Handle The Heat » Recipes » Bar Dessert Recipes
Here is a collection of the very best bar dessert recipes! You’ll find every bar dessert you could dream of from brownies to cheesecake bars to cookie bars and more.
With these helpful how-to articles, you’ll learn how to make perfect bar desserts every time.
It is so important to measure your flour correctly for bar desserts. Too much flour can result in dry, dense, crumbly, tough and even rubbery desserts.
Learn how to accurately measure your flour with a digital scale here.
To make sure your blondies, brownies, or cookie bars cook completely and hold their shape while remaining soft and a little gooey, I highly recommend a quality metal baking pan, like from Fat Daddio’s or USA Pan. Not glass or ceramic, as those materials take longer to heat up and cook. You also won’t get those ultra chewy edge pieces with glass or ceramic!
If you must use glass, add about 10 to 15 minutes to the baking times.
Bar desserts like blondies, cookie bars, and brownies are meant to be a little gooey and soft. You can remove them from the oven just before they look like they’re completely done because the residual heat of the oven and the pan will continue to cook them.
This *free* printable PDF contains accurate measurements for all your favorite baking ingredients.
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Be sure to use blocks of full-fat, high-quality cream cheese. Do not use reduced fat or your cheesecake bars may be watery, rubbery, or otherwise lackluster. Definitely don’t use whipped cream cheese or cream cheese for spreading on a bagel. Opt for the best brand you can find as some generic brands have too much water content!
Use the parchment overhang to lift the entire tray of cheesecake up and out of the pan and onto a cutting board. A big sharp knife is the best tool, and for ultraclean slices, run the knife under hot water and wipe off between cuts.
Be sure not to overbake your cookie bars. You want a little gooey softness to remain. Even if bars look slightly underdone around the 25 minute mark, you may still pull them out of the oven and allow the residual heat to finish them. The only exception is if you’re using a glass or ceramic pan, which tend to cook more slowly.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Add an apple wedge, piece of bread, or a tortilla on the top of the cookie bars to keep them softer for longer. You can also freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature and refresh in a 300°F oven until warmed through, if desired.
You can store blondies for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge. If storing for more than a day, wait to slice blondies into bars until you’re ready to serve to prevent stale edges. You can also freeze up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight at room temperature then refresh in a 325°F oven for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Yes, most bar dessert recipes should double just fine! Just bake in a 9×13-inch baking pan and add a few minutes to the baking time called for in the recipe.
