These Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats combine the quintessential marshmallow treat with the newest craze: Dubai chocolate!

So admittedly in my sabbatical, I missed quite a few food trends here on the internet.

Mochi donuts, boba everything, matcha’s continued reign, croissantifying things. But I happened to show up just as Dubai chocolate was taking the world by storm. I may not have been baking, but I was paying attention! And I was also eating. For research, obviously.

If you’re new to Planet Earth or just haven’t been in the food scene, the newest, hottest girl on the block is Dubai Chocolate. What is it? It’s a thick chocolate candy bar essentially filled with ground pistachio paste, tahini, and toasted shredded filo pastry called kataifi. It’s known for being not overly sweet, both chewy and crunchy (thanks to the kataifi and pistachios) and of course, the signature green color.

Now I’m not a huge candy person, and I’m not known to pick up a candy bar and go to town. But I had to try one – again, for research purposes. I love the mild pistachio flavor and the different textures. I can see why it went viral! So I had to Dubai-ify something most Americans know and love, and that’s where these Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats came into be.

Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats

So we all know about rice krispy treats, right? Butter, marshmallows, and crispy rice cereal. Easy! How do we Dubai chocolate-ify them? With pistachio paste! You can easily find this in stores like World Market, which is known for carrying an abundance of cool foreign products (and has a plethora of Dubai chocolate things already).

This is the exact paste I used. While it was just pistachio paste (without the tahini and kataifi) you can sometimes find the paste prepared with the tahini and kataifi. Either one will work! My store was just sold out, and I figured that the crispy rice cereal would mimic the crispiness of the shredded filo pastry anyway.

How to Make Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats

The process is incredibly similar to regular RKT’s except you’ll stir in the pistachio paste while you make the butter and marshmallow mixture. This will turn the melted marshmallows a green color, but it will mellow out once you add the rice cereal. After the mixture has set in the pan, you’ll melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips until smooth and pour it over the top of the rice krispy treats for that chocolate element. Lastly, to really drive home some crunch and the quintessential pistachio flavor, we’ll top it with some chopped roasted pistachios.

And that’s it! The easiest Dubai-style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats. I hope you love them!

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Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats

These Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats combine similar elements of the viral Dubai chocolate into a classic American favorite: the Rice Krispy Treat!

Course Bars, Dessert

Cuisine American, Middle Eastern

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
• 10 oz (1 bag) miniature marshmallows
• 7 oz (1 jar) pistachio cream/pistachio butter
• 6 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup roasted, unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

Instructions

• Lightly grease a 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray, or line with parchment. Set aside.
• Add the butter to a large saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. Once melted, add in the marshmallows and pistachio cream/paste and stir occasionally until fully melted. Fold in the crisp rice cereal and stir until the cereal is fully coated.
• Pour the coated cereal into the prepared pan and gently spread it into an even layer. Don't pack it down too much; this creates tough treats. Let cool and set for about a half hour.
• Once the treats have set, prepare your topping. In a microwave-safe bowl, add your chocolate chips and the heavy cream. Microwave on HIGH power for 30 seconds. Stop and stir, then microwave again for about 15 seconds, stopping and stirring every 15 seconds until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Pour the ganache evenly over the rice krispy treats and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.
• Allow the chocolate layer to set, about 30 minutes, before serving. You can speed this up by placing it in the fridge if desired. Store krispy treats covered at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

Pistachio cream/paste is often found in the ethnic section at the supermarket, or at specialty stores like World Market. Sometimes you can find it with the tahini and kataifi included (in which case you are welcome to purchase that version); however, my store was out of it so I purchased the regular pistachio paste. Pistachio nut butter is also an option. This would likely be found near the peanut butters. 

I really hope you enjoy these Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats!

Want more pistachio? Check out this recipe!

Pistachio Lemon Cookies

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Dubai-Style Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Salted Caramel Butter Bars are delightful and one of my family’s favorite recipes! Soft and chewy bars filled with a salted caramel ribbon in one buttery bar cookie!

It is not the holiday season without these Salted Caramel Butter Bars!

My family – in particular my dad – goes CRAZY for them. I always make a couple batches and give one batch to my family for Christmas snacking while we unwrap gifts, and split up another batch or two for neighbor and friend cookie boxes. They get SO many compliments!

These bars are super simple to make – here’s how.

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Salted Caramel Butter Bars start with the cookie dough, which is basically a sugar cookie dough. It consists of:

• Butter: and lots of it! Don’t be alarmed by the amount; this contributes to both the flavor and the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Sugars: we’re using both granulated sugar for sweetness, and powdered sugar for that airy, soft texture
• Vanilla extract: for flavor
• Flour: aka, the structure of the bars

That’s it for the dough – no leavening and no eggs needed. The dough is substantial enough on its own and is more like a buttery shortbread/sugar cookie mixture!

You’ll prebake half of the crust in a lined pan for a few minutes to help it set, then pour on a jar of salted caramel sauce. My favorite is the Smucker’s Brand “Simply Delights” line, but any high quality salted caramel sauce will do (or you can make your own!). Then you’ll crumble the remaining dough over top of the caramel layer and finish baking the bars.

When they’re fresh from the oven, you can sprinkle them with sea salt if you’d like – but be mindful if you use a salted caramel sauce that there is salt in there as well.

The result? The gooiest, most deliciously buttery Salted Caramel Butter Bars. You’ll soon see why this is a family favorite!

*adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey Cookbook

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Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Buttery, soft crumb bars filled with salted caramel! I dare you to stop at one bite.. it's irresistible!

