Cookies - Part 2 - Bar Cookies and some others

BAR COOKIES

This next is a variation on the Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal cookies in the previous blog. Not only will it transition us into bar cookies, but these are great for a healthy snack. Sometimes, I have one before I run, or after I lift weights. It’s got all sorts of healthy stuff in it, and they are delicious besides.

PEANUT BUTTER POWER BARS

1 ½ c. honey

Boil 1 minute and pour over: (have all this ready before you boil the honey)

3 c. oats

1 c. peanut butter

1 scoop dark chocolate almond spread

½ c. flax seed

1 c. semi- sweet chocolate chips

1 c. dried fruit - cranberries, raisins, dried blueberries, whatever you prefer

½ c. chopped almonds, pecans

1 tsp. vanilla 

You can drop them on wax paper, but I didn’t have time for that. So I pressed the mixture in a 9x13” pan and let them cool; then cut them into squares. I put half in the freezer in a Ziploc bag, and the other half in the refrigerator. They are a nice treat if you need a healthy snack.

If you love peanut butter, and I do, these are wonderful. They are on sort of a granola-like base.

PEANUT BUTTER OAT BARS

1 c. flour        

1 c. whole wheat flour           

2 c. oats        

1 ½ c. packed brown sugar           

2/3 c. shredded coconut        

2/3 c. chopped nuts

1 c. melted butter

1 1/3 c. peanut butter

½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Mix by hand or in food processor the flour, oats, sugar, coconut, nuts and butter. Press on a10x15" baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350˚for 20 minutes till light brown. Cut into 3" squares while still warm. Drop on peanut butter. When it melts, spread. Remove to racks. Melt chocolate chips in small baggie. Clip one corner and drizzle over peanut butter. About 15 cookies.

You may or may not remember when these bar cookies were at every potluck you ever attended, but they are still great cookies. And easy. But I don’t know why they are magic. All we ever do is eat them.

MAGIC COOKIE BARS

½ c. butter          

1 ½ c. graham cracker crumbs                 

1 can condensed milk 

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 ½ oz. coconut        

1 c. chopped nuts                                               

Melt butter in 9x13" baking pan. Sprinkle on crumbs. Pat down. Pour on milk. Sprinkle with chips, coconut and nuts. Pat down. Bake at 350˚ for 25-30 minutes till set.  

Sweet-tart lemon on a shortbread crust. These are one of my favorite summer cookies.

LEMON BARS

1 c. flour              

½ c. butter          

1/4 c. powdered sugar

2 beaten eggs  

1 c. sugar

1/3 c. lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

½ tsp. baking powder

2 tbs. flour                                                           

Cream 1 c. flour, butter and powdered sugar. Press into 8x8" pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350˚ for 15 minutes. Mix rest of ingredients and pour over crust. Bake 20-25 minutes more. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cool.

This recipe was given to me by my friend, Kathleen. They are easy, buttery, and fabulous.

ENGLISH TOFFEE COOKIES

1 c. butter         

1 c. brown sugar      

1 egg               

1 tsp. vanilla

½ c. flour

½ c. chopped almonds

½ c. toffee chips

½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips         

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour and chopped nuts. Press in 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350˚ about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. When they get shiny, spread with spoon. Sprinkle on toffee chips. Cool. Cut into bars.

Sometimes, you want a piece of pecan pie. Desperately.

PECAN PIE BARS

½ c. sugar          

2 c. flour

1 c. butter, softened 

Mix together sugar and flour. Cut butter into sugar/flour mixture till crumbly. Pat into 9x13” pan sprayed with cooking spray and bake 20 minutes at 350˚.

Mix:

1 egg

1 c. chopped pecans

5 or 7 oz. toffee bits

1 tsp. vanilla

1 can condensed milk

Pour over crust and bake an additional 30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

BROWNIES 

Are these cookies? Desserts? I don’t know – I just love brownies. This next is a good, basic brownie recipe.

