Bars | The Domestic Rebel

Thick & Chewy Monster Cookie Bars

September 21, 2017 Leave a Comment

These Thick & Chewy Monster Cookie Bars are so much easier than making cookies but have the same iconic cookie flavors you know and love. Packed with chewy oats, creamy peanut butter, and lots of chocolate and miniature M&M’s, it is scary how good they are!

Since I work from home, I find that I don’t really put any effort into what I wear.

Some folks who work from home dress like they’re going to an office… but my “office” is the kitchen where everything has a flour or powdered-sugar residue and where eggs jump to their grisly death off of my kitchen counter. Wearing a skirt suit isn’t exactly wise in my position.

So every day (since it’s still hot as hell out), I usually wear denim shorts and a black shirt. Boring, easy, thoughtless. But I still continue to buy adorable retro-inspired dresses and pinup couture for my closet which looks more and more like a boutique every day as new packages roll in.

And yet – I never wear this stuff. But I want to. So lately I’ve been putting in the effort to dress up every day, even if I never step a foot outside of my apartment. Some of the dresses are more relaxed – like an oversize t-shirt – but some are fancy and twirly and fun. And you know what? I feel so much less schleppy and gross.

But it made me realize: classic shapes like my A-line dresses never go out of style, and neither do classic desserts. Enter: these Monster Cookie Bars which will always be top of the class. They start with a chocolate chip cookie-esque base that’s dressed up with hearty oats, creamy peanut butter, and miniature M&M’s candies to, jazzing them up with out-of-this-world flavor and great chewy texture.

And because I’m all about a shortcut, these bars are so much easier to whip up than making drop cookies, yet are every bit as delicious.

PS: they taste extra amazing when topped with a scoop of ice cream and lots of chocolate & caramel sauce. 🙂

Thick & Chewy Monster Cookie Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 15-18

These Monster Cookie Bars are supremely thick, chewy, hearty, and packed with amazing flavor from peanut butter, chocolate, and miniature M&M's candies! A must-try, and so much easier than making drop cookies!

Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp kosher salt
2 & ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 & ½ cups old-fashioned oats (not quick oats)
¾ cup chocolate chips
1 cup miniature M&M's candies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9" rectangular baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil liberally with cooking spray; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the peanut butter, followed by the eggs and vanilla. Add in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour and mix on low-speed until just barely combined. Beat in the oats, chocolate chips, and M&M's candies until just combined.
Press the dough into the prepared baking pan evenly and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and set. Cool in the pan completely before cutting into bars.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Thick & Chewy Monster Cookie Bars taste just like your favorite monster cookie recipe but EASIER! Loaded with chewy oats, creamy peanut butter, gooey chocolate chips and crunchy mini M&M's, they're flavorful, thick, super chewy, and DELICIOUS!

A quick and easy bar recipe that’s sure to please!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Candy, Chocolate, Cookies, Everything!, Peanut Butter

Super Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

September 7, 2017 Leave a Comment

Want a quick and EASY pumpkin recipe that’s sure to impress? Check out these Super Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars! They come together in a flash and are so irresistible! They taste like a cross between creamy cheesecake and gooey pumpkin pie in a crowd-friendly bar!

First pumpkin recipe of the season, say holla!

Or don’t, because ‘holla’ makes me feel like I’m 80 and still living in 2005.

But we should still celebrate with the first pumpkin recipe of the season, and I know exactly how I’m going to celebrate: by eating all of these bars.

I originally posted these (with horrid photos, natch) a few years ago… but when I was fall recipe planning for 2017, I realized I should repost them with bigger, better, awesome-r photos, so here we are!

I cannot stress enough how EASY these bars are. They practically make themselves with very little work from you. There’s no water bath. There’s no worrying about ugly cracks in the cheesecake. There’s no fanciness or fussiness. Just mouthwatering Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars.

Here’s the low-down: The crust is a box of pound cake mix, which you can find in the cake mix/baking aisle at most grocers. Mix it up with an egg, some butter, and some spices, then press it into your pan. There’s your crust!

For the pumpkin filling, it gets even easier: cream up some cream cheese, then mix in pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, some eggs, and more spice. Once it’s smooth and luscious and practically illegal in all 50 states, pour it over the crust and bake. Badabing, badaboom.

Of course, like any pumpkin recipe, the whipped cream on top is not optional. But go crazy once they’re done by drizzling on chocolate or caramel sauces, sprinkling with a little extra cinnamon or nutmeg, or even serving it up with some ice cream (salted caramel, anyone?).

