Sunday, January 22, 2012

Something Sweet: Candy Bar Cookies

This recipe is one of our Christmas staples, but until this Christmas I don't think I've ever helped make it, start to finish. I know I've helped unwrap the caramels and sprinkle chocolate chips before, but this was the year I learned how to make it.

The first step of the layering is a little tricky because it's a little sticky. But oh the gooey goodness you get to eat when these are done baking. Completely worth spending a bit of your weekend to make.

Happy cooking!

ps- Things are getting bigger, per Aunt Becci's request. I suppose I read smaller than other people :)

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Candy Bar Cookies


Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 (14 oz) package soft caramels
cup evaporated milk
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla

Direction
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1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Unwrap the caramels and place them in a small saucepan with the evaporated milk. Cook on the stove over low heat until melted and smooth.
3. Meanwhile make the cookie crust. Combine flour, oats, soda and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter with a mixer for 30 seconds.
4. Add granulated sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in oat mixture just until crumbly. Do not overmix.
5. Reserve 1 cup of this crust mixture. Press the rest of the crumb mixture onto the bottom of a 13x9 inch nonstick pan using your hand. The mixture can be sticky, so it helps to spray your fingers with a bit of cooking spray first.
6. Bake the crumb mixture in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes.
7. Once the cookie crust are cool and the caramel is melted, spread the caramel over the cookie crust almost to the edge of the crust.
8. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and the reserved crumb mixture over the caramel.
9. Bake in the oven, still at 350, for 15 to 20 minutes until golden. Cool for 45 minutes.
10. Mix together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla to make a smooth glaze. Drizzle glaze over top of the cooled cookie.
11. Cut into bars and enjoy.

My mom pressing the cookie crumb mix into the pan.

The cookie mix should look like this after baked.

Sprinkling on the remaining cookie crumbs.

Look how pretty!

Drizzling the sugary glaze.

Happy cooking and eating!