FUDGE BROWNIES

½ c. butter          

2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate            

1 c. sugar

2 eggs 

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. flour

½ c. chopped nuts (optional) 

Melt butter and chocolate. Stir in sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat lightly. Stir in flour and nuts. Pour in greased 8x8" pan. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes. (Option: right after removing from oven, drop 1/3 c. peanut butter on brownies. When melted, spread and cool) Cut into bars.

These are one of my signature concoctions. If I need a dessert in a hurry for any sort of gathering, I make these. They also freeze well.

PEANUT BUTTER SWIRL BROWNIES

4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate     

3/4 c. butter       

2 c. sugar

3 eggs slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. flour

2/3 c. peanut butter                                                                                   

Reserve 1 tbs. butter and 2 tbs. sugar.

Melt chocolate and remaining butter.

Stir in remaining sugar.

Stir in eggs and vanilla.

Stir in flour.

Spread in 13x9" pan coated with cooking spray.

Mix reserved butter and sugar with peanut butter and microwave until runny; stir.

Spoon over brownie batter; swirl with knife to marbleize.

I go up and down lengthwise, then crosswise, then lengthwise again.

Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes. While they are baking, make the:  

FROSTING:

½ c. chocolate chips    

2 tsp. honey

2 tbs. butter

¼ c. peanut butter                                                                   

Melt this together

and pour on the brownies as soon as they come out of the oven.

Cool; cut into bars.

SHORTBREAD 

I love shortbread. It’s buttery, rich, and a comfort food. It is probably not good for you. Shortbread is a type of cookie which is traditionally made from one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour. It’s named shortbread because of its crumbly texture from the high fat content, provided by the butter.  

Shortbread is also easy to make in your food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, cream the butter and sugar first, then add the dry ingredients. Mix or knead until the dough is smooth. Most of the recipes tell you to prick the dough with a fork just before baking. This is so you don't get any bubbles on the finished cookie.

These next take a bit of time to roll out, cut, and dip in the chocolate. But they are worth it. They are pretty, and the chocolate sort of soaks in to the cookie.

BUTTER PECAN CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

2 c. flour                      

½ c. sugar              

1/3 c. cornstarch         

1 c. butter, room temperature            

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. toasted pecan halves

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

¼ c. butter

2 tsp. honey

Toasted pecan halves                                                                                               

Place flour, sugar, cornstarch in a food processor. Add 1 c. butter cut in chunks, and vanilla and process 30 seconds or until crumbly.

Add toasted pecans; pulse additional 5-10 seconds or till well combined.

On a lightly floured surface, knead dough just until smooth.

Chill 30 minutes. Divide dough in half; roll out to 1/3" thick. Cut with round cookie cutter, place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake about 14 minutes at 350˚F. Cool.  

Place chocolate, 1/4 c. butter and honey in bowl or measuring cup and microwave, till melted, stirring occasionally.

Dip each cookie halfway,

place on wire rack, put pecan half in center of each. 3 - 3 ½ dozen.  

This is a rich, ginger flavor.

GINGER SHORTBREAD

1 c. flour    

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. brown sugar

1 tbs. ginger    

1 c. butter, room temperature and cut in chunks                                                    

In food processor, mix flours, sugar and ginger. Whirl in butter. Press into springform pan. Prick with a fork and press in a border with the fork. Bake at 325° F. for about 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, remove sides of pan. Cut in pieces while still warm. You can use a pie plate sprayed with cooking spray if you don’t have a springform pan.

CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD

1 c. flour

1 ½ tbs. cocoa    

½ c. powdered sugar

½ c. butter, room temperature and cut in chunks  

½ tsp. vanilla

In food processor, mix dry ingredients. Add vanilla, and drop in butter. Process till smooth. Press in greased shortbread pan (or any 8”) pan. Prick with fork. Bake at 325° F for 30 - 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, remove from pan and cut into pieces while still warm.