But if you’re looking for an easy, impressive dessert that’s sure to please a crowd, you’ve got to give these bars a try!

Super Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 15

These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars are practically no-fail and SO EASY. The crust and filling comes together quickly, resulting in a gooey, perfect cheesecake bar that tastes just like pumpkin pie!

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST:
One (16 oz) pkg pound cake mix
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
FOR THE FILLING:
One (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, at room temperature
One (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
One (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
2 eggs
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Whipped cream for garnish, optional but recommended

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" rectangular baking pan with cooking spray; set aside briefly.
In a large bowl, combine the crust ingredients until moist crumbs form. Press the crust mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 1 minutes. Add in the condensed milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, and spice and beat slowly until smooth and incorporated. Pour the filling mixture over the crust and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center is set and not jiggly.
Cool the bars in the pan until room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up before cutting into bars. Garnish with whipped cream before serving.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These SUPER EASY Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars taste like a cross between creamy cheesecake and gooey pumpkin pie! They come together in minutes and are SO delicious, impressive, and perfect!

Creamy, perfectly spiced, and ultra pumpkin-y bars that are a show-stopper! You’ve got to give these a whirl!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Cheesecake, Everything!, Halloween, Holiday, Pie, Pumpkin

Unicorn Rainbow Cheesecake Bars

June 2, 2017 2 Comments

How fun are these Unicorn Cheesecake Bars!? Perfect for summertime, the latest unicorn craze, birthday parties, or for the unique person in your life!

Okay, so I’m totally (officially) hopping on the unicorn bandwagon with these cheesecake bars. Don’t blame me, blame society.

I totally understand the unicorn craze. It all started (for me) back in the 90’s when I was obsessed with procuring EVERY LAST PIECE OF LISA FRANK PARAPHERNALIA I could get my grubby child hands on. The colors! The magic! The stars! The fairies! The unicorns! I was a girl possessed.

The 90s were kind of the off-set of the unicorn craze, don’t you think? I mean, we had GEL BODY GLITTER, Y’ALL. That is no accident. Gel body glitter was laying the groundwork for a unicorn craze in 20 years. THANK YOU, BONNE BELL.

Plus, who doesn’t love stuff that’s glittery and magical and rainbow? People who hate life don’t like that stuff, so miserable people, this recipe isn’t for you. Also, people who don’t like food coloring probably won’t like these. MORE FOR ME.

But for everyone else, these bars are actually super easy to make and only look intimidating. I guarantee once you make them, you’ll be the star of every party you take them to. I also think when you show up to said parties with Unicorn Cheesecake Bars that you have a boombox on one shoulder and butterfly clips in your hair (yes, even you dudes). Also, I require that the boombox be playing “Genie in a Bottle” because THE 1990s WAS THE BEST DECADE. NO DISCUSSION.

Now, who wants to make some unicorn magic?

This recipe starts with a usual cheesecake recipe: graham cracker crust, creamy vanilla cheesecake. Toss together some graham cracker crumbs, a little suga’, and some butter until moistened. Press it into a foil-lined 9×13″ rectangular pan and bake it for a tad. While you bake it, whip up your cheesecake.

The cheesecake is just cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. The sour cream is mandatory and no, there’s no substitution for greatness. I mean, I guess you could use Greek yogurt if you’re trying to be healthy, but I don’t think unicorns eat healthfully. They eat confetti, which last time I checked probably has the same nutritional value as these bars. Just sayin’.

Once the cheesecake is whipped up, you’ll divide it among 4 bowls. Tint each bowl a different color. I went with pastels because they seem the most unicorn-ish to me, but bright colors would be fab! It’s a glorified horse; I don’t think it cares about your color choices.

Then plop (yes, that is the technical term) the colors at random on top of the crust. I alternated the colors so I didn’t have one giant blob of pink somewhere; I wanted everything to be scattered which gives it more of that rainbow marbled look. Once you’ve covered the crust with cheesecake batter, gently swirl the colors with a butter knife. Don’t swirl too much, though, as it may begin to muddy the colors some (this is especially true if you use brighter colors like orange and blue).

Bake it up and you get thisssssss.

Shine on, you crazy unicorns!

Unicorn Rainbow Cheesecake Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 4 hours 20 mins

Cook time: 55 mins

Total time: 5 hours 15 mins

Serves: 15

These Unicorn Cheesecake Bars are SO MUCH FUN! After eating rainbow cheesecake, you'll never want to go back to plain cheesecake again!

