Our Most Decadent Bar Cookie Recipes Ever

Southern Living Cowgirl Cookie Bars on a platter to serve


Photo:

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Bar cookies are a particular category of dessert. If a cookie and

sheet cake

combine, these hand-held treats made to grab and go—or bake and take—are the result. Come the holiday season in the South, bar cookies filled with butterscotch, chocolate, and caramel are delivered in batches upon batches of food gift tins. In the summertime, jammy

fruit bar cookies

fill every family cookout table when a layer cake won’t do.




So if you’re as crazy about bar cookies as we are, look to these ultra-decadent bar cookies to see you through every month of the year, whether starting with buttery pineapple-studded bars, old-fashioned Hello Dolly bars, or super chocolatey

peanut butter

bars. These are 35 of our most beloved bar cookie recipes ever.


01


of 35



Charleston Chewies

Southern Living Charleston Chewies cut on a plate to serve with a glass of milk

Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely


Requiring only six ingredients, this South Carolina treat is one of our favorite easy bars. The pecan-studded recipe comes from Gullah Geechee cuisine, and many recipes for the confection have been passed down over generations from their enslaved ancestors.


02


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Peanut Butter-Banana Blondies

Southern Living Peanut Butter Banana Blondies

Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely


The secret to these perfectly moist blondies? Would you believe that it’s a good bit of mayo…The rich condiment is good for so much more than sandwiches.


03


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Scotcheroos

Southern Living Scotcheroos on a platter to serve

Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen


This is not your average cereal bar. Made from puffed rice cereal, butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and semisweet chocolate chips, this decadent treat feels extra special but is still super simple to make.


04


of 35



Chocolate Chip Blondies

Southern Living Chocolate Chip Blondies sliced and ready to serve

Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel


Sweet, dense, chewy, and crisp these bars have it all. The flaky sea salt on top can be left off, but trust us when we say it’s the perfect finishing touch for a balanced bite.


05


of 35



Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley


Graham cracker crumbs and pretzels form the base of these gooey bars, which are then topped with a silky cheesecake layer, a cinnamon apple layer, and a final drizzle of caramel.


06


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Creamy Peach Pie Bars

Southern Living Creamy Peach Pie Bars sliced and ready to serve

Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley


Think of these bars as a cross between a cheesecake and a peach cobbler. Juicy bourbon-soaked peaches pair wonderfully with the rich cream cheese filling. The only hard part is waiting for these bars to set in fridge, but properly chilling them is a must.


07


of 35



Peanut Butter Fingers

Southern Living Peanut Butter Fingers sliced and on a platter to serve

Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen


« These are amazing! Great for packing in lunches. They’re soft, chewy, rich, and perfectly balanced! » writes one

Southern Living

reader of these bars.


08


of 35



Cowgirl Cookie Bars

Southern Living Cowgirl Cookie Bars on a platter to serve

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


If you love

Cowboy Cookies

, then you’ll love this riff on them loaded with pecans, coconut, and lots of chocolate chips.


09


of 35



Atlantic Beach Pie Bars

Atlantic Beach Pie Bars - Southern Living

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox



Atlantic Beach Pie

is easily one of our most popular pie recipes and for good reason. This bar version of the classic recipe makes it easier to serve to a crowd.


10


of 35



Hello Dolly Bars

Hello Dolly Bars - Southern Living

Courtney West


Perhaps the most decadent bar cookies ever, Hello Dolly Bars start with a can of condensed milk. Then you stir in pecans, chocolate morsels, and coconut. Full of texture and sweet and salty flavors, it’s obvious why they are a longtime crowd-pleaser.


11


of 35



No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Southern Living Peanut Butter Bars cut on a plate to serve with a glass of milk

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


When you really want to impress at a party or bake sale, try these incredible peanut butter bars topped with chocolate. A serrated knife is the best tool for making neat slices.


12


of 35



Triple-Decker Saltine Toffee Bars

Triple-Decker Saltine Toffee Bars

Triple-Decker Saltine Toffee Bars


One look at these mouthwatering bars and you’d never guess that they are no bake. Layers of saltines and toffee are topped off with milk chocolate and flaky salt for a treat that will appeal to adults and kids alike. These bars are a bit sticky, so cut into them with a knife rinsed in hot water between slices.


13


of 35



Sugar Cookie Bars

Southern Living Sugar Cookie Bars cut with sprinkles on top ready to serve

Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Frosted sugar cookies are fun, but these sugar cookie bars are much easier. You simple make a tray of sugar cookies, add buttercream frosting, and sprinkle any fun candies you like.


14


of 35



Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Blueberry Breakfast Bars


Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Loren Wood; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

With a jammy sweet-tart middle and nutty oatmeal crumble on top, these breakfast bars are an incredible way to start the day.


15


of 35



Buttery Pineapple Crumble Bars

Buttery Pineapple Crumble Bars


Antonis Achilleos

The name says it all. Enjoy the caramel sweetness of a pineapple upside-down cake, but in buttery hand-held form. A crumbly almond topping is the perfect match for the juicy fruit filling.


16


of 35



Milk-And-Cereal Bars

Southern Living Milk and Cereal Bars ready to serve with bowls of cereal nearby

Molly Bolton


Delight the kids in your life (or those grown-up kids at heart) with these adorable cereal bars. Choose from Honey Nut Cheerios, Froot Loops, or Cinnamon Toast Crunch and bake up a batch—or two!


