Fully Loaded Cookie Bars

Amarante

Thu, Mar 30 2023, 1:07 pm

FULLY LOADED COOKIE BARS

Excerpt From: Paula Shoyer - The New Passover Menu
{ gluten-free }

MAKES 24 (2-INCH/4.5-CM) SQUARE BARS OR 49 (1 X 3-INCH/2.5 X 7.5-CM) BARS

PREP TIME 15 minutes
BAKE TIME 30–35 minutes
ADVANCE PREP May be made 5 days in advance or frozen

EQUIPMENT Measuring cups and spoons • Cutting board • Knives • 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) baking pan (for best results, don’t use a disposable pan) • Electric mixer or wooden spoon • Large mixing bowl • Silicone spatula

I am declaring this the official snack bar of the Passover holiday because these bars make everyone happy. First, the ends are crunchy if you like crisp cookies to dunk in milk, and the middle is chewy if you like a gooey cookie. Next, you can vary these cookie bars in so many ways. Don’t like coconut or raisins? Leave them out. Love chocolate? Reduce the chopped nuts and substitute some more chocolate chips. Start with the base recipe the first time you make them and then vary the add-ins as you like. In any case, you will want to make these cookie bars more than once over the holiday.

VANILLA SUGAR

If you cannot find vanilla sugar, you can make your own by placing a whole vanilla bean inside a container or jar with 2 cups of sugar. You can also use regular sugar plus 1 teaspoon vanilla. (There is no pure vanilla extract for Passover.)

1½ cups (300g) sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing pan
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar (see box, Vanilla Sugar)
3¼ cups (390g) ground almonds (see box, Ground Nuts)
¼ cup (40g) potato starch
1 cup (180g) mini chocolate chips, or 1 bag (10-ounce/280-g) chocolate chips
⅓ cup (40g) pecans, chopped into ½-inch (12-mm) pieces
⅓ cup (40g) shelled pistachios, chopped into ½-inch (12-mm) pieces
⅓ cup (40g) walnuts, chopped into ½-inch (12-mm) pieces
⅓ cup (30g) dried shredded coconut
⅓ cup (55g) golden raisins
⅓ cup (45g) dried cranberries

PREHEAT oven to 375°F (190°C).

GREASE a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) baking pan with oil and press in a piece of parchment paper to cover the bottom and sides. Grease the top and sides of the parchment.

IN A LARGE BOWL, beat the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed, or mix well with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the ground almonds and potato starch and mix well. Add the chocolate chips, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, coconut, raisins, and cranberries and mix to distribute.

SCOOP the dough into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are brown and when you insert a toothpick into the center, it has just a few crumbs on it. Let cool. Lift out the parchment and then cut into squares or bars.