Bars + Brownies Archives | The Vanilla Bean Blog

Soft Sugar Cookie Bars

Sarah Kieffer — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 20:44:59 +0000

Every winter holiday of my childhood involved a sugar cookie decorating day. Hours upon hours were spent decorating trays of cookies, each one unique (and often over decorated). While I loved spending quality time with my siblings sprinkling and frosting, there are times when throwing dough in a pan is so much easier. Sugar cookie bars are a streamlined version of the classic sugar cookie; baked up in a 9 by 13 in pan, they are delicious and much less time consuming. While this recipe is based off the Sugar Cookie recipe I have in 100 Cookies, these bar cookies are slightly different than a your average sugar cookie: they have a more chew in the center, and the frosting keeps them soft and tender. My heart has plenty of room for both the classic cookie and this modern variation, and I often make both for the holidays. My tips for making this recipe: Looking for a cookie not a bar? Try my Panettone Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Cardamom, or Pan-Banging Sugar Cookies.

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Chewy Snickerdoodle Bars

Sarah Kieffer — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 18:04:55 +0000

I didn’t grow up eating Snickerdoodles. In fact, the first time I ever tried one was in my twenties; a colleague had made them for a work meeting, and I was instantly smitten with their crackly, spiced tops and chewy centers. The most traditional recipes use shortening in the dough and of course, cream of tartar, which gives them their “tangy” flavor. My cookie version of the recipe (found in my cookbook 100 Cookies) is what I make every year around the holidays, but this year I decided to shake things up and bake them in bar form. I am happy to report that snickerdoodle bars are delicious, and I just might prefer them over the traditional cookie. I have tweaked my original recipe a bit – there is a little less butter, and I’ve added a pinch of nutmeg to the dough which really adds a lot of good flavor. Traditional snickerdoodle recipes call for shortening, and I’ve kept a little in the recipe to help keep the integrity of the cookie texture. The shortening helps with thickness, and helps keep the bars tender. Baking them in a square pan also saves quite a bit of time, and adds […]

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Scotcharoo Blondie Bars

Sarah Kieffer — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 17:54:06 +0000

I am sharing today another new recipe from 100 Afternoon Sweets! This might just be my favorite recipe from the new book. I do know that my family is addicted to them, and I fear you will be, too. They combine the perfect crunch and peanut butter flavor of a Scotcharoo bar with the gooey, brown-sugary goodness of a blondie bar. (Also: Minneapolis friends! Join me at the LynHall to celebrate the launch of 100 Afternoon Sweets on October 3rd!) What are Scotcharoos? Scotcharoos are essentially an over-the-top Rice Krispy bar: instead of marshmallows, the crispy base is filled with butter, peanut butter, and butterscotch, and then topped with a thick layer of chocolate. Rumor has it that the recipe first appeared on a Rice Krispies box in the 1960’s, and they are still a midwest classic. They showed up at many a pot luck in my youth, and most the coffee houses I worked at sold them in thick squares. Inspiration for Scotcharoo Blondies While I do have a recipe for straight-up Scotcharoos in 100 Cookies, I wanted to take them a step further. I was inspired by Dominque Ansel’s caramelized puffed rice; in his book Everyone Can Bake […]

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Layered Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies

Sarah Kieffer — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 14:22:17 +0000

These decadent Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies come from my 100 Cookies cookbook, and I couldn’t resist baking them in the shape of a heart for Valentine’s Day. Peanut butter and chocolate go together like eggs and bacon, macaroni and cheese, coffee and doughnuts; maybe even Romeo and Juliet. It’s a favorite combination, and the perfect way to celebrate any holiday. The layers are comprised of My Favorite Brownie recipe as the base, a creamy peanut butter filling with cacoa nibs for crunch, and a smooth, glossy chocolate ganache. The cacao nibs add both a bitter note that offsets the sweetness and richness of the chocolate and peanut butter, and a much-needed crunch. My favorite brownies have a deep chocolate flavor, slightly chewy texture (a nod to the boxed brownies of my youth), and beautiful shiny top. Each bite has the best brownie elements – chewy, fudgy, and chocolate heaven. They also make a great Marshmallow Swirl Brownie. How to Make Layered Peanut Butter Brownies: More Brownie Recipes:

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Peppermint Hot Chocolate Brownies

Sarah Kieffer — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:06:25 +0000

I am a big fan of peppermint and chocolate during the Holiday season (my Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Cake is always enjoyed), as chocolate and mint have always been a favorite combination in the cold winter months. I like to include some kind of brownie in my cookie gift boxes, and decided to experiment with a Hot Chocolate version, full of chocolate, mint, and marshmallow. After much testing, I decided to use my Cakey Brownies from 100 Cookies as the base; they are less rich than My Favorite Brownies so they work well with added ingredients. I added both a milk chocolate ganache and marshmallow fluff swirl, and then topped everything off with a dark chocolate drizzle and crushed peppermint. Flavor Components of Peppermint Hot Chocolate Brownies: The quality of the chocolate is the result of Ghirardelli’s commitment to control all steps of the chocolate-making process, from roasting the cocoa beans, to refining the product for smoothness and well-balanced flavor. In addition, the company understands that sustainable sourcing and knowing the origins of the cocoa beans speaks to the quality of the finished product. How to Store Brownies: Store brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to […]