17


of 35



Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars

Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars


Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Blueberries and lemon make a delicious duo, especially in these impressively thick bars. A crunchy top and bottom layer contrast nicely with the soft, jammy filling. Think of it as a fruit crisp in cookie form.


18


of 35



Magic Cookie Bars

magic cookie bars


Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis

You might recognize these from your grandmother’s kitchen. And if you don’t, they are a melt-in-your-mouth chocolate-coconut dream. Even better, you can make these cookie bars custom to your preferences by substituting walnuts for pecans or white or dark chocolate for bittersweet chocolate.


19


of 35



Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars

Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars


Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Banana pudding is a classic dessert, so try this twist by combining it with another crowd-favorite, cheesecake. The custardy flavors pair perfectly with the brown butter-vanilla wafer crust. Leave enough time in your preparations for these bars to chill correctly.


20


of 35



Carrot Cake Bars

Carrot Cake Bars


Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Karen Rankin

Love carrot cake, but don’t have time (or the inclination) to make and frost all those layers? This recipe is made for you. All of the traditional ingredients are there: carrots, pineapple, raisins, walnuts, and a rich cream cheese frosting to top it all off.


21


of 35



Cappuccino Swirl Bars

Cappuccino Swirl Bars


Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Get your caffeine fix an even sweeter way. These bars may look fancy, but they only require 15 minutes of hands-on time to make—the rest is just chilling time. Store-bought wafer cookies are the secret to the chocolatey crust. Make the bars up to three days in advance and keep them refrigerated until you are ready to serve.


22


of 35



No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars

No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars


Iain Bagwell

Don’t even bother turning on the oven. These ooey, gooey, caramelly layered bars are completely no-bake. The most complicated part of this recipe is combining the cream and sugar when making the toffee mixture, be mindful not to let it boil.


23


of 35



Chocolate Peanut Butter-Fudge Bars

Peanut Butter-Fudge Bars


Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Peanut butter and chocolate together is a tale as old as time, and these bars give you the perfect amount of each. Wait until the top layer of chocolate firms up to get the best slice. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.


24


of 35



Cherry Pie Bars

Cherry Pie Bars


Greg DuPree

We took an all-American cherry pie and turned it into a soft, cakey bar. After baking the bottom layer for about 25 minutes, spread the cherry filling evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the filling with the chopped pecans and flour mixture and cook until golden brown.


25


of 35



Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan Pie Bars - Southern Living

Hannah Zimmerman


These gooey cookies are so good, they might just replace the usual pecan pie on your holiday table. The bars are baked in a 13- x 9-inch casserole dish. If you’re bringing them to a gathering, keep them in the pan and slice them up when you’re ready to serve.


26


of 35



Luscious Lemon Bars

Southern Living Luscious Lemon Bars cut and ready to serve

Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke


You can’t go wrong with a traditional lemon bar. The buttery crust makes the perfect pairing with the tart filling.


27


of 35



Coconut Cheesecake Squares

Coconut Cheesecake Squares


Southern Living

Flaky coconut meets tangy cheesecake for a sweet treat everyone will request again and again. Coconut, lemon, and lime add tropical notes, and chopped and toasted macadamia nuts make the perfect finishing touch.


28


of 35



Spiced Pecan Pie Bars

Spiced Pecan Pie Bars


Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Ground cinnamon and ginger liven up the traditional pecan pie filling in these amazing bars. Substitute store-bought pie dough to make these treats come together even faster.


29


of 35



Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars


Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Tangy, sweet cheesecake gets even more company-worthy with a bold berry topping and an easily portable bar shape. For the prettiest topping, use a knife to gently spread the fruit purees into swirls. Bake these bars up to two days in advance for easy party preparation.


30


of 35



Brown Butter Blondies

Best Brown Butter Blondies


Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist Audrey Davis

Classic blondies get an easy upgrade—brown butter—in this fantastic recipe. Nutty, aromatic butter is heavenly when paired with vanilla, brown sugar, and plenty of chocolate.


31


of 35



Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Southern Living Peanut Butter Cheesecake Cookie Bars

Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Rebecca Cummins


These bars are for true peanut butter fans—there’s no chocolate or caramel in these bars to get in the way of the pure peanut flavor. Creamy cheesecake teams up with a tender cookie base to make one incredible bar.


32


of 35



Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

Southern Living Key Lime Cheesecake Bars cut and ready to serve

Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely


All the tangy, creamy goodness of Key lime pie that everyone loves, but in a more party-friendly package. These bars serve a larger crowd than a pie, and they’re easier to slice and transport.


33


of 35



Cranberry-Lemon Bars

Cranberry-Lemon Bars - Southern Living

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


These jazzed up lemon bars have a tart cranberry layer sandwiched in the middle, which complements the sweet and buttery crust and adds a pretty pop of color.


34


of 35



Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bars


Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Think of these bars as a cakier, sweeter version of pumpkin bread, then imagine a layer of cream cheese frosting, and a sprinkle of candied spiced pumpkin seeds. Make them for fall or whenever you’re in an autumnal mood.


35


of 35



Seven-Layer Cookies

7 layer cookies southern living

Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss


These old-fashioned bar cookies were the first ones featured in

Southern Living

magazine. You get all the good things: graham cracker crumbs, flaked coconut,

chocolate chips

, butterscotch chips, sweetened condensed milk, and chopped pecans.