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
7 Tbsp butter, melted
¼ cup granulated sugar
FOR THE CHEESECAKE:
3 (8 ounce) pkgs cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream (full fat only)
Gel food colors: I used purple, yellow, pink, and a mint color, but any colors will work
Whipped cream and sprinkles for decoration

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9x13" rectangular pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil lightly with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, toss together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar until combined and moistened. Pour the crust mixture into the prepared pan and gently pat down in an even layer. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on.
While the crust bakes, prepare your cheesecake filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides if needed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, followed by the sour cream. Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds until creamy and smooth.
Distribute the cheesecake batter evenly among four small bowls. Tint each bowl a different color - I made my colors pastel, but you can do brights! Drop spoonfuls of different colored batters around the pan, covering the bottom crust. I alternated with different colors so you don't have a huge portion in just one color; I wanted it more marbled and rainbow. Once all the batter is in the prepared pan, take a butter knife and gently swirl the colors together. Don't swirl too much, though; it may muddy the colors if you're using especially bright colors like orange and blue.
Bake for approx. 35-45 minutes or until the top is just about set. It shouldn't be sloshing around in the pan. Cool to room temperature, then pop in the fridge for at least 4 hours or until sufficiently set and chilled.
Just before serving, top with whipped cream and sprinkles!

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

UNICORN Rainbow Cheesecake Bars are so much FUN and SO EASY to make - promise! Buttery graham cracker crust topped with a super light, fluffy and creamy vanilla rainbow cheesecake. A stunning, show-stopping dessert that feeds a crowd!

Magical, beautiful, mystical cheesecake bars… made easy!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Cheesecake, Everything!

Red, White & Blueberry Pie Bars (Kuchen)

May 23, 2017 7 Comments

These Red, White & Blueberry Pie Bars are so festive and fun any time of year, but especially for Memorial Day and Fourth of July! Similar to kuchen with swirls of cherries and blueberries!

I cannot believe it, but I went swimming for the first time in 10 years yesterday.

What brought on this monumental occasion? The fact that Sacramento hit 100 degrees already.

Meanwhile, I have friends in Minnesota who said it’s 46 and freezing there. So. Wanna trade me, Minneapolites?

A little back story real quick…

In junior high and high school, I used to dye my hair crazy rainbow colors. I had a new color about every month or two and it required severe bleaching of my entire head of hair every single time. Miraculously, my hair never felt damaged or fell out, even though my mom threatened that’d happen. (Still wasn’t worried; I was actually kinda excited for the possibility of wigs).

And because some of these dye jobs cost me (and my mom) quite a pretty penny, I never wanted to ruin my beautiful kaleidoscopic hair by dunking it in chlorine. So I spent summers avoiding the pool completely, because I found that once I waded in the pool without going under, I was more tempted to get my whole head wet, too. And dingy chlorine hair on pretty pastel pinks or vibrant purples was no bueno.

So even though my Grammie lived two doors down from us and had her very own (gorgeous) pool, I stayed away as if it were contaminated and preferred to cool down in an air-conditioned house.

But now that I live in an apartment complex and I have to pay for my own A/C *cries*, I wanted another way to cool down… so I took to the complex pool when no one was in it. It was nothing short of amazing, and I didn’t even go underwater (I’m platinum blonde now and not about to look like I dipped my hair in sewer water, thanks).

And now, if you need me, I’ll be lounging in the shade by the pool (if I’m not physically in the pool) for the rest of summertime. You know, with this attitude, I may actually enjoy the summer now… but don’t quote me yet 🙂

Since summer’s approaching, we’ve gotta start thinking backyard BBQs, pool parties, and the like. And with that (and Memorial Day/Fourth of July coming up), I figured these Red, White, and Blueberry Pie Bars were PERFECT to kick off the unofficial start of summah!

These bars are similar to cherry kuchen, which has a cakier texture than a pie-texture. These bars are a little more on the cakey side, but they’re still moist and chewy and delicious. They’re swirled with cherry and blueberry pie fillings and topped with a sweet lemony glaze.

Oh, and they’re delicious and feed a crowd. WIN.