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Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Sarah Kieffer — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:12:35 +0000

When I asked what kind of pie is on your holiday tables in December, you had so many delicious suggestions. Chocolate and pecan, in their many different variations, were the most mentioned. So that’s where I found inspiration for these bars, which are easy to make and everything you love about pecan pie, with the addition of a rich chocolate layer, and sweetened condensed milk (no corn syrup) poured over the top before baking. The simple pat-in-the-pan crust has pecans in it as well for depth of flavor, and lard makes it very flaky. I find pie bars to be less intimidating than making pie, and the results are just as delicious. I decided to streamline a typical pecan pie by making a pat-in-the-pan pie crust, using sweetened condensed milk for rich flavor, and adding a single egg to help bind the filling and slightly lightening the rich condensed milk. Bourbon is optional, but also helps cut the sweetness and adds great flavor. Additionally, these bars pack well for holiday cookie boxes. Lard Makes Great Pie Crusts Lard has a lot of advantages in pastry making. It’s ideal for pie crusts (sweet or savory), as it makes a great non-hydrogenated alternative […]

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Raspberry Rhubarb Streusel Pie Bars

Sarah Kieffer — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 11:43:13 +0000

I’ve always loved using rhubarb as an introduction to Spring baking, and these bars hit all the right notes. You get this amazing contrast between the sweet, jammy raspberries and the tangy bite of rhubarb, which keeps every bite from being too sweet. The easy, press-in crust has an oat base that holds everything together, a sweet-tart, jammy filling, topped with a golden, crumbly streusel that adds just the perfect amount of crunch. When this is in the oven, the whole kitchen smells incredible. These bars are delicious on their own, but I’ll never turn down a dollop of fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. More Rhubarb Recipes:

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Brown Butter Brownie Cookies

Sarah Kieffer — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 14:47:45 +0000

I love Brownie Cookies (and brownies!), and was excited to try this brown butter version from Jesse Szewczyk’s new book, Cookies: The New Classics. “Bittersweet chocolate, nutty brown butter, and molasses-y dark brown sugar meld together to create the ultimate brownie cookies that is fudgy, dense, chewy, and pleasantly bitter.” Brownie cookies emulate a regular brownie with rich chocolate flavor and a fudge-like center. Jesse writes that “[t]he key to getting the dramatic cracks on top is to be patient and whip the eggs until they are pale and ribbony, and then work quickly so the melted chocolate doesn’t cool before the cookies go into the oven.” My kids proclaimed them absolutely delicious and I had to hide them from myself. I am a firm believer that there is room for all the cookbooks and all the cookie recipes in the world, so I was excited to see Jesse’s new book on Cookies! It is a beautiful collection, and I am excited to bake more from it: the Malted Mudpie Whoopie Pies and Minty Shortbread Sandwich Cookies are top on my list. More Cookie Recipes: Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies Neapolitan Cookies

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(Almost) No-Bake Cheesecake Bars with Cranberry Red Wine Swirl

Sarah Kieffer — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 18:50:37 +0000

These delicious no-bake cheesecake bars have a graham cracker crust with a cool and creamy filling that sets in the refrigerator, swirled with an amazing cranberry red wine quick jam. I’ve made many variations of these almost no-bake cheesecake bars, but this cranberry red wine swirl variation has become a favorite during the cooler months when fresh cranberries are in season. They’re simmered with red wine (you could substitute with water or cranberry juice if you prefer), cinnamon, and sugar to create a delicious quick jam. The red wine and cranberries compliment each other perfectly, and there is just a hint of cinnamon to add a spicy warmth. The filling is based on the Cherry Red Wine Cheesecake Bars from 100 Cookies, but I went with a no-bake cheesecake in this version to make things simple. The secret to no-bake cheesecake is using a combination of cream cheese and heavy cream, creating a cool and creamy filling that sets easily in the refrigerator. The graham cracker crust only needs to bake a few minutes, just to ensure it’s crisp, and provides a sturdy base for the cheesecake. Best Way to Make Graham Cracker Crumbs: The easiest way to make graham cracker crumbs is to throw […]

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9 Brownie Recipes You Need To Make

Sarah Kieffer — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 21:44:56 +0000

Brownies are the truest form of comfort, right next to my pan-banging chocolate chip cookies. They can be made via many different techniques and ingredients, but the 7 recipes that follow are my favorite iterations. Most of them are based on my Favorite Brownie Recipe, which I’m highly devoted to. Imagine if boxed brownies and all their chewy goodness were actually chocolatey and delicious. That’s these! Secrets to Great Brownies What Ingredients Make Brownies Fudgy You’ll notice in my Chewy, Fudgy Brownies, there is a higher fat to flour ratio, which means BOTH butter and oil to a small amount of flour. And there’s just a tiny bit of baking powder for leavening, to keep them from becoming cakey.

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