Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Bar

Best Ever Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Bars

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (you could also substitute butter)
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, raisins, or dried cranberries
• 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips (or regular semi-sweet chocolate chips, if you prefer)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt the peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove. {Watch this closely. Mine started to burn!}

Remove from heat once it’s melted together and add in the oats, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, nuts/raisins, and vanilla. Stir together until the chocolate is completely melted.

Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and cool in the fridge. If you’d like thicker bars, you can pour the mixture into a smaller pan.

When the mixture is hardened, cut into bars and eat. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

(I made it with nuts and raisins and really liked it that way!) 

Recipe source

Nanaimo Bars

 I love this recipe! I tried a long time ago to make Nanaimo Bars and it did not go well. It's one of my favorite desserts so I just needed to figure it out. I'm excited because it turned out perfect. Marshall said it was amazing, just like the store bought one but more "real tasting". It makes me happy because my baking skills have gotten to a point where I wonder why this was ever a challenge for me before.  I think it's time to move up to some more complicated things!

 

Ingredients:
1 cup  graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup  sweetned flaked coconut or shredded coconut
1/3 cup finely chopped walnut halves
 1/3 cup  cocoa powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten

Filling:
 1/4 cup butter
 2 tbsp vanilla pudding powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
 2 cups icing sugar
 2 tbsp milk, (approx.)

Topping:
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp butter

Preparation:
In bowl, stir together graham crumbs, coconut, walnuts, cocoa powder and sugar. Drizzle with butter and egg; stir until combined. Press crumb mixture into parchment paper–lined 9-inch (2.5 L) square metal cake pan.

Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until firm, about 10 minutes.

Let cool in pan on rack.

Filling: 
In bowl, beat together butter, custard powder and vanilla. Beat in icing sugar alternately with milk until smooth, adding up to 1 tsp (5 mL) more milk if too thick to spread. Spread over cooled base; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Topping:
 In heatproof bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate with butter. Spread over filling; refrigerate until almost set, about 30 minutes. With tip of knife, score into bars; refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.

(Make-ahead: Wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days or overwrap in heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.) Cut into bars.

Adapted from here 

Marshmallow Peanut Butter/ Butterscotch Bar

2 pkg. butterscotch chips, or peanut butter chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 cups miniature marshmallows (the colored ones are the best)

Place the first 3 ingredients into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1-1/2 minutes, then stir. Microwave for an additional 1-1/2 minutes. Continue at 30 second intervals until melted. Stirring in between each setting. Let cool a couple of minutes and add 4 cups marshmallows and stir well. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch pan and spread evenly. Let cool completely, then cut into squares.

Sugar Cookie Bar

 YUM!!! It was pretty good! I was having a craving so I made this great bar. It was pretty, I'd for sure make it again! (And yes, so much easier then making cookies!)


Cookies: Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 egg white

1 Tbsp sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, set aside. In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy about 3-4 minutes. Stir in egg and egg white. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until blended. Slowly add dry mixture and stir until well combine. With buttered hands, gently press (so gently almost patting) mixture into buttered baking dish. Bake 16 – 19 minutes until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and edges are lightly golden. Cool completely, then frost and cut into squares.

(I used half white and half whole wheat flour) 

Vanilla Frosting: Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 Tbsp half and half (or yogurt, or milk)

1 tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

Several drop food coloring (optional)

In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, whip together butter and powdered sugar and half and half until fluffy. Stir in vanilla and salt. Add in food optional food coloring and mix until well blended.

(I ended up using more butter and closer to 1/4 tsp salt because I found the icing tasted powdery and just a bit too sweet) 

Source

Baking My Way: Peanut Butter Macaroon Brownie

Looks pretty tasty right? Two of my favorite things put together; chocolate and coconut. The brownie was pretty dry so I would add maybe some more butter, or apple sauce in it next time, but other then that it was very good! (Also, next time, I think I would put a layer of chocolate frosting on top of the coconut layer. YUM!!)

Brownie 
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour 
2/3 cup cocoa
1 cup peanut butter chips 


Topping 
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk 
2 2/3 cup coconut 
1 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. 

