The best bar cookies layer chewy, crunchy and smooth textures with sweet, buttery counterpoint. They please young and old. And they travel well, oblivious to wear and tear. Here are recipes guaranteed to please.
RASPBERRY-WALNUT SHORTBREAD BARS
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 38 minutes
Yield: 24 bars
This was a 1997 Land O’Lakes butter cookie contest grand prize winner.
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1/2 cup raspberry jam
Topping:
2 large eggs
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour and sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter using pastry blender or two knives until crumbly. Press on bottom of greased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake until edges are light golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
2. Spread jam over crust. For topping, beat together eggs, brown sugar and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer until smooth. Stir in flour and salt; add walnuts and mix well. Spoon topping over jam; spread carefully to cover. Return to oven. Bake until golden brown and filling is set, 20 to 24 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into bars.
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Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 145 Fat ………… 7 g Saturated fat .. 2.7 g
% calories from fat .. 44 Cholesterol .. 30 mg Sodium ……… 60 mg
Carbohydrates …… 18 g Protein …… 2.7 g Fiber ………. 0.6 g
ROMBAUER’S DREAM BARS
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 bars
Also called angel bars, these were adapted from “Joy of Cooking: Christmas Cookies,” by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker.
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted, see note
1 cup toasted shredded coconut, see note
Icing:
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter, sugar, 1 egg yolk and 1/4 teaspoon of the vanilla in bowl of electric mixer until smooth. Stir in 3/4 cup of the flour; beat until smooth. Press dough evenly into 9-inch square pan lined with greased foil, allowing overhang of 2 inches over sides of pan (see note). Bake 10 minutes; set aside.
2. Stir together remaining 2 eggs, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 2 tablespoons flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl until incorporated. Stir in toasted nuts and coconut. Spread mixture evenly over dough. Bake until top is firm to touch, golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly wet, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool slightly.
3. Stir together all icing ingredients in small bowl until smooth, adding a little water if too thick. Spread over cake while still warm. Cool completely. Lift cake from pan to cutting board using overhanging foil. Carefully peel off foil; cut into bars.
Note: To toast nuts and coconut, spread both in baking pan and toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until coconut is very lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
To line pan with aluminum foil, turn pan upside down. Center 14-inch length of foil, shiny side down, over pan. Press down on sides and corners of foil to shape to pan. Remove foil; turn pan right side up. Place shaped foil in pan and press gently all over to fit it to the pan.
Nutrition information per cookie:
Calories ……….. 325 Fat ……….. 19 g Sat. fat …… 7 g
% cal. from fat ….. 52 Chol. …….. 70 mg Sodium …… 55 mg
Carb. …………. 36 g Protein …… 3.6 g Fiber ……… 2 g
COCONUT AND WALNUT OATMEAL BARS
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 32 bars
Adapted from a recipe in “Maida Heatter’s Brand-New Book of Great Cookies.”
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1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon each: salt, ground nutmeg, ground allspice
2 cups each: quick-cooking oatmeal, coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup packed shredded coconut
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon each: baking soda, vanilla extract
1. Heat oven to 275 degrees. Stir together flour, ginger, salt, nutmeg and allspice in large bowl. Add oatmeal, walnuts and coconut; mix well.
2. Place butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add brown sugar and honey; cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is partly melted. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla.
3. Add butter mixture to dry ingredients; stir well. Spread batter evenly over bottom of 13-by-9-inch baking pan lined with foil and greased. Cover dough with length of plastic wrap; press dough with bottom of glass or measuring cup to compress. Remove plastic wrap.
4. Bake until evenly browned, 40 to 50 minutes (dough will not feel done to touch). Cool completely on wire rack to room temperature. Remove cookies from pan by lifting foil; peel off foil. Chill cookies before cutting into bars.
Note: To line pan with aluminum foil, turn pan upside down. Center 17-inch length of foil, shiny side down, over pan. Press down on sides and corners of foil to shape to pan. Remove foil; turn pan right side up. Place shaped foil in pan and press gently all over to fit it to the pan.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 155 Fat ……….. 11 g Saturated fat .. 4.2 g
% calories from fat .. 59 Cholesterol .. 15 mg Sodium ……… 60 mg
Carbohydrates …… 13 g Protein …….. 3 g Fiber ………. 1.2 g