Halloween Candy Cookie Bars
November 3rd 2020
Cookies, Dessert, Snack, Seasonal, Baking, Candy, Recipe
These cookie bars nail all the qualities that make cookies so great. They have a chewy yet soft center, are LOADED with so many different types of chocolate candy bars.. But most of all, the bars are ADDICTIVE. Seriously, it's impossible to have just one.
Halloween just passed and you probably have a surplus of candy just laying around... tempting you to indulge. If you are anything like me, you may have even been sampling the goods way before the 31st. My leftover chocolate mix includes classics like Oh Henry, Reese Peanut Butter Cups, Caramilk, Peanut M&M's and Crispy Crunch. Chop these delicious snacks up into bite-sized pieces and place them in the freezer to bring their temperature down while you make the dough. This little trick is a great way to keep the candy chunks intact during the long bake time since they will take longer to heat up and melt.
Since there are so many different mixed boxes of Halloween candies out there, don't sweat it if you have a different mix. It's less important which snack-sized candies and bars you use as long as you stick to chocolate varieties. Just swap out an equivalent amount of candies based on what you have on hand to work with.
Using parchment paper as a liner for baking pans can sometimes be a little annoying. It tends to shift around and not contour around the edges as well as aluminum. The trick to make it stick? Cooking spray! Just spray all the sides of the baking dish and press the parchment paper down. Make sure to leave some excess parchment paper on the sides. These make great handles for removing the bars once they’ve finished baking. Once the dish is lined scoop the dough out and distribute it across the dish. Using a spatula or spoon spread it out in an even layer. Optional: Use a clean hand to smooth the dough out further.
When it comes to baking, things can get a little dicey. Some ovens run hotter. The material of the baking dish can also change things slightly during the cooking process. So keep an eye on your bars while they bake. When they have a golden-brown top, feel free to place an aluminum cover over the dish to prevent them from over browning. They may look done, but the center is still undercooked so don't be fooled and pull them out early.
As always, presentation is important. Reserve two thirds a cup of the chopped candies to be pressed on top of the cookie dough. This is a great way to show off all the different types of chocolate bars contained within. Press the pieces on top of the just baked cookie bars as soon as it has been removed from the oven. Why add the pieces of chocolate bars after baking instead of before? The heat will affect how the chocolate bars look. The chocolate will bubble, losing it’s smooth and shiny appearance. The m&m’s will bleed their colour into the surrounding dough. The bars will still taste great! However, the top appearance won’t look as pretty as it could. So reserve some of the chocolate bar pieces to press into the freshly baked bars instead.
Be patient! I know it smells amazing and all but if you try to use the parchment paper sides to lift it from the dish while still warm it WILL crack. Wait for it to cool and set completely before removing it from the dish and cutting it into squares.
Store the bars in an air-tight container at room temperature and enjoy them while still fresh for the next 2-3 days.
I don't know what it is about next day cookies that makes them So. Much. Better. These bars are no exception. The chewy factor is tripled and somehow that takes these leftover cookie bars from addictive to “Oops, I've just eaten half the container”. Sinfully good.
Ingredients:
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2 1/2 cups snack-sized candy bars, chopped
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3 cups all-purpose flour (436g)
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1 tsp pink himalayan salt
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3/4 tsp baking soda
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1 cup unsalted butter
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1 cup white granulated sugar
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1 cup light-brown sugar, lightly packed
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3 large eggs
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1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.2. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. The spray will help the paper adhere to the contours of the dish. Leave some overhang for easy removal.
3. Place candy bar pieces in a bowl in the freezer until ready to add to the dough.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
5. In a large stand mixer, beat the butter with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes on medium speed.
6. Add the sugar to the butter and beat on low, gradually increasing the speed until the butter mixture is light and fluffy (2-4 minutes). Scrape down the sides a few times to make sure every part of the butter and sugar is mixed thoroughly.
7. Add the eggs and vanilla to the batter. Mix for another minute.
8. On low mixing speed, gradually add the flour mixture a bit at a time, upping the speed after each addition until it is all combined before lowering it again. .
9. Add 2 cups of the chopped candy bars and mix in for 10-15 seconds.
10. Transfer cookie dough to the prepared dish in large spoonfuls. Press down until it covers the whole dish in an even layer.
11. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The top of the cookie bars should be a deep golden-brown colour. If the top is starting to brown too much, cover the top of the dish with aluminum.
12. Remove from the oven and immediately press the remaining half cup of chocolate bar pieces into the top of the dough. Let the bars cool completely before removing from the dish. Use the parchment paper sides to lift the bars out of the dish to a cutting board.
13. Using a large knife, cut into squares and store in a container.