(Psst: they also taste great by the pool)

*adapted from Taste of Home

4.0 from 1 reviews

Red, White & Blueberry Pie Bars (Kuchen)

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 37 mins

Total time: 52 mins

Serves: 20-25

These Red, White and Blueberry Pie Bars combine the flavors of cherry and blueberry pie in one unique, hand-held bar! Great for feeding a crowd!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
One (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
½ of a 21 oz can blueberry pie filling (see Note below for what to do with the rest!)
FOR THE GLAZE:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
4 Tbsp heavy cream or milk
Juice of ½ a lemon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt until creamy & fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the extracts. Lastly, beat in the flour. The dough will be VERY sticky.
Spread 3 cups of the dough in the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the cherry pie filling evenly. Dot the cherry pie surface with the blueberry pie filling and gently swirl together with the back of a spoon. Drop the remaining dough by the teaspoonfuls over the top of the fillings.
Bake for approx. 30-37 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Cool completely in the pan.
For the glaze, mix the confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, and lemon juice together until pourable. Pour over the tops of the bars before cutting into squares.
NOTE: Use the remaining pie filling in the following ways (or eat it with a spoon!): blend into a milkshake (try vanilla ice cream with graham crackers), fold it in with Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream for a mousse, top an ice cream sundae with it, make mini pies with it, or swirl it into homemade ice cream!

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Red, White and Blueberry Pie Bars: similar to kuchen, these cake-like pie bars are swirled with cherry and blueberry pie filling and drizzled with a lemony glaze. So easy, feeds a crowd and makes a big batch, and perfect for summertime festivities!

Festive, perfect for picnics or BBQs and delicious, these pie bars are sure to win everyone over!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Everything!, Holiday, Pie

Raspberry Lemonade Gooey Bars

May 9, 2017 5 Comments

These Raspberry Lemonade Gooey Bars are quite fantastic, if you ask me! A zesty lemon base topped with an outrageously gooey raspberry filling… So wonderful for summertime!

Sorry I’ve been MIA as of late! A lot of personal stuff has been going on (nothing unfortunate, thankfully!) and I needed a break after my Salt Lake City trip in which I learned how to make Facebook food videos. It was so helpful and informative, but man, I felt my brain start to slosh around up there after grueling 8-hour days of learning video editing software.

Also, I picked up a new hobby which has taken ALL OF MY TIME. Okay, I guess it was just for a present I made for my Mom’s birthday today (HBD, Mom!!) but it soon became my full-time job and I spent most of my days hunched over it, perfecting every last detail so it’d be perfect for her 50th birthday today. I’ll show ya a pic soon!

ANYWAY, I’m back with a vengeance and ready to spring into summertime recipes, so to speak. First up: these Raspberry Lemonade Gooey Bars, and boy, are they amazing!

Gooey bars are not new on this blog – I have so many variations and quite honestly, bars are one of my favorite things to make because it’s SO EASY. Line your pan, fill it up, bake, and then lift the finished product out of the pan. Clean-up’s a breeze and everything can be portioned out based on how many you need. Bars are a life-saver!

But I wanted a super fun flavor I hadn’t made before, and that’s where this Raspberry Lemonade flavor came into play. Raspberries are so refreshing, and there’s nothing more summery than a tall iced glass of lemonade, so combining the two seemed like the perfect match made in dessert heaven.

The filling is made with freeze-dried raspberries, which you can usually find on the nuts/dried fruit aisle at many grocery stores. Instead of making a fresh raspberry puree, which requires straining and cheesecloth and other things I do not have time for, freeze-dried raspberries offer that pure raspberry flavor and that color punch that’s so gorgeous. Combined with other delicious ingredients like confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, eggs, butter, and some lemon juice, it makes for a bright and zippy filling to these summery bars!

And dare I say, they’re perfect for a birthday… or a random Tuesday 🙂

Raspberry Lemonade Gooey Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 2 hours 15 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 3 hours

Serves: 15

These Raspberry Lemonade Gooey Bars are so refreshing and perfect for the upcoming summer months!

Ingredients

FOR THE BASE:
1 box lemon cake mix
1 egg
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
Zest of one lemon
FOR THE FILLING:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, at room temperature
3 eggs
1 (1 oz) box raspberry gelatin
1 (1.25 oz) pkg freeze-dried raspberries, pulverized into a fine dust
1 (16 oz) box confectioners' sugar
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13" rectangular pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil liberally with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, egg, melted butter, and lemon zest together until a soft dough forms. Press the dough evenly into the baking pan and set aside briefly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the raspberry gelatin and the freeze-dried raspberry powder. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until well blended, and lastly, beat in the melted butter and lemon juice. Mixture should be smooth.
Pour the mixture evenly over the lemon cake base in the pan and bake for approx. 37-45 minutes or until the center is just about set (if it jiggles slightly, that's okay - the mixture will continue to cook as it cools down). Bring to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Raspberry Lemonade Gooey Bars are amazing! Layers of zesty lemon cake mix topped with a gooey fresh raspberry filling! Tastes like summertime in an easy dessert that feeds a crowd!

