the_rck: (Default)
the_rck ([personal profile] the_rck) wrote2012-12-05 09:01 am

(no subject)

Scott is really missing Christmas cookies. To be honest, I am too. It doesn't seem like the holidays without having three or four different kinds of cookies around all the time. The problem is that I can't manage cookies-- all the in and out of the oven, filling and emptying cookie sheets, wears me out until I can't stay upright any longer-- while Scott doesn't have time to make them. I have a zillion recipes. We just don't have the wherewithal to make them

I've been thinking, though-- I can make anything that is baked as one unit. I know that chocolate chip cookies can be baked that way and cut into bars. I can also make butterscotch brownies (though those tend to come out in such a way that they don't come out of the pan neatly). I'm trying to think of other things that can be baked as bars. After I get through this week and the book fair, I'll look at my copies of Joy of Cooking. I don't know what I'll find, but there's got to be something.

Anybody know any great recipes for bars or other things that don't require a lot of time on one's feet? I can't have walnuts or peanuts, but other nuts seem to be safe.
ext_418583: (Default)

[identity profile] rthstewart.livejournal.com 2012-12-05 02:59 pm (UTC)(link)
I have a zillion recipes for pans of bars -- all you usually need is a 13X9X2 pan. Some require the 15X10 which is the jelly roll pan. But really better than me listing what I like is to link you to my two go-to sources for cookies nowadays

King Arthur flour, http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cookies-bars-and-candy/brownies-and-bars

And BHG, http://www.bhg.com/recipes/desserts/cookies/bar-cookies/#page=1
and here,
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/searchResults.jsp?searchType=text&searchTerm=bar%20cookie


Now a lot of these recipes do have nuts -- they are a very common ingredient in bar recipes. I omit nuts all the time because my family isn't crazy about them. Or, because we like almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts, I'll used them rather than pecans or walnuts.

BHG has tons of cookie recipes so definitely check out their site. That one link is for their "favorite bar" cookies, but there are many, many others. Just search the site for "bar cookies" and you'll find no bake options, holiday options, and many, many, many others.
Shortbread is also an option.

I've loved most of the recipes from BHG -- nothing has ever gone badly. They do also have a basic brown sugar drop cookie recipe with add-ins that can be adapted to bars. You just mix up the brown sugar dough, add your stuff, and then pat it into a pan. Let me know if you have any questions!!
ext_418583: (Default)

[identity profile] rthstewart.livejournal.com 2012-12-05 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
If you like lemon bars, the Joy of Cooking does have a really good one that was probably my first bar cookie recipe after the Toll House Cookie mix it up and pat them into the pan. Speaking of, if you can eat M&Ms (no peanuts) you can mix up a batch of those cookies using M&Ms rather than chocolate chips (the recipe is on the bag) pat them into a pan and bake them. These are really popular with kids (and grown ups too)