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Betty Crocker picture cooky book

Chapter 12: BAR COOKIES
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About This Book

The collection compiles tested cookie recipes and illustrated step-by-step techniques, combining numerous preparations with how-to tips, success pointers, and practical illustrations. It begins with clear guidance on ingredient measurements, pan sizes, and essential utensils, then presents categorized recipes alongside troubleshooting notes and shortcuts. Emphasis on repeated kitchen testing and standardized methods aims to produce consistent results, while photographs and concise directions help bakers of varied experience prepare a broad variety of cookies reliably.

BAR COOKIES

Perennial favorites ...
cut in squares or bars.

HOW TO MAKE BAR COOKIES (preliminary steps on pp. 14-15)

1 Spread dough in greased pan and bake as directed.

2 Cut into squares or bars when slightly cool.

3 Remove from the pan with a wide spatula.

BROWNIES ( Recipe) Chewy, fudgy squares ... everyone loves them!

Melt together over hot water ...

  • 2 sq. unsweetened chocolate (2 oz.)
  • ⅓ cup shortening

Beat in ...

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs

Sift together and stir in ...

  • ¾ cup sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt

Mix in ...

  • ½ cup broken nuts

Spread in well greased 8″ square pan (8 × 8 × 2″). Bake until top has dull crust. A slight imprint will be left when top is touched lightly with finger. Cool slightly ... then cut into squares.

TEMPERATURE: 350° (mod. oven).

TIME: Bake 30 to 35 min.

AMOUNT: 16 2″ squares.


CHOCOLATE-FROSTED BROWNIES

“Lickin’ good!” ... youngsters say.

Follow recipe above—and spread cooled bars or squares before cutting with

MARIE’S CHOCOLATE ICING

Melt over hot water 1 tbsp. butter and 1 sq. unsweetened chocolate (1 oz.). Blend in 1½ tbsp. warm water. Stir and beat in about 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar (until icing will spread easily).

DAINTY TEA BROWNIES

Picturesque ... very thin. A highlight of the silver teas at a Minneapolis church.

Follow recipe above—except chop nuts finely and spread dough in two well greased oblong pans (9 × 13 × 2″). Sprinkle with ¾ cup blanched and finely sliced green pistachio nuts. Bake 7 to 8 min. Cut immediately into squares or diamonds. Remove from pan while warm.

PLANTATION FRUIT BARS

Little sugar and shortening ... but delicious. Sent to us by Mrs. Charles Willard of Chicago.

Mix together thoroughly ...

  • ¼ cup soft shortening
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup molasses

Stir in ...

  • ½ cup milk

Sift together and stir in ...

  • 2 cups sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour
  • 1½ tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp. soda
  • ½ tsp. salt

Mix in ...

  • 1 cup broken nuts
  • 1 to 2 cups cut-up raisins or dates

Spread in greased oblong pan (9 × 13 × 2″). Bake. Cool slightly ... spread with Lemon Icing (see below) and cut into bars.

TEMPERATURE: 350° (mod. oven).

TIME: Bake 25 to 30 min.

AMOUNT: 4 doz. 1″ × 2″ bars.

LEMON ICING (for Plantation Fruit Bars)

Gradually beat ½ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar into 1 stiffly beaten egg white. Add dash of salt, ¼ tsp. lemon extract.



Confection-like squares for special entertaining.

DATE-AND-NUT SQUARES

To sugar confection-like Date-and-Nut Squares (left) ... dip in confectioners’ sugar and shake.

Chewy favorites with rich nutty flavor. Much like the Bishop’s Bread served to circuit-riding preachers in days of Early America.

Beat until foamy ...

  • 2 eggs

Beat in ...

  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ tsp. vanilla

Sift together and stir in ...

  • ½ cup sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt

Mix in ...

  • 1 cup cut-up walnuts
  • 2 cups finely cut-up dates

Spread in well greased 8″ square pan (8 × 8 × 2″). Bake until top has dull crust. Cut into squares while warm, cool, then remove from pan. If desired, dip in confectioners’ sugar.

TEMPERATURE: 325° (slow mod. oven).

TIME: Bake 25 to 30 min.

AMOUNT: 16 2″ squares.

JEWELLED COOKIES

Glowing with gems of spicy gumdrops (red and green for Christmas holidays).

Beat until foamy ...

  • 2 eggs

Beat in ...

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together and stir in ...

  • 1 cup sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour
  • ½ tsp. salt

Mix in ...

  • ½ cup cut-up toasted blanched almonds
  • ½ cup cut-up gumdrops (¼″)

Spread in well greased and floured 9″ square pan (9 × 9 × 2″). Sprinkle extra cut-up gumdrops (about ½ cup) over top of batter. Bake until top has a dull crust. Cut into squares while warm, cool, then remove from pan. (Crust will crack.)

TEMPERATURE: 325° (slow mod. oven).

TIME: Bake 30 to 35 min.

AMOUNT: 16 2″ squares.

★ WALNUT SQUARES

Almost candy ... so rich and nutty.

Beat until foamy ...

  • 1 egg

Beat in ...

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ tsp. vanilla

Sift together and stir in ...

  • ½ cup sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ⅛ tsp. soda

Mix in ...

  • 1 cup cut-up walnuts

Spread in well greased 8″ square pan (8 × 8 × 2″). Bake until top has a dull crust. Cut into squares while warm, cool, then remove from pan.

TEMPERATURE: 325° (slow mod. oven).

TIME: Bake 25 to 30 min.

AMOUNT: 16 2″ squares.

TUTTI-FRUTTI SURPRISES

Like moist fruit cake ... full of good things.

Beat until foamy ...

  • 2 eggs

Gradually beat in ...

  • 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

Stir in ...

  • 3 tbsp. shortening, melted

Sift together and stir in ...