I love how fresh the freeze-dried raspberry filling is with a brightness from the lemon. And of course, that magenta color is so gorgeous!

Enjoy!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Everything!, Lemon

Raspberry Almond Linzer Shortbread Bars

May 2, 2017 1 Comment

These Raspberry Almond Linzer Bars taste just like linzer cookies but made easier in bar form! Don’t like raspberry? Substitute with any flavor of jam!

I know this is a little Christmas in May, but I couldn’t resist. I’m on a bar kick and no one will stop me.

Actually, I’m on a fruit dessert kick and I can’t seem to quit it. First it was Mixed Berry Tiramisu, then these bars, and of course, I have more fruity desserts coming down the pipeline for you guys. I think I just realized I’m severely lacking in the fruit dessert category and thought I’d make up for lost time. You’re welcome.

These bars are technically just a shortbread bar, but they reminded me so much of those gorgeous Linzer cookies you get or make at Christmastime that I just had to post them now.

They start with a buttery shortbread crust: easy and no frills. Freeze part of the dough for the crumbly topping, and press the rest into the bottom of your pan. Sure, these aren’t as intricate and perfect as Linzer cookies traditionally are, but that’s also why I’m called The Domestic Rebel. Duh.

Next, spread on your jam situation. For these, I used seedless raspberry jam which is an underrated jam flavor in my opinion. These bars would also be fab with strawberry jam, apricot jam, or maybe even blueberry or boysenberry. The options are seriously limited to your store’s jam availability.

Also top the jam layer with some slivered almonds, which add a delightful buttery crunch as well as that sweet almond flavor. Top with the remaining dough and a few more almonds before baking some more until everything is light golden brown, set, and utterly gorgeous.

You may want to wait a hot minute before cutting these into bars, but once you do, I promise it’ll be worth the wait!

Linzer bars in May. You can thank me later!

*adapted from Life Made Simple

Raspberry Almond Linzer Shortbread Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Total time: 1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 9

These Raspberry Almond Linzer Shortbread Bars combine all the flavors of traditional Linzer cookies into a unique and easy bar recipe! If you prefer, substitute with another jam flavor instead of the raspberry, such as strawberry, blueberry, apricot, or even boysenberry.

Ingredients

1 & ½ sticks (3/4 cup) salted butter, softened
½ cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
1 & ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup seedless raspberry jam/preserves (or another flavor of your choice)
1 cup slivered almonds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8" square pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and extracts together until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour until dough comes together. Dough may be a little crumbly, this is okay.
Save ½ cup of the dough and place on some plastic wrap. Wrap it up and freeze for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, press the remainder of the dough into the prepared pan in an even layer. Top with ½ cup of the slivered almonds and the jam, spreading to just about the edges of the dough. Crumble the remaining dough on top and finish topping with the remaining slivered almonds.
Bake for approx. 45-50 minutes or until the top is light golden brown and the center is set. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Raspberry Almond Linzer Shortbread Bars combine all the flavors of classic Linzer cookies into unique bars! Sweet almond, juicy raspberry jam and buttery shortbread dough come together in this easy, impressive dessert!

These have a wonderful raspberry flavor and the sweet almond is accentuated by the almond extract, which really pairs beautifully with the bright, juicy raspberries.

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Like fruity treats? Try these other recipes!

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Pie

Mixed Berry Tiramisu

Filed Under: Bars, Christmas, Cookies, Everything!, Holiday

4-Ingredient Coconut Macaroon Bars

April 4, 2017 4 Comments

You’re only four simple ingredients away from making these super coconutty Coconut Macaroon Bars! Chewy, slightly crisp, nutty and sweet, they’re only a few ingredients you probably have at home in your pantry!

So I just got back from QVC! Did you guys catch me on there? (If not, you can always go to QVC’s website and type in “Two in One Desserts” and the video… and the link to buy it! will pop right up!)

It was all the way in pretty West Chester, Pennsylvania and was a whirlwind of a trip. I flew over there on Tuesday, my segment aired live on Wednesday, and I was back in California by Thursday afternoon. PHEW.

But I have to say, the 6+ hour travelling both days was sooo worth the experience of being on QVC.