I got this pretty little shortbread pan years ago.

If you have one, spray it well with cooking spray before you mash the dough into it. When you take it out of the oven, let it cool 10 minutes, then gently turn out the big cookie on a plate. Most of the time, these will look fine. Some of the time, they crumble.

Then you have to eat the crumbles. Oops. Anyway, cut the cookies along the lines while it's still warm as soon as you put it on the plate.

The previous recipe is good, but I think chocolate, peanut butter and shortbread is better. I could eat this whole pan by myself. I think I have.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER SHORTBREAD

1 1/3 c. flour

3 tbs. cocoa    

½ c. brown sugar

½ c. butter, room temperature and cut in chunks

1/3 c. peanut butter   

½ tsp. vanilla 

In food processor, mix dry ingredients.

Add vanilla, peanut butter and drop in butter.

Process till smooth.

Press in greased shortbread pan (or any 8”) pan. Prick with fork.

Bake at 325° F for 30 - 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, remove from pan and cut into pieces while still warm.

I used to make these in the summer before my lavender plant died. I just don’t know how well lavender, which grows great in France or other warm climates, can grow in Cheyenne. But the cookies are still wonderful.

LAVENDER SHORTBREAD

2/3 c. sugar     

1-2 tbs. finely chopped lavender florets        

2 1/3 c. flour

1/3 c. cornstarch

¼ tsp. salt

1 ½ c. butter, room temperature and cut in chunks    

¼ tsp. lemon extract 

Process lavender with 1/3 c. sugar in food processor till lavender is chopped fine. Add rest of sugar and process. Add flour, cornstarch, and salt, process. Add butter and lemon extract. Process till smooth.  

Divide dough in half. Flatten, wrap in plastic, and chill. Roll out on floured board to 1/4" thickness. Cut out into shapes. Place on cookie sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 325˚ F for 20 minutes, or till just begin to turn pale golden. Cool 1 minute, then transfer to rack.  

Sprinkle with lavender powdered sugar: Put 4-5 springs of lavender flowers in sealed jar with powdered sugar for 24 hours before using.

My grandmother, my father’s mother, made these for my father and me whenever I would visit. These are one of my ultimate comfort foods. I still can’t make these like my grandmother did, but I still try. This makes a lot of shortbread and you have to cut it in half if you do it in a food processor.

MIMI’S SHORTBREAD

4- 4 ½ c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

2 c. butter               

1 c. brown sugar         

1 tsp. vanilla                                                                                   

In food processor, mix dry ingredients. Add vanilla, and drop in butter. Process till smooth. Roll out on floured surface to about ½” thick. Cut into squares, prick with fork. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375° for 10-12 minutes until light golden. Cool on racks.

These are sort of a shortbread except for the egg in the dough. These do take a little bit of time, but they are a lovely party or gift cookie.

RASPBERRY STRIPS

2/3 c. sugar       

10 tbs. butter        

3 tsp. vanilla                

1 egg                     

2 c. flour    

¼ c. cornstarch     

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

2/3 c. raspberry or apricot preserves

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tbs. lemon juice

½ tsp. almond or vanilla 

Cream butter. Add sugar and cream. Add 3 tsp. vanilla and egg and beat. Mix together dry ingredients, add to sugar mixture. Divide dough in quarters. Chill. 

Roll each quarter into 12” log. Place each log on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Form a ½”  deep indentation, so it looks sort of like a canoe, down the length of each log using an index finger or end of a wooden spoon. Spoon preserves into the center. Bake at 375˚ for 20 minutes or till lightly browned. Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice and almond extract in small Ziploc bag. Snip off a corner, drizzle sugar mixture over warm logs. Immediately cut each log diagonally into 12 slices (do not separate slices). Cool 10 minutes. Separate slices when transferring to wire racks. Cool completely.

I hope you can find some that you like. Or love. Enjoy!