  • ¾ cup sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour
  • 1½ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt

Mix in ...

  • 1 cup cut-up nuts
  • 1 cup cut-up dates
  • ¾ cup cut-up candied fruit

Spread in well greased 8″ square pan (8 × 8 × 2″). Bake until top has a dull crust. Cut into squares while warm, cool, then remove from pan.

TEMPERATURE: 325° (slow mod. oven).

TIME: Bake 30 to 35 min.

AMOUNT: 16 2″ squares.




Deliciously rich two-layer cookies.

TOFFEE-NUT BARS ( Recipe) Almond-coconut topping on melt-in-the-mouth crust.

BOTTOM LAYER

Mix together thoroughly ...

  • ½ cup soft shortening (half butter)
  • ½ cup brown sugar

Stir in ...

  • 1 cup sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour

Press and flatten with hand to cover bottom of ungreased oblong pan (9 × 13 × 2″). Bake 10 min. Then spread with

TEMPERATURE: 350° (mod. oven).

TIME: Bake 10 min.

ALMOND-COCONUT TOPPING

Beat well ...

  • 2 eggs

Stir in ...

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together and stir in ...

  • 2 tbsp. GOLD MEDAL Flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt

Mix in ...

  • 1 cup moist shredded coconut
  • 1 cup cut-up almonds (or other nuts)

Return to oven and bake 25 min. more until topping is golden brown. Cool slightly ... then cut into bars.

TEMPERATURE: 350° (mod. oven).

TIME: Bake 25 min.

AMOUNT: About 2½ doz. 1″ × 3″ bars.


COCONUT-LEMON BARS

Follow recipe above for Bottom Layer. Bake 10 min. Let stand a few minutes before spreading with

COCONUT-LEMON TOPPING

Spread almond-coconut topping on bottom layer.

Beat well ...

  • 2 eggs

Stir in ...

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
  • ½ tsp. salt

Mix in ...

  • 1 cup moist shredded coconut
  • 1 cup cut-up walnuts
  • ½ cup cut-up raisins

Return to oven and bake 25 min. more until topping is golden brown. Cool slightly ... then cut into bars.

★ JELL-MERINGUE-FILBERT BARS

Jeannette Campbell of our Staff goes into rhapsodies about these luscious bars.

Follow recipe above for Bottom Layer—except use sifted confectioners’ sugar in place of brown, and stir 2 egg yolks into the sugar and shortening mixture. Bake. Spread with ½ to ¾ cup softened jelly (currant, raspberry, or grape), then with

MERINGUE-FILBERT TOPPING

The fluffy meringue-filbert topping is piled on top of softened jelly spread over the crust.

Beat until stiff ...

  • 2 egg whites

Beat in gradually ...

  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon

Fold in ...

  • 1 cup ground filberts (unblanched)

Return to oven and bake 25 min. more until topping is golden brown. Cool slightly ... then cut into bars.



Fruit fillings between nut-rich crumb crusts.

FILLED BAR COOKIES ( Recipe)

First, prepare desired filling (see below), and cool.

FOR CRUST

Mix together thoroughly ...

  • ¾ cup soft shortening (part butter)
  • 1 cup brown sugar

Sift together and stir in ...

  • 1¾ cups sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour
  • ½ tsp. soda
  • 1 tsp. salt

Stir in ...

  • 1½ cups rolled oats

Mix thoroughly. Place one half of this crumb mixture in greased and floured oblong pan (9 × 13 × 2″). Press and flatten with hands to cover bottom of pan. Spread with cooled filling. Cover with remaining crumb mixture ... patting lightly. Bake until lightly browned. While warm, cut into bars and remove from pan.

TEMPERATURE: 400° (mod. hot oven).

TIME: Bake 25 to 30 min.

AMOUNT: About 2½ doz. 1½″ × 2″ bars.


Date Bars ... perfect pals for good hot coffee or tea

DATE BARS (Matrimonial Cake)

These cookies won the first prize at the famous Minnesota State Fair one year ... for Mrs. C. Arlt of St. Paul.

Follow recipe above, using:

DATE FILLING

Mix together in saucepan ...

  • 3 cups cut-up dates
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1½ cups water

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 10 min.). Cool.

PRUNE-ORANGE BARS

Follow recipe above using

PRUNE-ORANGE FILLING

Mix together in saucepan ...

  • 3 cups cut-up cooked prunes (drained)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. grated orange rind

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 10 min.). Cool.

DATE-APRICOT BARS

Follow recipe above using

DATE-APRICOT FILLING

Mix together in saucepan ...

  • 1 cup cut-up dates
  • 2 cups mashed, cooked, dried apricots (drained)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp. of the apricot juice

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5 min.). Cool.

★ HAZELNUT BARS

Crusty, macaroony.

Old-time German party cookies that keep beautifully.

Beat in top of double boiler until stiff ...

  • 2 large egg whites

Beat in gradually ...

  • 1 cup sugar

Fold in ...

  • 1 tbsp. GOLD MEDAL Flour

Cook over boiling water 3 min., stirring constantly. Remove from over hot water.

Blend in ...

  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1½ cups coarsely ground unblanched filberts (hazelnuts)

Spread dough smoothly ¼″ thick in ungreased paper-lined oblong pan (9 × 13 × 2″). With fingers, pat top gently with warm water. Bake until top looks dull. While warm, cut into bars 1½″ × 2″. Cool slightly, then turn paper over (bars and all). Dampen entire surface with cold water. When water penetrates paper, bars are easily removed. If desired, place two bars together with a butter icing between (see Burnt Butter Icing, p. 18).

TEMPERATURE: 350° (mod. oven).

TIME: Bake 15 to 20 min.

AMOUNT: 32 single bars, 1½″ × 2″.