Everyone who works at QVC is SO sweet. I’m not joking – everyone. From the barista who gave me the strongest tea ever (I needed caffeine to stay up late for my segment!), to the security guards, to the actual hosts, David Venable, Stacy Stauffer and Kerstin Lindquist (the latter of whom declared my cookbook cookies “the BEST!”).

And of course, David loved everything, too 🙂 I even got an infamous Happy Dance out of him!

But now I’m back home to being a regular person and not a celebrity 😉 I don’t have a built-in salon curling my hair before my air time, I don’t have access to my own private dressing room and I’m not hanging backstage with the Scrub Daddy dude, who is awesome, by the way. And I’m kinda misty-eyed about it, I’ll say. Who doesn’t want their hair profesh curled on a whim? Exactly.

So here I am, baking you Coconut Macaroon Bars on a Tuesday. As one does.

I actually made this recipe years and years ago but desperately needed to update the photos, as you can tell if you dare to click the link and see them. (Yikes). But I remembered how delicious those nutty, chewy bars were and knew I had to remake them before Easter and share them with you. So here we are!

These bars only have four ingredients, and I’m guessing you likely have those ingredients at home already. The one surprise ingredient? Refrigerated crescent roll dough, which is the base of these bars. No, these bars will not taste like a dinner roll with coconut sprinkled on top. Yes, they will surprisingly taste like a coconut macaroon cookie but baked into a bar form for something unique, unexpected, and totally hassle-free, unlike scooping individual mounds of cookie dough.

Make them for your favorite coconut lover!

4-Ingredient Coconut Macaroon Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 15-18

These Coconut Macaroon Bars have only four simple ingredients - one of which is surprising but makes these bars so easy to prepare!

Ingredients

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
3 & ½ cups coconut, divided (I used sweetened coconut)
One 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp almond extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" rectangular baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with 1 cup of the shredded coconut. Unroll the can of crescent roll dough and place it into the bottom of the pan in an even layer, pinching together the perforations to seal. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the condensed milk and almond extract to combine; pour the mixture evenly over the top of the coconut bars.
Bake for approx. 30-35 minutes or until the center is just about set and the tops are light golden brown and fragrant. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These FOUR INGREDIENT Coconut Macaroon Bars taste just like macaroon cookies but in convenient, easy, crowd-pleasing bar form! Chewy, a little crisp with sweet, nutty coconut flavor in every bite!

If you’re wondering, the almond extract brings out the sweet nuttiness of the coconut so beautifully! It’s definitely a must-have ingredient for these fabulous bars! Want to take these over the top? Dunk or drizzle them in CHOCOLATE!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Coconut, Easter, Everything!, Holiday

Sweet Cream Gooey Bars

March 28, 2017 5 Comments

These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars taste just like sweet cream & vanilla bean ice cream in one gooey, chewy, outrageously delicious bar and are made EASY with International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer!

So for the longest time, I was a coffee faker.

What’s a coffee faker? It’s someone who says they like coffee to impress people but secretly don’t even drink it because it’s too strong. (Being a teenager is hard, okay? I had to impress people where I could… even if it was lying about a coffee obsession.)

My “coffee” was limited to frappes at the local coffee shop which didn’t even have coffee in them. I only got them because I loved all the fun flavors available.

…And then I was introduced to coffee creamers, and my life has changed dramatically for the better, obviously. I started slowly introducing coffee into my morning routine, filled with copious amounts of coffee creamer (AKA, the only way to drink coffee, in my not-so-humble opinion). And to this day, I still can’t have a cup o’ joe without having coffee creamer. It’s, well, the creamer to my coffee. The peanut butter to my jelly. The dog to my bone. You get it, right?

Anyway, as a new ambassador for International Delight, I am SO EXCITED to be bringing you fun recipes made with coffee creamer! If you’ve only considered creamer good for coffee, I’m about to blow your mind, y’all. Coffee creamer is an excellent addition to so many desserts – think about adding it instead of milk to milkshakes as a baby-steps option… and then come back and quickly make these Sweet Cream Gooey Bars!

So I bet you’re wondering what my favorite coffee creamer flavor is… and hands-down, it’s Sweet Cream. There’s something about that vanilla-y, ice cream-y flavor that’s so irresistible to me. I just can’t have my coffee without it!

These bars are made with International Delight’s Sweet Cream Creamer IN THE FILLING which imparts such a wonderful, creamy, almost melted ice-cream flavor to these bars. Combined with vanilla bean, these bars taste like your favorite ice cream parlor’s vanilla ice cream but in a gooey, chewy bar form. SO delicious!

