Congo Squares

Looking through my recipe box I came across this recipe. This was a standard in my home growing up, Congo Squares. I don’t know it’s origin, but it was a go-to treat, made quite often. The butter and brown sugar gives off an amazing caramely (yes, a made up word but works in this case) aroma as it bakes and comes from the oven. Just seven ingredients lead to a delicious, cakey, chewy cookie bar. Nothing tricky or fancy, just an old time favorite that always pleases.

2¼ cups brown sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted
3 eggs
2¾ cups flour
2½ tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, by hand, mix brown sugar and melted butter. Add eggs, mix well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips (I used a mixture of dark, semi-sweet, and white, can add chopped nuts). Spread in sprayed 15″x10″ baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Mint Dream Cookies

Two Years Ago: Cream Cheese Sheet Cake

Three Years Ago: Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

I believe this is the first time I have ever used a cookies recipe that uses oil. I was curious. The end result is delicious, slightly crisp as you bite into it, then a tender chewy cookie on the inside. Simply yummy!

2½ cups flour
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup white chips
1 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with silpats or parchment. Stir together flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, cream butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar with electric mixer. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, mix well. Stir in butterscotch chips, white chips, and coconut. Drop by scoopfuls onto prepared baking sheets, press down slightly. Bake 9-10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

One Year Ago: Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Two Years Ago: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Three Years Ago: Hamwiches on Homemade Buns

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Chewy White Chocolate Graham Bars

These can be addicting, I had to give them away before there was need for an intervention!  The Golden Grahams turn chewy and then there’s the coconut…delicious flavors and wonderful chewy texture, love it.

3/4 cup butter
1½ cups white chocolate chips, divided
1½ cups flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1½ cups Golden Grahams cereal, crushed
1 cup coconut
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray a 9″×13″ pan with non-stick spray.  Place butter and 1 cup of white chocolate in a large saucepan.  Place saucepan over very low heat and stir mixture frequently. Remove from heat just as butter and white chocolate are almost melted, set aside for five minutes to cool.  In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, graham cereal, remaining 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, and coconut.  Add sugar to melted white chocolate mixture and stir to combine.  Add beaten eggs and vanilla to saucepan and stir until well combined.  Add flour mixture to white chocolate mixture.  Stir until just combined.  Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula or sprayed fingers.  Bake for about 25 minutes, it will be golden brown, and toothpick will come out clean when inserted in center.  Do not over bake.

One Year Ago Today:  Chocolate Cranberry Banana Bread

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware & kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

 

Little Bit of Everything Oatmeal Cookies

When you want to make cookies, you have to decide what kind to make.  Today I just could not decide, I felt like a little bit of everything.  I like the chewiness of oatmeal, I love coconut, gotta have chocolate (can’t decide, I’ll use white, milk, semi-sweet and dark), a little tart from cranberry, and crunch from nuts.  My 1/2 cup measuring cup was very busy today!

2 cups flour
1½ cups old fashioned oats
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375°.  In medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  In large bowl with electric mixer, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Mix dry ingredients into creamed mixture.  Stir in coconut, cranberries, white chips, milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chips, dark chocolate chips, and walnuts.  Drop by scoopfuls onto Silpat lined perforated sheet or cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes (I say 8-10 minutes, ovens differ, but in mine 8 minutes was just right, don’t want to overbake them).

One Year Ago Today:  Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as the Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Chewy Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Easter makes me think of many important things. One less important is coconut. I have also been craving a good chewy oatmeal cookie. Let’s combine those two thoughts, yes, wonderful.  So I started making the chewy coconut oatmeal cookies and in my pantry there was a lone half bag of butterscotch chips. Well, if I am going to add some chips, half a bag isn’t enough, we will need half a bag of white chocolate chips, perfect!

Chewy Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coconut
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter, shortening, and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, mix well. Add coconut and chips. Bake for 10 minutes or until barely golden. Remove from oven immediately, overcooked cookies won’t be chewy.

Dark Chocolate Cookies with Chips & Nuts

When you live in the Seattle area and it’s cloudy and raining, baking in a bright warm kitchen helps send the blues away. Dark Chocolate Cookies help too!

Dark Chocolate Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/3 cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
white chocolate chips, toffee bits, walnuts (I add whatever I am in the mood for at the time!)

Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients, mix well.  Add chips, bits and nuts.
Bake at 350° for 9-10 minutes.