Description
Sweet valentines day cookie bars blend rich chocolate and creamy caramel into a romantic dessert perfect for sharing. Passionate bakers can craft this indulgent treat that melts hearts with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup (170 g or 1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ cups (540 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup valentines-themed M&Ms
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup valentines sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation Sanctuary: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper or a delicate grease application.
- Dry Ingredient Symphony: Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl, creating a harmonious dry foundation and setting aside.
- Wet Mixture Fusion: In a spacious bowl, vigorously blend melted butter with brown and granulated sugars until smooth. Introduce eggs and vanilla extract, stirring until perfectly unified.
- Dough Composition: Delicately fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, minimizing stirring to maintain batter integrity. Gently incorporate most of the M&Ms, chocolate chips, and half the sprinkles throughout the mixture.
- Decorative Layering: Spread the developed dough evenly across the prepared pan, artfully pressing remaining M&Ms and sprinkles on top for visual allure and textural contrast.
- Baking Transformation: Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven, watching for golden edges and a barely set center, ensuring optimal cookie bar perfection.
- Cooling and Serving: Allow the baked creation to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, lift the entire batch using parchment paper and slice into delectable square or rectangular servings.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir dry and wet ingredients minimally to keep cookie bars tender and avoid tough, dense texture.
- Temperature Control: Watch baking time closely, removing bars when edges turn golden and center appears slightly underbaked for soft, gooey consistency.
- Customize Decorations: Experiment with different seasonal M&Ms and sprinkle colors to match holidays or personal preferences.
- Proper Cooling Technique: Allow bars to cool completely in pan to set properly and achieve clean, precise cutting lines.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg