Cookie Bars...Bar Cookies...what's in the name?

By Ed Dychauco
Pots & Pans

ALSO known as Bars, cookie bars or bar cookies, with their moist or cake-like texture & very rich flavor, have long been very popular either as snacks or desserts after a meal.

But today, they are becoming more of a favorite because a lot of homemakers appreciate their ease of preparation, either from scratch or from store-bought pre-mixes. Always a fool-proof thing to do because one just have to mix all the ingredients, with or without a mixer, turn the batter into a baking pan and in a very short time, one can enjoy them already! One can even bake them in a toaster oven!

Bars travels well, whether left in their baking pan or packed. No wonder everyone wants to bake them, eat them or give them to family or friends! Baked plain and/or decorated with frosting, nuts, raisins, fruits or chocolate, one would surely enjoy munching them till there's none left!

Following are some irresistible & delicious but easy recipes one can enjoy baking, eating or sharing it with your loved ones.

Banana-Chip Bars

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup Peotraco Caster Sugar
2/3 cup Peotraco Honey Browns
1 pc egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 pcs bananas, mashed
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Peotraco Chocolate Chips

Stir flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside.
Cream butter & sugars till fluffy. Add egg & vanilla; beat well. Stir in banana.
Add flour mixture & beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spread in a floured & greased baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 mins.

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Pineapple* Preserve Bars

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup Peotraco Caster Sugar
1 pc egg
1/2 cup Pineapple preserves
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter & sugar till fluffy; beat in egg & preserves.
Stir together flour, soda & salt; stir into creamed mixture. Fold in nuts.
Spread into a greased baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 mins.
*other types of preserves can also be used

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Butterscotch Bars

1/2 cup butter
2 cup Peotraco Honey Browns
2 pcs eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts

Melt butter, add the honey browns. Stir well.
Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well. Stir in vanilla.
Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and add to brown sugar mixture.

Mix in the coconut & nuts. Spread into a greased pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

For culinary classes, visit or call Pots & Pans Home Bake & Coffee Shop, Don Apolinar Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City. Tel # 724-674 or 858-4209 email ad: potsnpans1976@yahoo.com

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