Bready or Not Original: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are a delicious new twist on classic ingredients. They are incredibly thick, chewy, and indulgent, the kind of treat that makes a person want to continue nibbling away.
A big part of the deliciousness is the use of cookie butter. This is, essentially, pureed spice cookies with oil to form a peanut butter-like consistency, and they are indeed a perfect substitute for nut butters in most any recipe. The major brands are Biscoff Cookie Butter (carried at many major grocery chains in America) and Speculoos at Trader Joe’s.
Cookie butter enhances the inherent cookie dough flavor in any baked cookie/bar recipe. It’s also a delight to eat straight from the jar!
Add white chocolate chips and a generous amount of sugar and oats to that, and you really have a great combo.
These bars can be a little messy, but that’s okay. Every crumb is delicious!
Modified greatly from Bake from Scratch Magazine Sept/Oct 2018.
Bready or Not Original: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- offset spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 cup creamy cookie butter
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 ounces white chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with a long piece of foil. Apple nonstick spray or grease with extra butter.
- In a big bowl, beat together butter and sugars until they are light and fluffy. Add the cookie butter followed by the eggs and vanilla, scraping the bowl a few times to make sure everything is incorporated.
- In another bowl, stir together the flour, 2 cups of the oats, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the butter mix. Using an offset spatula, spread half the batter into the prepared pan. Dough will be thick and somewhat sticky. Sprinkle half of the chocolate over the top. Dollop on the rest of the dough, spreading into an even later again. Sprinkle on the rest of the white chocolate chips along with the remaining 1/4 cup of oats.
- Bake for 27 to 35 minutes. The middle should be set, not jiggly, and pass the toothpick test. Cool completely at room temperature and then the fridge (the bars will be firmer and less messy to slice if they are chilled).
- Use the foil to lift contents onto a cutting board. Slice into pieces. Store in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Brookies
No need to deliberate whether to make chocolate chip cookies or brownies–this recipe for Brookies combines these goodies together in a delicious way.
This recipe excels at chocolate distribution. It’s not super-chocolaty, but every bite has some brownie and chocolate chips. If you add in cacao nibs, it’s even better; the nibs enhance the other chocolate flavors and adds a pleasant crunch at the same time.
On that note, this is a great recipe for people who don’t like nuts. There’s lots of flavor here without them. Could you add nuts? Sure. Is it necessary? Nope.
These bars are dense and nicely portable. Wrap them up individually, and they are great for a school lunch, road trip, or picnic. Plus, they freeze well, so you can even save some for later!
Modified from AllRecipes Magazine August/September 2020.
Bready or Not: Brookies
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
Ingredients
Cookie layer
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Brownie layer
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) melted
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs optional
Instructions
Make cookie layer
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugars, and vanilla until light and creamy. Add egg, scraping bottom of bowl, then beat another two minutes.
- In another bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Fold in chocolate chips. Dough will be very thick and sticky. Drop into pan in clumps and press into a level layer, covering the bottom completely.
Make brownie layer
- Using the same big bowl (leave it unwashed or wash it, baker’s preference), beat together butter, sugar, and vanilla. Follow with the egg. Stir in the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in the cacao nibs, if using.
- Pour over the cookie layer, spreading it into an even layer.
- Bake until the middle passes the toothpick test, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely–chilling in fridge, if desired–before slicing into bars.
- Brookies will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 3 days, and can also be frozen for layer enjoyment.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Apple Caramel Chip Blondies
These Apple Caramel Chip Blondies are soft, sweet, and dangerously snackable, perfect for a quick bite to get you through the day.
I have other apple bar recipes like my tried-and-true Apple Cake that are thicker and more meal-like.
These bars are thin and light. They aren’t even heavy with apples, but the apple flavor is definitely there.
This is the kind of thing to use for a light breakfast, snack, or dessert, and they’d be great to wrap up and pack to go.
I used caramel chips for this recipe, but butterscotch or white chocolate would be great, too–or even seasonal sweet chips like pumpkin spice!
Bready or Not Original: Apple Caramel Chip Blondies
Equipment
- 9x9 pan
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 apple such as Ambrosia or Honeycrisp, peeled and chopped into raisin-sized pieces
- 1/3 cup caramel chips or substitute butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9x9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, and continue to monitor a few more minutes, stirring often, to brown the butter. It should have a fresh, nutty smell. Remove from heat. Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla until the sugar is less grainy. Let the pan cool for a few minutes. Beat in the eggs until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients next, followed by the apple pieces. Fold in the chips last.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test.
- Cool to room temperature. Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board to slice up. Store the bars in a sealed container, with waxed paper or parchment between stacked layers.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Snickerdoodle Crumb Cake
Snickerdoodles are a regular theme on Bready or Not, and this new Snickerdoodle Crumb Cake version is something amazing.
This is a true cake, not simply a bar. It has a light, airy crumb that isn’t too moist or too dry.
Most importantly, it tastes like a Snickerdoodle. Despite what some store versions think these days, that doesn’t simply mean cinnamon and sugar, but the distinct taste of cream of tartar as well.
That cinnamon-sugar thing is important too, though. That’s why this cake has a visible layer through the middle–which looks gorgeous when pieces are cut–as well as a crust on top. To which I added a pinch of pretzel salt for contrast, because why not?
This recipe doesn’t produce a massive batch of cake, but if you are baking for a few people, know that you can safely slice up and individually wrap pieces and freeze them for later.
Bready or Not Original: Snickerdoodle Crumb Cake
Equipment
- 8x8 or 9x9 pan
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Streusel
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter half stick, cut into pieces
Dough
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Filling
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons white sugar
Topping
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon white sugar
- pinch pretzel salt optional
Instructions
Make the streusel
- Stir together the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or butter knife and fork to mash the butter into pea-sized pieces and crumbs. Set in fridge to chill.
Make the dough
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
- In a big bowl, beat the butter and both sugars until creamy. Mix in eggs one by one followed by the vanilla extract. Gradually mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Spread about half the dough in the pan, using an uneven spatula fully coat the bottom.
Make the layers
- Stir together the two filling ingredients. Sprinkle to entirely cover the base layer of dough.
- Dollop the rest of the batter on top, again using the uneven spatula to spread evenly to edges. Sprinkle the streusel across the top. Mix together the cinnamon-sugar topping, then sprinkle that over the crumbs.
- Bake for 33 to 37 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Cool completely. Use foil to lift cake onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
- Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Can also be sliced into bars, wrapped in plastic, and frozen for an easy treat later.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars
When you need a dessert in a hurry, these delicious No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars are the way to go.
I especially enjoy this recipe because it doesn’t involve the oven, which is a wonderful thing during Arizona summers.
These bars come together in minutes thanks to a microwave, and they only need a few hours to set. You end up with an entire casserole dish of candy bars. Yum.
Use crunchy or creamy peanut butter. I used a jar from Trader Joe’s that had flaxseeds mixed in, and my son didn’t like it. This recipe gave me a way to use it up by sending the result with my husband to work!
This would be an easy recipe to dress up, too. Add sprinkles, nuts, or cacao nibs atop the chocolate. Have fun with it!
Bready or Not Original: No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars
Equipment
- 13x9 pan
- large microwave-safe bowl
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Bars
- 2 cups peanut butter crunchy or smooth
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
Ganache
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips semisweet, dark, milk, or a mix
- 1/4 cup peanut butter crunchy or smooth
Instructions
- Line a 13x9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt together the peanut butter and butter by zapping in short increments and stirring well between each pass. Once they mix together, stir in the graham cracker crumbs and confectioners' sugar. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Use a hands or maybe a piece of waxed paper and a heavy glass to compress the layer as much as possible.
- Use the same microwave-safe bowl to bowl for the chocolate chips and peanut butter, again zapping in brief increments and stirring well between each burst. Once they can mix together smoothly, dump dollops atop the layer in the pan. Use an uneven spatula to even out the chocolate to the edges.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board. Let sit for about 10 minutes, enough time to soften the chocolate so that it doesn't shatter when sliced. Use a long knife or sharp bench knife to cut bars. If desired, cut off edges first to produce neater pieces to share.
- Store bars in a sealed container in the fridge with waxed paper between the layers. Keeps for days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Apple Slice Tray Bake
This Apple Slice Tray Bake would simply be an Apple Cake to most Americans. Whatever you call it, it’s packed with apples and delicious.
This is third consecutive recipe I’ve modified from the Bake from Scratch Magazine July/August 2020 Ireland-themed issue. I still have a few more things I want to try in the coming months, too!
I’ve found that French, Irish, and British apple cake recipes tend to be lighter on sugar and spices than typical American recipes. The focus is really on the apples.
I used Honeycrisps here, which are one of my favorite apples to eat outright or bake with! Two big apples will work.
This bakes up light, lofty, and cakey, with a sugar-crusted top and a lovely flavor of apples throughout. The pieces freeze and thaw very well, too, meaning you can enjoy this like it is fresh but spread over days or weeks!
Bready or Not: Apple Slice Tray Bake
Equipment
- 9×9 baking pan
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Apple layer:
- 2 large baking apples Honeycrisp work well
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon white sugar
Cake:
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (2 and a half sticks) room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or substitute vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 2 Tablespoons turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
- Peel and core the apples, then slice to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place slices in a large bowl and toss them with lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon white sugar, until apples are coated. Set aside.
- In a big mixing bowl, beat butter and white sugar for several minutes, until blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing in well and scraping bowl afterward. Add vanilla. The batter may look curdled, but that’s okay.
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and allspice. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
- Spread about half of the batter into the pan, using an uneven spatula to form an even layer. Arrange apple slices, flat side down, to cover the batter entirely. Top with the remaining batter, using the uneven spatula again to even out as much as possible. Sprinkle turbinado sugar all over the top.
- Bake until the middle of the cake passes the toothpick test, which will be from 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cover pan with foil about halfway through to prevent it from browning too much.
- Let cool in pan for an least 10 minutes, then use foil to lift cake onto a cutting board. Slice into squares. Tastes best warmed and at room temperature. Pieces can also be shrouded in plastic wrap and frozen for later enjoyment.