Grease 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan. 

Combine sugar, butter and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. 

Add eggs 1 at a time.  Beat after every addition. 

Add flour and cocoa; mix well. 

Stir in peanut butter chips. Spread in greased pan. 

Combine topping ingredients. 

Spoon topping over brownie; spread carefully. 

Bake for 27-32 minutes or until topping is light golden brown. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Cut into bars.

(I ended up having to cook it another 15 minutes because the brownie was still very doughy) 

Biscoff Candy Fudge Bars

Doesn't this look wonderful? I'm a sucker for anything that's got fudge, chocolate and defiantly Biscoff in the name! I don't even know where to buy these in Canada but I love them so much! Check out the recipe here.

Baking My Way: Chocolate Almond Linzer Bar

 This bar is super tasty! I love this bar! I didn't use raspberry preserver but cherry and apple butter and it gave it a little tart taste which went really well with the dark semi-sweet chocolate I used. I love the almond paste in this bar and it really adds to the richness of the dough. It makes it more dense but I sort of like it that way! I would make it again.

3 1/2 oz. almond paste
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
3 cups flour 
1 1/2 cups raspberry preserves
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp icing sugar

Hear oven to 350. Grease 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan. Combine almond paste and butter, blend until smooth. Add sugar, brown sugar, salt, almond extract and eggs; mix well. Add flour gradually, stirring to form a smooth dough.

Divide dough in half. Roll out half of dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to form 15 x 10 inch rectangle. Remove top sheet of waxed paper. To make decorative top cut hearts or circles in the one layer of the dough. Return cut outs to other half of the dough. Set top dough layer aside.

Roll out other layer same as first layer, then press it into greased baking pan.  Bake for 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. 

Spread evenly with preserve; sprinkle with almonds and chocolate chips. Lifting top crust with wax paper, place dough side down over filling; carefully remove wax paper. Trim edges if necessary.

Bake at 350 for additional 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 hour. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Cut into 48 bars with heart cut out in the middle of each bar.

Baking My Way: Chocolaty Caramel Pecan Bars

 This bar was seriously good!! I would make it again and again! I think I would reduce the amount of caramels because and have no nuts, more like a Twix bar. It's crazy rich but I see why you need all the nuts, it makes it a little less intense. Either way, so good!!

Base

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 tablespoon whipping cream

1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling

24 caramels, unwrapped

1/3 cup whipping cream

2 cups pecan halves

Topping

1 teaspoon butter or margarine

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

2 tablespoons whipping cream

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 9-inch square pan. In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, 1/2 cup butter and 1 tablespoon whipping cream until well blended. Add flour; mix until crumbly. With floured hands, press mixture evenly in pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until firm to the touch.
• Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, place caramels and 1/3 cup whipping cream. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Add pecans; stir well to coat. Immediately spoon over baked base; spread carefully to cover.
• In small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 teaspoon butter and the chocolate chips, stirring constantly. Stir in 2 tablespoons whipping cream. Drizzle over filling. Refrigerate 1 hour or until filling is firm. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.  

Baking My Way: Coconut Diamond Gems

 Marshall helped me make these cookies, which is rare so I enjoyed baking these more then usual. They're quiet similar to Mounds bars but just a little simpler. I'd say I'd rather make a full base bar with a full coconut and chocolate layer. I found these a little dry but still tasty.

Cookies:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Topping:
2 cup coconut
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 egg white
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Glaze:
3 oz. chocolate
1 tsp shortening

Cookies:
Combine sugar, butter and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Add yolk and beat well. Add flour, cinnamon and salt; mix well.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or until firm.

Heat oven to 375. Lightly dust a large cookie sheet with flour. On the cookie sheet spread out the dough. Score dough crosswise in 1 1/2 inch wide strips and then do it in the other direction as well to make diamond shapes.

Topping:
Mix all topping ingredients. Scope 1 teaspoon onto each diamond. 

Bake for 8-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cut cookies along scorch marks and remove diamonds from cookie sheet to cool.

Glaze:
In a saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate and shortening, stirring constantly. Drizzle over cookies. 

