100K Cookie Bars

 

I had the pleasure of dining with number one son and family on Saturday evening. We sat at a very large, lovely wrought iron table (that used to be mine, and that they have used more in their brief ownership than I ever did) on their wonderful deck, beneath the overhanging branches of a tree that gently swayed in the wind as we enjoyed my son’s incredibly delicious smoked barbecued meatloaf. I was tasked with bringing dessert, so I knew it had to be lacking nuts (my granddaughter, Gabby, is allergic to tree nuts), something chocolaty (because…of course!), and something that all would enjoy. This recipe absolutely did it! Everybody enjoyed it, and while I did store the bars in the refrigerator, they are wonderful at room temperature because the caramel becomes soft, smooth, and wonderfully delicious. I can’t imagine anyone not liking these crunchy, chewy, chocolaty cookie bars.

 

100K Cookie Bars

Base:
¾ c. unsalted butter, room temperature
½ c. granulated sugar
1 ½ c. flour
½ t. salt

Caramel layer:
6 T. unsalted butter
½ c. light brown sugar
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 T. light corn syrup
¼ t. salt

Topping
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
¾ c. crispy rice cereal

 

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a 9” x 9” square metal pan with aluminum foil leaving a 2-inch overhang on either side.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until creamy, 2 - 3 minutes. Gradually add flour and salt, and mix until just combined and giving a crumbly appearance. Dump the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing it evenly into the bottom. Bake until the top is golden, 35 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the caramel layer.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter and sugar together, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted. Slowly add the sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup; bring the mixture to a full boil. Stir continuously while cooking for 5 minutes, or until the mixture has turned amber in color and is thick enough to completely coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in salt. Pour mixture over the shortbread layer, and set aside to cool completely.

When the caramel layer has set, melt chocolate chips in the microwave, for 1-1½ minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals until completely melted. Fold in rice cereal, and spread over the top of the cooled and set caramel layer. Allow to cool completely before gently lifting from the pan using the foil overhang, and cutting into bars.

Makes 36

 

 

Santa's Favorite Christmas Cookies

Some of you may have been wondering where I’ve been. Others may not, but whether you have or you haven’t, I’m going to tell you anyway. I fell victim to a post-Thanksgiving funk. The weeks prior to Thanksgiving, I was like a woman possessed! I cleaned floors, windows, removed all of the slats in all of my blinds, washed them in the sink and replaced them. I cleaned my fan blades, registers, switch-plate covers, hardwood floors, and baseboards. The house looked and smelled so fresh. In addition to that of course, I made food, I set the table, I set up a [hugely successful] bar cart, the works! The day after Thanksgiving found me crumpled in a heap in the corner of the room. I’m not sure if it was all the work that I did ahead of time, or simply old age, but I didn’t feel like doing anything.

I ate leftovers for days on end. When the leftovers were gone, I started foraging in the freezer, microwaving icy casseroles, questionable pieces of meat, and anything else I could find in order to avoid cooking. I had no interest in doing anything.

But, today is December 1, and I have a new attitude. Number two son, Andrew, came over to visit me yesterday and helped me with things. What a difference it makes to have help. He got the Christmas tree upstairs and put together, he installed and activated dimmer switches, installed my ring doorbell (fitted with seasonal sensors and chimes), and made me feel a whole lot better about things.

Today as far as I’m concerned marks the beginning of cookie baking season, so in this post I’m going to share a baker's dozen of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes with you. Click on the name beneath each picture to get the recipe.

Raspberry Almond Thumbprints

Toffee Shortbread Cookies

Ginger Cookie Strips

Cinnamon Christmas Logs

Malted Milk Spritz

Chocolate Shortbread

Butter Pecan Turtle Cookies

Snowy Day Cookies

Twix Truffle Brownies

Toffee Almond Sandies

Finger Sandwich Butter Cookies

Browned Butter Crinkles

Stained Glass Cookies

Now, let’s get baking!

This post contains affiliate links.

 

Toffee Shortbread Cookies

When my boys were growing up, it was quite important to me that they knew what a homemade cookie tasted like. It came as quite a revelation to me one day, when my oldest son had a friend over to play while I was making cookies. After they had a chance to cool a bit (the cookies, not the kids) I piled some up on a plate, and served milk and cookies for a snack. 

“Wow,” said the friend, “these are warm!” 

This young boy was probably about ten years old, but he had never tasted a homemade cookie before. As someone who has grown up on her mother's and grandmother's cookies (as my thighs will attest) I couldn't fathom anyone not having a similar experience. At that moment I vowed to share the love and made a batch of homemade cookies every week.

As a consequence, Mr. O-P, who came along about this time, blames his love for cookies on me. It seemed that homemade cookies proved even more irresistible than I did, and he headed straight for the cookie jar every time he came to pick me up for a date. That old adage about the way to a man's heart being through his stomach is well tested and proved by me.

Though it's hard to believe that life is more complicated these days than it was then, when I was raising two boys, involved in all of their school and extracurricular activities, and working, my weekly cooking and baking has fallen off. This has sent Mr. O-P, more than once, to the cookie aisle at the local market. For a guy who never ate cookies before he got involved with me, he has now become a bit of an expert.

The other day he came home with a bag of Keebler Toffee Shortbread cookies. Not a fan of any packaged cookie (Pepperidge Farm notwithstanding), I have to say these weren't bad. They also gave me the idea to create my own version using a favorite recipe for shortbread, adding in toffee chips, and decorating them up a bit with a drizzle or two of chocolate. This idea turned out to be nothing short of brilliant! These cookies are great (sorry, Keebler!). I was afraid of adding too many toffee bits and making them crumbly, so just used 1/2 cup, but the next time I'm going to go for broke and add 3/4 cup. I'll let you know what happens.Toffee Shortbread Cookies
3/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup Heath toffee bits (not the chocolate coated kind)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350º F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until combined thoroughly. Add the vanilla and toffee bits and beat to combine. Sift together the flour and salt (I just place a sieve over the mixer bowl), and add to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Empty contents onto a surface covered with a large piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a flat disk. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Remove dough from fridge, and roll 1/4-inch thick.  Cut with the cookie cutter of your choice. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 22 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature before removing to a wire rack.

Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired.

This post is linked to:

Home and Garden Thursday

Home Sweet Home

Full Plate Thursday

Friday Finds

Show and Tell Friday 

Friday Unfolded
Fridays Flash Blog
Simple and Sweet Fridays

Foodie Friday & Everything Else

What To Do Weekend 
The Weekend re-Treat

Maple Leaf Cookies

October is my favorite cookie baking month.  It is cool enough to be able to use the oven without sweltering, and it’s far enough away from the holiday season to not be frantic.  I like to bake when I’m relaxed and can actually enjoy the process.  These cookies have become a bit of a fall tradition for me because they are so easy and so much fun to make.  I like to use a shortbread dough, the recipe of which I’ve posted before, it’s Ina’s, and that woman really knows her shortbread!  It is an easy dough to work with, cuts like a dream, and leaves (if you'll pardon the pun) nice edges.

Maple Leaf Cookies

3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a lightly floured board and divide into 3 sections.  Using Soft Gel Paste Food Color dye each portion of dough to the intensity that you desire. Form each colored piece of dough into a disk.  Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Remove dough from fridge. Tear each color of dough into four parts and fling them with reckless abandon onto a lightly floured cutting board. 

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a Maple Leaf Cookie Cutter. Gather up the scraps and roll again.  Each time you do this you'll get a new combination of colors.  Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges barely begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

This post is linked to:
Seasonal Sunday
Metamorphosis Monday
Sunday's Best Party
Foodie Friday
Sweets for a Saturday