S'mores Cookie Bars

Let's be honest.
I find any excuse to make these cookies.
I'm obsessed. It might be a bit out of control.
But just make these and you'll understand what I'm talking about. Come be obsessed with me. We'll make each other feel better.
A bonus to these delicious treats is that they mail well. I've made them several times to mail across the States and the feedback has been nothing short of fantastic.
Just do yourself a favor and go make these. Right now.
S'mores Cookie Bars
Adapted from Teacher by Day, Chef by Night

• 11 tablespoons of butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 3/4 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 Hershey's bar, chopped into pieces
• 1 1/2- 2 packages of graham crackers, broken into pieces

Preheat oven to 375.
Beat butter and sugars until smooth. Add egg whites and vanilla. Mix in baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flour until dough forms. Add mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. Chill dough for about 20 minutes.
Grease a baking pan. Line with the broken graham cracker pieces, covering the whole pan. Once dough is chilled, scoop tablespoonfuls onto graham cracker pieces.

Bake for about 7 minutes then take the pan out of the oven and place the broken pieces of the chocolate bar evenly over the dough. Place back in oven for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool completely. Slice and enjoy!

White Chocolate Seven Layer Bars

These are magical. That's the only way to describe these bars. I'm sure you've heard of the traditional seven layer bar. It's a classic. A delicious classic. But these take that to the next level.
Make these, cut them into circles with a cup, stand at the counter and eat the left over edges.
Calories don't count when you're standing up, right?
....
I thought so.

White Chocolate Seven Layer Bars
Adapted from Love From the Oven

• 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 1/4 cup flaked coconut
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350.
Place the butter in a 13x9 pan and place in the oven to melt while the oven preheats.
Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the melted butter. Press down. Pour the condensed milk over the graham cracker crumbs. Sprinkle the white chocolate chips and nuts over the condensed milk. Lastly, sprinkle the coconut. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove from oven and let cool for 30-45 minutes. Cut and enjoy.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

I woke up this morning with one extremely swollen eye. Nothing but a sliver of vision. This has happened for the past 3 days. Today, I also decided, after almost a year of thinking on the matter, to start a baking blog.
What these two things have in common?
I have no idea.
But here we are. I have a stye in my eye and look like a pirate with an eye patch so therefore I decided to bake up some bars.
There just something about bars. They're so easy to make yet so delicious. These bars were simply inspired by my love for chocolate, coconut and oatmeal. Together, they make one yummy treat.
These are just the right amount of sweetness and have a cake-like texture with a bit of chewiness from the oatmeal and coconut.
Now go make some bars, watch a scary movie and put a warm rag on your swollen eye.
But maybe not the last part.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

• 1/2 cup butter or 1 stick at room temperature
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup oats
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• half a bar of a Hershey's milk chocolate candy bar (chopped)

Preheat oven to 350.
Beat together the butter and sugars in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time followed by the vanilla and coconut extracts. Next add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, oats and shredded coconut all at once to the butter mixture. Mix until well combined.

Then add the chocolate chips, cranberries and chopped up candy bar.

Transfer mixture to an 8x8 greased pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cool for 20 minutes and serve.