Baking Goal: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

OH MY GOSH! Amazing right? So excited to try this recipe (although I wouldn't use any boxed stuff, I make it from scratch, so I'll post about my way when I make this!)

Baking Goal: Snickerdoodle Blondies

If you love snickerdoodle cookies I bet you would love these! My husband loves these cookies so I can't wait to try making it into a brownie!

Check out the recipe at Arctic Garden Studio

Amanda's Sauce Pan Brownie

I love chewy, soft, fudgy brownies.  I never seem to find the right combination so I played around and created my own! This brownie is so decadent, sweet, very chocolatey. It's rich and wonderful! It's like fudge but so so much better!! (no sweetened condensed milk, ick!)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons almond extract
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

PREPARATION:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9" baking pan. In medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add sugar, almond extract and eggs; blend well. Add flour, cocoa and salt; mix well. Stir in chocolate. Pour into greased pan.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Cut into bars.


Frosting:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting Instructions:
- In a saucepan combine white and brown sugars, salt, milk, butter and chocolate chips.
- Bring to a boil and stir constantly
- Reduce heat and let it simmer for 3 minutes
- Remove from heat
- In in icing sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
Frost cooled brownie 

Baking My Way: White Chocolate Cranberry Bars

Have you ever tried the cranberry bliss bar at Starbucks? Well I love that bar, but don't get it very often because, well I could each tons of it, so it was almost just as bad when I made this recipe the other day. I took it to a friends and thankfully everyone else liked it too and I didn't come home with much.

This bar is super rich, very chocolaty and chewy gooey good. it's almost exactly like the one from Starbucks but thankfully I have the rest of this Baking My Way challenge to go through before I'll allow myself to bake this again.

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all purpose or unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (12-oz.) pkg. (2 cups) white vanilla chips
1 tablespoon shortening

Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, extending foil over sides of pan. Grease foil. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well.

In separate large bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla; blend well. Gradually add flour mixture; blend at low speed just until combined. Fold in cranberries, walnuts and 1 1/2 cups of the vanilla chips. (Reserve remaining chips for topping). Spread batter in greased foil-lined pan.

Bake at 350°F. for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

In small saucepan over low heat, melt reserved 1/2 cup vanilla chips and shortening, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over warm bars. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

Baking Goal: Red Currant Walnut Sheet Cake

Doesn't this look great! Can't wait to try it!

Check out the recipe at Catalina Bakes

Caramel Corn Flake Bars

We were at some friends for New Year's Eve and they had these bars, and they are amazing!!

1 pkg (170grams) Mckintosh Candies

2 tbsp Butter

2 tsp Milk

3/4 cup Aliced Almonds

3/4 cup Corn Flakes

1/3 cup Flaked Coconut

1/2 Chocolate Chips

Step 1: Over med heat cook toffee, butter, and milk stirring often for about 10 min until meted and smooth. Immediately add almonds, corn flakes, coconut, peanuts.

Step 2: Press mixture into buttered square pan

Step 3: Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over the bar.

Baking My Way: Cherry Chocolate Brown Sugar Shortbread Bars

This bar is seriously good! I sold a lot of it over Christmas and I will for sure be making it again! It's very soft and has a nice sweetness and of course cherries and chocolate? How could you go wrong!

Ingredients

Bar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped/drained maraschino cherries



Cherry Glaze
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon maraschino cherry liquid

Chocolate Glaze
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening

Directions
In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour until well blended.  Add chocolate chips and cherries. Press into bottom of greased 8'' pan.

Bake at 350 for 17-22 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool for 15 minutes or until completely cool.

Meanwhile, make the glazes. For the cherry mix all cherry glaze ingredients until smooth. For the chocolate glaze melt the ingredients in a small sauce pan over low heat, stir constantly.

Drizzle glazes over the bars; let stand until set. Cut into bars.

Baking My Way: Cranberry Orange Bars

 

This bar is sort of like apple crumble but with different fruit. I LOVE the base and topping and will use it in my other baking wow was it good! I don't love the tang of cranberry and orange but if you love those two fruits you are going to love this bar! It is wonderful for what it is but they just aren't my favorite fruits. I'm glad I tried it, and it's another recipe done in the book but I think next time I'll make this a blueberry bar instead! 

INGREDIENTS

 Base & Topping:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup coconut
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup chopped walnuts

Filling:

1 cup orange marmalade
1 (16-oz.) can whole berry cranberry sauce


DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, combine flour, oats, coconut, brown sugar, baking soda and cinnamon; mix well. Add margarine; mix until crumbly. Press 3 cups of mixture in bottom of ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan to form base. Add walnuts to remaining mixture; reserve for topping.

In small bowl, combine marmalade and cranberry sauce. Spread evenly over base. Sprinkle reserved topping evenly over filling; press lightly.

Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Cut into bars.

Recipe Source: Pillsbury.com

Baking My Way: Treasure Chest Bars

 This is an interesting bar. I'm not sure that I like nuts in it. Next time I'll either put pecans or no nuts at all and just up the chocolate. It's still a very good bar. It's light but yet very decadent and rich if that makes sense. The icing is wonderful and I just wanted to sit and eat that on its own.

BARS:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup soft butter
Dash of salt
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3 Hershey bars, cut into pieces (or 1 cup of chocolate chips)
1 cup maraschino cherries, drained, halved
1 cup chopped mixed nuts (pecans are best)

ICING:
1/4 cup butter
2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 tbsp. milk

In a large bowl, combine all bar ingredients except cherries, chocolate and nuts. Blend until smooth at medium speed, about 2 minutes. By hand, stir in rest of ingredients; spread in greased and floured jelly roll pan, 15"x10". Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

In a small saucepan, brown butter until golden brown, stirring constantly over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add milk and blend to spreading consistency. Spread over warm bars. Cool completely. Makes 48 bars.

Baking My Way: Almond Brickle Blonde Brownie

 This is a seriously good brownie! I love blonde brownies! I didn't have almond brickle chips (not even too sure what those are) so I used chocolate chips for the topping and it was still super good. I think next time I might try it with white chocolate to stay on the blonde theme. Either way this is a great recipe, so tasty, soft and chewy!

Ingredients:

Brownie:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Topping:
3/4 almond brickle baking chips
1/4 cup chopped almonds

Directions:
Heat over to 350.

Combine sugars and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; blend well.

Add flour, baking powder and salt; mix well. Stir in almonds.

Spread in greased 13x9 inch pan.

Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Take out of oven, sprinkle topping ingredients on brownie and put back into the oven for 2 minutes.

Cool at least an hour, cut into bars.

Baking My Way: Salted Peanut Chews

 I started making this bar but then I realized I didn't quite have the right ingredients. I was a bit frustrated but then came up with a good alternative. Above is how they are supposed to look and below is the recipe I was supposed to follow...


INGREDIENTS
Base
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg yolks
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 bag (10 oz) peanut butter chips
2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups salted peanuts

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350°F.

Mix sugar and butter together. Add all remaining base ingredients except marshmallows. In ungreased 13x9-inch pan, spread on base.

With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown

Remove partially baked crust from oven. Immediately sprinkle marshmallows evenly over crust.

 Return to oven; bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Cool while making topping.

In large saucepan, heat corn syrup, butter, vanilla and peanut butter chips over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in cereal and peanuts.

Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows; spread to cover.

Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

....Here is what I ended up doing. It worked out really great, and tastes wonderful! I still count this as trying out the recipe because I know what it would have taste like and I was still pretty close right?


INGREDIENTS
Base
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg yolks
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping

1 1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups peanut butter
2 cups puff wheat cereal
2 cups honey roasted peanuts


DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350°F.

Mix sugar and butter together. Add all remaining base ingredients except marshmallows. In ungreased 13x9-inch pan, spread on base.

With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown

Remove partially baked crust from oven. Immediately sprinkle marshmallows evenly over crust.

 Return to oven; bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Cool while making topping.

In large saucepan, heat corn syrup, butter, vanilla and peanut butter chips over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in cereal and peanuts.

Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows; spread to cover.

Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.