And if you’re looking for an awesome Easter recipe… may I suggest these bars!? Topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar and studded with fresh vanilla bean seeds, they’re elegant and perfect for a springtime fete. Serve them up on a gorgeous tiered cake stand so guests can help themselves to a piece to snack on alongside their coffee.

Enjoy, coffee lovers & fakers alike! 🙂

5.0 from 1 reviews

Sweet Cream Gooey Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 15-18

These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars are one of my new favorite recipes! The filling is so gooey and fabulous and tastes just like melty vanilla ice cream from your favorite upscale parlor.

Ingredients

FOR THE BASE:
1 box French vanilla or white cake mix
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 large egg
FOR THE FILLING:
One 8 ounce pkg cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
One 16 ounce box powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste (or sub 2 tsp vanilla extract)
⅓ International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer
¼ cup butter, melted
Additional powdered sugar for dusting on baked bars, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13” rectangular baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
Mix together the crust ingredients until a soft dough comes together. Press into the prepared pan in an even layer; set aside briefly.
Cream the cream cheese until fluffy, about 30 seconds. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl if needed. Beat in the powdered sugar, followed by the creamer, melted butter, and vanilla bean paste.
Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 37-45 minutes or until mostly set. If the center jiggles slightly, that’s okay – you don’t want to over-bake them as they’ll continue to set as they cool.
Cool completely then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set. Dust with additional powdered sugar before serving.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These Sweet Cream Gooey Bars are fabulous! They taste like melted vanilla bean ice cream but in a gooey, chewy bar form! Made with International Delight Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer & fresh vanilla beans for a gorgeous, elegant and delicious bar recipe! #CreamerNation #ad #InDelight

Be sure to follow International Delight on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook & Instagram, and sign up to receive International Delight’s emails for tips, recipes & more!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: Bars, Easter, Everything!, Holiday

Mojito Bars

March 21, 2017 8 Comments

These Mojito Bars have all the flavors of a mojito that you love in one gooey, chewy, delectable bar! This is such a fun twist on a classic lemon bar!

Do you ever need a change? I suppose that’s a really dumb question, because everyone needs a change every once in awhile.

But even me – Girl Who Generally Fears Change – needs a change every now and again.

Like, especially now… I am kind of dying for a pixie haircut. And lately I cannot get enough of pineapple salsa by Newman’s brand. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME.

And although lemon reminds me so much of springtime (or vice versa), I have already been-there, done-that with lemon bars and wanted something different. Something fresh and exciting. Like the pixie haircut of desserts.

So I made Mojito Bars. Natch.

These are just like lemon bars in construction but made with limes and mint, a pairing so heavenly they made a drink out of it. (Uh.. the mojito, in case you were wondering).

So basically, anatomically, they’re made with the same shortbread-y crust as a classic lemon bar. Partially bake that sucker, then pour on the filling which consists of lime juice & zest, some eggs, sugar, a splash of milk, and rum-soaked mint leaves. *record scratch* RUM-SOAKED MINT LEAVES, Y’ALL. Or if you want to keep these booze-free (who are you?), rum-extract-soaked mint leaves.

HALLELUJAH.

Bake ’em up until they’re just about set, then chill them. I know, total buzzkill BUT totally necessary to make sure they cut evenly and prettily. Otherwise you’ll have a mojito hot-mess on your hands. Which, ironically is my nickname when I drink too many mojitos. ANYWAY.

Then eat them by the pool or while sunbathing or just eat them inside curled up by the fire because it’s still blizzard-ing in some states and this will be your one-way ticket to paradise.

BRB, Mojito-ing everything!

*adapted from Gold Medal Flour

Mojito Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 1 hour 20 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 1 hour 55 mins

Serves: 15-18

These Mojito Bars have all the juicy flavors of mojitos you love in a gooey, chewy, irresistible bar form! A fun twist on the classic lemon bar!

