb Dream Bars

(177 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

unsalted butter cold cut into pats

lemon peel (zest)

lemon juice

(397 grams) granulated sugar

(56 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

(454 grams) rhubarb

These classic lemon squares feature a buttery crust, and smooth, rich filling with the perfect balance of sweet and tang.

Lemon Squares

(120 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

(28 grams) confectioners' sugar

unsalted butter

+ 2 tablespoons (223 grams) granulated sugar

(28 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

(152 grams) lemon juice

Snow White Non-Melting Topping Sugar sugar

The words “s’mores” and “granola bars” conjure up fond memories of wilderness campfires, the smoky aroma of toasting marshmallows and melting chocolate wafting through the cool nighttime air. These simple, crunchy-chewy bars channel that experience beautifully.

S&#039;more Granola Bars

(53 grams) light brown sugar packed

(117 grams) golden syrup maple syrup or dark corn syrup

(217 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats

(60 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

(99 grams) graham cracker crumbs

(170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

(154 grams) mini marshmallows

<a href="https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/new-classics"><img alt="The New Classics" src="https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/sites/default/files/2021-11/the-new-classics_0.png" style="float: right; max-width: 130px; margin: 6px 0 8px 12px;" /></a>

With their rich tahini and chocolate ganache layers, these bite-sized, no-bake bars pack a flavorful punch. Graham cracker crumbs add crunch, while honey nicely complements the bars' buttery sesame flavor. Serve these as petits fours, or include them in your holiday cookie assortment; either way, they’ll have people asking for more. 

Tahini Chocolate Bars are a part of The New Classics: Holiday Cookies collection. <a aria-label="Link Check out the full lineup of all 14 cookies here." href="https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/new-classics" rel="noopener noreferrer" tabindex="-1" target="_blank" title="https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/new-classics">Check out the full lineup of all 14 cookies here.</a>

Tahini Chocolate Bars

(230 grams) tahini*

(84 grams) honey

vanilla extract

sugar

(178 grams) graham cracker crumbs

(42 grams) heavy cream

(113 grams) semisweet chocolate wafers or chopped semisweet chocolate

sesame seeds for sprinkling on top

Creamy, vanilla-scented bars, perfect with a cup of coffee.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Bars

(128 grams) graham cracker crumbs about 8 whole crackers

cinnamon

cream cheese

(57 grams) heavy cream or sour cream

lemon zest (grated rind) optional

If you’ve never had the pleasure of eating a date square, with its layers of crumbly-crunchy oatmeal crust sandwiching vanilla-scented, jammy date filling — you’ve missed a delicious (and classic) treat. While some date square recipes combine filling and crust in one chewy bar, we prefer this three-layer approach.

Date Squares

(447 grams) dates chopped

(227 grams) water

(28 grams) lemon juice*

King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract

(147 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats

(180 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

(213 grams) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar packed

baking soda

(56 grams) walnuts or pecans chopped

Are you a brownie-lover who invariably heads straight for the crusty, crunchy edges and corners? These easy bars are for you: they're crisp and crunchy, with just a slight hint of chew at the center. Our thanks to Maryann from Staten Island, NY, who shared this recipe with us.

Brownie Crisps

(11 grams) unsweetened cocoa Dutch-process or natural

espresso powder optional for enhanced chocolate flavor

(50 grams) vegetable oil

(170 grams) chocolate chips divided

No time to make everyone's favorite, chocolate chip cookies? This dough comes together in a flash — just spread it in a pan and bake; no need to shape individual cookies.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

baking powder

espresso powder

(330 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

These spicy gingerbread-like bars, native to Nuremberg, Germany, are traditional holiday fare in that country. They contain no fat other than that in the egg but are decadent nonetheless, with their hard sugar glaze and nippy bite of crystallized ginger (substituted for the more typical citron). They keep very well too, especially when a piece of apple (or a marshmallow) is tucked into their airtight container to soften them. They're a perfect accompaniment to hot tea after a blustery afternoon of scouring the shops for just-right presents.

Lebkuchen

(255 grams) honey

(106 grams) light brown sugar packed

(270 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

(57 grams) finely chopped blanched almonds

ginger

nutmeg

cloves

(39 grams) mini diced ginger finely ground*

(113 grams) confectioners' sugar

(28 grams) water brandy

<a href="https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/collections/bake-of-the-week-recipes"><img alt="King Arthur 2020 Recipe of the Year" src="/sites/default/files/2021-10/bake-of-the-week.png" style="float: right; max-width: 120px; margin: 6px 0 8px 12px;" /></a>

With two slightly cakey sugar cookie layers (one chocolate, one vanilla), a pink glaze made of fresh berries, and a touch of almond extract, these bars are reminiscent of both rainbow cookies and Neapolitan ice cream. (While Neapolitan is typically strawberry, we’ve opted for raspberry here.) Pretty enough to serve at a holiday party (especially if you garnish with <a href="https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/rainbow-pop-nonpareils">sprinkles</a>!), they’re also sturdy enough to ship to a friend across state lines, too. Thanks to Sarah Kieffer, whose idea for Neapolitan Sugar Cookies inspired this recipe. 

The Neapolitan Sugar Cookie Bar was one of our <a href="https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/collections/bake-of-the-week-recipes">Bake of the Week</a> recipes for December 2022.

Neapolitan Sugar Cookie Bars

(150 grams) granulated sugar

King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract or vanilla bean paste

almond extract

(43 grams) sour cream

(16 grams) King Arthur Triple Cocoa Blend

(60 grams) raspberries

sprinkles optional

With a generous swoosh of marshmallow frosting atop a soft and chewy cinnamon-spiced cookie, these oatmeal cream pie bars are reminiscent of the beloved packaged snack. And because bars are so much faster to put together than sandwich cookies, they’re the perfect candidate for bake sales and birthday parties.

Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars

(150 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

(160 grams) dark brown sugar

(66 grams) granulated sugar

cinnamon preferably Vietnamese

(156 grams) quick-cooking oats

(138 grams) vegetable shortening or 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter softened

(128 grams) Marshmallow Fluff

water

Think of these elegant chocolate cake bars as a cocoa-forward cousin of Italian rainbow cookies. The three layers of thin, almond-scented cake are sandwiched with jam (you pick the flavor!), then weighed down overnight, during which their texture transforms, creating a soft, rich confection that’s somewhere between a bar cookie and cake. Because the almond paste and jam keep them moist, these chocolate cake bars are ideal for baking ahead. 

Ombre Chocolate Cake Bars

(195 grams) almond paste*

(149 grams) granulated sugar

(85 grams) butter

(21 grams) King Arthur Triple Cocoa Blend divided

water divided

(170 grams) jam divided*

(85 grams) semisweet chocolate wafers or bittersweet chocolate wafers*

When your oven needs a break but you need a satisfying, nutty-chocolate treat, make these easy, no-bake almond butter bars. The base layer of almond butter includes a touch of honey, vanilla, and salt for amped-up flavor, plus graham cracker crumbs for a pleasant crunch and cookie-like texture. The candied almond topping is optional but recommended — it's as pretty as it is delicious.

No-Bake Almond Butter Bars

(245 grams) almond butter*

(178 grams) graham cracker crumbs from about 8 whole crackers

(113 grams) semisweet chocolate wafers or semisweet chocolate chopped

(113 grams) slivered almonds

(50 grams) granulated sugar

Dream of lemon meringue pie, but dread rolling out crust? Try this incredibly easy way to enjoy a buttery, crisp cookie base topped with tart-sweet, creamy citrus and toasted meringue.

Lemon Meringue Bars

(113 grams) unsalted butter

(99 grams) granulated sugar

(397 grams) sweetened condensed milk

lemons

(113 grams) lemon juice fresh preferred

If you’re a fan of pecan pie at Thanksgiving, you’ll love these bars. Cristal Paredes, a baker featured in our Let Good Things Rise series, shared this recipe with us, and we haven’t been able to stop baking them since! Between the brown sugar shortbread crust and the honey-infused pecan pie topping, these bars have us hooked.

Pecan Pie Bars

(160 grams) light brown sugar packed

(360 grams) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

table­spoons (113 grams) unsalted butter

(80 grams) light brown sugar packed

(28 grams) heavy cream or milk

(25 grams) granulated sugar

(227 grams) chopped pecans or pecan pieces

These homemade chewy granola bars are easily customized to taste with your own favorite fruits and nuts. The optional peanut butter gives the bars a hint of peanut flavor, if that tempts your tastebuds.

Chewy Granola Bars

(149 grams) quick-cooking oats

(30 grams) oat flour

cinnamon optional

(90 grams) peanut butter optional

(57 grams) butter oil

(78 grams) honey maple syrup or corn syrup

(14 grams) water

These gooey, chewy bars are loaded with coconut AND caramel AND chocolate. They're a tasty substitute for those Samoa cookies the Girl Scouts sell, if you've devoured your stash and just can't wait until Girl Scout cookie time comes around again.

Grand Prize Coconut-Caramel Bars

(106 grams) shredded coconut unsweetened toasted divided

(319 grams) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar packed

(255 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

(14 grams) milk or heavy cream

Not your ordinary layered bar, carmelitas sandwich a sticky caramel, chocolate, and pecan filling between two layers of buttery, streusel-like shortbread studded with oats. Their variety of both flavors and textures make them an irresistible temptation and an easy crowd-pleaser.

Top 25 bars and squares recipes from across the web

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

Top Tags

Gluten-Free Lemon Squares With An A...

Date Squares (The Best)

No-Bake Peanut Butter-Chocolate Squ...

Rhubarb Dream Bars

Lemon Squares

S'more Granola Bars

Tahini Chocolate Bars

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Bars

Date Squares

Brownie Crisps

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Lebkuchen

Neapolitan Sugar Cookie Bars

Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars

Ombre Chocolate Cake Bars

No-Bake Almond Butter Bars

Lemon Meringue Bars

Pecan Pie Bars

Chewy Granola Bars

Grand Prize Coconut-Caramel Bars

Carmelitas

Swirled Rhubarb Bars

Brownie Brittle

Pumpkin Spice Latte Bars

Pumpkin Cake Bars with Cream Cheese...

Top 25 bars and squares recipes from across the web

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

Top Tags

Gluten-Free Lemon Squares With An A...

Date Squares (The Best)

No-Bake Peanut Butter-Chocolate Squ...

Rhubarb Dream Bars

Lemon Squares

S&#039;more Granola Bars

Tahini Chocolate Bars

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Bars

Date Squares

Brownie Crisps

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Lebkuchen

Neapolitan Sugar Cookie Bars

Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars

Ombre Chocolate Cake Bars

No-Bake Almond Butter Bars

Lemon Meringue Bars

Pecan Pie Bars

Chewy Granola Bars

Grand Prize Coconut-Caramel Bars

Carmelitas

Swirled Rhubarb Bars

Brownie Brittle

Pumpkin Spice Latte Bars

Pumpkin Cake Bars with Cream Cheese...

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

S'more Granola Bars