How to Make Bar Cookie Recipes (2024)

I learned how to make bar cookie recipes many years ago; they are some of my favorites and they areeasy to make cookies since you can bake them in one pan. When in a hurry it saves so much time by not having to make individual cookies. I also love to eat bar cookies; they are some of the most delicious when it comes to flavor.

As I was learning how to make bar cookie recipes I found that most start with some kind of a base;sometimes it might be a plain shortbread dough, oatmeal or chocolate base.Multiple layers make up a blend of different flavors. This is why there arehundreds of different recipes; some very similar and others very different.

A simple dough base of flour, sugar and butter produces arich tender shortbread. A few drops of vanilla, almond or rum extract will giveadditional flavor. You can also add chocolate to this mixture to make a chocolatebase or oatmeal for oatmeal crust. Rubbing the butter into the flour and sugar producesmoist crumbs that can be pressed in the bottom of a pan to make a crust.

I learned how to make my bar cookie recipes, for the most part, by baking the crust longenough just to set the crust. After baking the crust additional ingredients arelayered. These ingredients might be dried fruits, apricots, dates, figs, jams,nuts, raisins or custards. Many recipes require cooking this filling first butsome might be directly from a package or jar. Often on top of this fillinganother layer will be added such as crumbs, nuts or a frosting.

Most of you know how much I love cooking with sour cream;bar cookie recipes are no exception. The flavor which is added from the sourcream is just simply wonderful!

NOTE: Cutting bars is easier if you score the bars as soon as the pan comes out of the oven; when bars cool, cut along the scored lines.

HOW TO MAKE MAKE BAR COOKIE RECIPE withSOUR CREAM AND APPLE

• 2 Cups flour
• 2 Cups brown sugar
• ½ Cup softened butter
• 1 Cup chopped nuts
• 1 to 2 Teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• ½ Teaspoon salt
• 1 Cup sour cream
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Egg
• 2 Cups peeled, cored, finely chopped apples

Combine flour, brown sugar and butter; mix until finecrumbs.

Stir in nuts; press 2 ¾ cups of crumb mixture in bottom ofungreased 9 X 13 inch baking pan.

To the remaining crumb mixture add cinnamon, soda, salt,sour cream, vanilla and egg.

Blend mixture well and stir in apples’ spoon mixture evenlyover crumb base.

Bake in preheated oven at 350F degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

Cool before cutting.

SOUR CREAM RAISIN BARS RECIPE

• 1 Cup softened butter
• 1 Cup packed brown sugar
• 2 Cups flour
• 2 Cups quick cooking oats
• 1 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ Teaspoon salt
• 4 Beaten egg yolks
• 1 Cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 ½ Cups raisins
• 2 Cups sour cream

Cream butter and sugar; combine flour, oats, baking powder,soda and salt and add to creamed mixture.

Blend mixture until crumbly; reserve 2 cups of crumbmixture.

Pat remaining crumbs in bottom of greased 9 X 13 inch bakingpan.

Bake in preheated oven at 350F degrees for 15 minutes; cool.

Combine in saucepan the egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, cornstarch,raisins and sour cream.

Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened; pour andspread over baked crust.

Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top of cooked mixture; bake 15minutes.

Cool and cut into bars.

DREAM BARS RECIPE

• 1 ¼ Cups flour
• ½ Cup sugar
• ½ Cup softened butter
• ¾ Cup sugar (MIX ½ CUP BROWN SUGAR PLUS ¼ CUP WHITE SUGAR)
• 1 Cup milk
• 1 Cup sour cream
• 3 Eggs
• ½ Teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ Teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ Teaspoon salt
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Cup raisins
• ½ Cup chopped nuts
• ½ Cup shredded coconut

Combine flour, ½ cup sugar and softened butter; blend untilcrumbly.

Press into lightly greased 9 inch square baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven at 350F degrees for 12 to 15 minutesor until edges are lightly browned.

Beat together mixed sugars, milk, sour cream, eggs,cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla.

Fold in raisins, coconut and chopped nuts; pour over crustand return to oven.

Bake about 40 minutes or until knife inserted comes outclean.

Filling may puff during baking but will drop during cooling.

Cool and cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BARS

• 1 Cup flour
• ¼ Cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup cubed butter

Filling

• ½ Cup seedless raspberry jam
• 4 Ounces softened cream cheese
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 Cup white baking chips (Melted)

Glaze

• ¾ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 Tablespoons solid shortening

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Combine flour and powdered sugar in small bowl; cut in butter until crumbly.

Press into ungreased 9 inch square baking pan; bake 15 to 18 minutes to brown.

Spread jam over warm crust; mix filling.

In small bowl beat cream cheese and milk until creamy; beat in melted white chips.

Spread smooth mixture over the jam layer; cool completely then refrigerate 1 hour.

FOR GLAZE melt chocolate chips and shortening in microwave stir until smooth.

Spread glaze over the cold filling; refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Cut into bars; chill 1 hour longer until set.

Store in refrigerator.