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST:
¾ cup salted butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 & ¾ cups all-purpose flour
FOR THE MINT:
3 Tbsp light rum OR 1 tsp rum extract + 3 Tbsp water
16-20 mint leaves, roughly chopped
FOR THE FILLING:
4 eggs
1 & ½ cups granulated sugar
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Zest of two limes
⅔ cup lime juice
2 Tbsp milk
1-2 drops green food coloring, optional
Additional powdered sugar for garnish, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" rectangular pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside briefly.
Combine the butter, powdered sugar, and flour together with an electric mixer until a soft dough comes together. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes.
While crust pre-bakes, steep the mint. Combine the rum and mint leaves (or, if using rum extract, rum extract, water, and mint leaves) and steep in a bowl while the crust bakes. Then make your filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour, and salt until creamy and pale yellow. Whisk in the lime zest, juice, and milk, followed by the green food coloring, if using. Lastly, strain the mint leaves and add the liquid from the mint leaves to the filling mixture, stirring to combine.
Pour the filling evenly over the crust and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the center is just about set - if it jiggles a little, that's okay, but it shouldn't be sloshing in the pan. Remember, do not over bake these! Cool the bars in the pan completely, then refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours before cutting for cleaner squares. Garnish with additional powdered sugar, if you'd like.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These MOJITO BARS are like classic lemon bars but with a lime & mint twist! A buttery shortbread crust topped with a fresh lime and rum-soaked mint curd, baked to perfection! Tastes JUST like a classic mojito, beach optional!

The rum-soaked mint leaves really add a lovely minty punch to these zesty, bright and tart lime bars and are a MUST in a mojito!! I hope you love this fun twist!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Everything!, Mint

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bars

February 16, 2017 1 Comment

If you love peanut butter cups but wish they were jumbo-sized, I’ve got you covered! These Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bars are just the ticket to squashing your giant PB cup craving!

I have yet to bake in my new kitchen… but that changes TODAY!

I have been dying to test out my appliances and get baking for my new neighbors, but the whole organizing your life back into order thing after moving is kind of exhausting. Who knew I had so much stuff that needed to be bubble-wrapped, then unwrapped, then put away? GAH.

And no, I have not read that magical book about tidying up, thankyouverymuch.

So basically I’ve been waking up, feeding my still-confused dogs and getting to work around the house. But oddly, I love all the chores of putting things away and wiping down my own counters. Yes, I’ve found some odd sense of joy in laundering my own socks, and I appreciate how nice it is to come home to a clean house.

I know this feeling will eventually wear off and I will want to set fire to my clothes rather than launder them, but for now I’m enjoying this new-house honeymoon stage 🙂

Anyway, I was thinking about what to bake first in my new place and these Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bars, which I’d previously made at my old place, came to mind. But the thing is… these bad boys are no-bake, so I don’t even need the oven to whip them up.

…Which is going to rock in a few months when it’s a bajillion degrees and turning on the oven is about as logical as jumping from a three-story building into a pit of rocks.

These are slightly addictive; you’ve been warned! The base consists of a little confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, and graham cracker crumbs, which give them a slight crunch and helps the bar hold its shape. The mixture is poured into a pan and set in the fridge, then topped with a thick, smooth layer of chocolate ganache. The result is a deep-dish, ultra fudgy peanut butter cup bar that’s totally out. of. this. world.

Who wants to come over!?

Reese's Peanut Butetr Cup Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 15-18

These Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Bars are like a fudgy, deep-dish PB cup! Totally easy to prepare, comes together quickly and is entirely no-bake!

Ingredients

FOR THE BARS:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 cups honey graham cracker crumbs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use the natural kind, as it is too oily)
1 tsp vanilla extract
FOR THE CHOCOLATE:
1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
4 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
⅓ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Line a 9x13" rectangular baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil lightly with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla until combined. Mixture will be runny. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Once the bar layer has somewhat firmed up, make the chocolate topping. In a microwaveable bowl, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter and heavy cream. Microwave on HIGH power for 20-30 seconds, stir, then heat again for another 10-15 seconds, stirring until melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter layer and smooth out the top.
Refrigerate once more for another 30 mins at least (up to overnight if you wish) before cutting into bars.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

These REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUP BARS are heavenly homemade squares that taste JUST like deep-dish, ultra fudgy peanut butter cups. An easy, quick, and entirely no-bake dessert!

Fudgy, peanut buttery goodness topped with a silky smooth chocolaty layer. These bars are the definition of HEAVEN!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Candy, Chocolate, Everything!, No-Bake, Peanut Butter

Thick & Chewy Monster Cookie Bars

Super Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Unicorn Rainbow Cheesecake Bars

Red, White & Blueberry Pie Bars (Kuchen)

Raspberry Lemonade Gooey Bars

Raspberry Almond Linzer Shortbread Bars

4-Ingredient Coconut Macaroon Bars

Sweet Cream Gooey Bars

Mojito Bars

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bars

My Latest Videos

Order My Cookbook!

Archives

The Domestic Rebel on YouTube

My Latest Videos

Order My Cookbook!

Archives

The Domestic Rebel on YouTube

Categories