Chocolate cookie bars

Chocolate Cookie Bars

These cookie bars may not look out of the ordinary, but looks can be deceiving.  Trust me.  The fact that I can’t stop eating them, just proves that these are far from average.   They are totally rocking my world this week and have gotten rave reviews from the kids in my life.  In fact, Sam’s best friend has insisted that I get a cooking show and bake these first thing.  Ha!

Let me tell you what you’re looking at here.  First, there’s a chocolate butter cookie layer, then a thick layer of chocolate fudgy goodness, topped with any and all of your favorites.  I chose to go all chocolate peppermint with these by adding crushed peppermint sandwich cookies to the top and bottom layers, and peppermint extract to the middle layer.  If peppermint’s not your thing, how about trying my other favorite combination – chocolate and peanut butter.  Adding peanut butter chips or crushed peanut butter filled cookies would be awesome.  You’re a chocolate purist?  Skip the crushed cookies and go for candy bar pieces or extra chocolate chunks on top.  Or how about crushed nuts?  The possibilities are truly endless, and the results are de-li-cious!

{one year ago:  whole wheat pumpkin muffins w/ cream cheese glaze}
{two years ago:  chocolate butter cake}

Recipe:  Chocolate Cookie Bars

(inspired by Hershey’s Kitchens)

1 3/4 c. flour

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 cups chopped peppermint filled chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, divided

1 c. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into chunks

2 c. chocolate chips, semisweet or dark, divided

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×13″ baking pan with parchment paper or foil.

In the bowl of your food processor (or in a regular mixing bowl), add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and 1/4 c. chopped peppermint sandwich cookies.  *I added the peppermint cookies to carry the peppermint flavor throughout.  You can feel free to skip this addition.* Cut in butter by pulsing until crumbly.  (If working by hand, use your fingers or a pastry cutter until mixture is dry and crumbly.)  Press firmly into bottom of baking pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, gently heat sweetened condensed milk and 1 c. of chocolate chips.  Stir frequently, until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth and creamy.  Remove from heat and stir in extracts.  *If you aren’t making these bars peppermint-flavored, skip the peppermint extract.* Remove pan from oven after 15 minutes and pour melted chocolate mixture over the cookie crust.  Spread evenly.  Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips and crushed cookies.** Press down gently on toppings.  Return pan to oven and bake an additional 20 minutes or until set.  Transfer to wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares or bars.

**Toppings are only limited by your taste buds and include:  flavored morsels, chopped candy bars, crushed cookies, and/or chopped nuts.

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