Course Bars

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 24

Author Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 11.5 oz jar salted caramel sauce (I like Smuckers Brand Simple Delights, but Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel is great, too!)
• Sea salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 13x9" baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil liberally with cooking spray and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Lastly, beat in the four (4) cups of flour until a soft dough has formed. Press HALF of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate the remaining dough.
• Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Pour the caramel evenly into the crust, then crumble the remaining dough on top to cover the caramel layer. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and remember that there's salt in the caramel sauce, too
• Return to the oven and continue baking for an additional 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and the caramel is bubbly. If the middle jiggles a little bit, this is okay - it will continue to cook as it cools. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting into squares.

I hope you enjoy!

Love Salted Caramel? (Hey, me too!) Check out these other fantastic salted caramel recipes!

Salted Caramel Pecan Pie Bars

Have a fantastical day!

xo, Hayley

The post Salted Caramel Butter Bars first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars are to die for! Layers of buttery graham cracker crust, a luscious cheesecake center and the most incredible pecan pie praline topping make for an irresistible bar recipe!

I cannot believe it is almost Thanksgiving!

We are likely going to have a smaller one this year which is fine since I usually have to do the majority of the cooking. I cannot fathom the families who prepare feasts for guests in the double digits – you guys are crazy talented! I can handle maybe 8 or less, though in our case it’ll probably be 3-5.

We will definitely have apple pie because it’s a favorite of everyone’s, but I am going to HAVE to make these Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars even if there will be more desserts than people at the Thanksgiving table. These are SO delicious – seriously mind-blowing! – and instantly catapulted themselves as one of my new favorite desserts I’ve made this year!

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

These bars have three layers to them and they’re all super easy, I promise! The first layer is your graham cracker crust, which consists of graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and some sugar for sweetness. You’ll mix it all together until moistened and press it into a 13×9″ baking pan that’s been lined for foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup. (You’ll thank me later!). Pre-bake this for a minute to help it set while you prepare the cheesecake layer.

The cheesecake layer consists of cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, some sour cream for added tanginess, and a little pinch of flour to help stabilize everything. Beat it all together until it is nice and smooth, taking care to scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl so there are no lumps. You’ll spread this cheesecake layer evenly onto the graham cracker crust and bake the bars until nice and set.

While the bars bake, you’ll make your final layer – the pecan pie topping! This topping is not like a traditional pecan pie filling in that there are NO eggs, so it doesn’t need to bake. It has the consistency when set of a pecan praline candy almost where it yields when you bite into it, but has that familiar and nostalgic pecan pie flavor. The ingredients for this are butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, corn syrup, and pecans. You’ll boil it together and pour it on top of the baked cheesecake bars.

All you have to do is let the bars set in the fridge before cutting into squares. Believe me – that is by far the hardest part. Once you catch a whiff of that pecan pie filling cooking on the stove, you’re going to want to dig in, but chilling them is mandatory!

The combination of the creamy cheesecake, sweetened graham crackers and buttery pecan pie topping is outstanding! I know you’re going to absolutely ADORE these Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars!

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Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

These Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars are seriously DECADENT! Layers of graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake and a divine pecan pie praline topping make for an outstanding layered bar you're going to love!

Course Bars, Pie

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

Servings 15 bars

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST:

• 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE CHEESECAKE:

• 16 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

FOR THE PECAN PIE TOPPING:

• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2½ cups chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a 13x9" light metal baking pan with parchment paper or foil, extending the sides of the paper or foil over the edges of the pan. Spray with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and stir until moistened and mixture resembles wet sand. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and press it into an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, but keep oven on.
• While the crust bakes, prepare your cheesecake filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese for about 1 minute with the paddle attachment. Add in the sugar and mix well, followed by the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in the sour cream, flour, and vanilla extract and mix well, scraping down the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl to ensure no lumps.
• Pour the cheesecake filling evenly over the pre-baked crust and smooth out the top. Return to the oven and bake for another 30-35 minutes or until the center appears set and does not jiggle.
• While the cheesecake bars bake, prepare your pecan pie topping: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the corn syrup, heavy cream, brown sugar and mix well. Add in the vanilla extract and pecans and stir well. Allow the mixture to come to a boil and boil, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and evenly pour over the cheesecake while it is still warm, carefully spreading into an even layer (be gentle as the warm cheesecake will be delicate).
• Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate to set completely for about 4 hours before cutting into bars.

These bars are sinful, decadent, and oh so delicious! You’re going to absolutely go nuts for them!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Dutch Apple Pie Bars combine your favorite flavors of Dutch apple pie but in an easy bar recipe! Complete with a homemade pastry crust, softened cinnamon-spiced apples and an irresistible Dutch crumb topping!

Fall is officially here and I couldn’t be more excited! Bring on the pumpkin patch, sweaters, and ALL the apple-y recipes!

I am definitely more on Team Apple than Team Pumpkin, and after taste-testing these bars, that idea was basically cemented in stone and then encased in steel. These bars are extremely delicious – I would even venture to say addictive. In fact, over the course of a few days, I basically ate the entire pan myself!

Dutch Apple Pie Bars

These Dutch Apple Pie Bars have a few components to them to make these truly the best. Those components are:

• The Crust: the crust consists of a homemade pastry crust made of simply pantry ingredients like flour, salt, an egg yolk, butter, and milk. You’ll pulse it together in a food processor until it resembles a ball of dough, then refrigerate it while you prepare the filling.
• The Apple Pie Filling: this is obviously made of – you guessed it – apples! I like to use a mixture of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp because I love the flavors of the two of them together. However, you can use one or the other if you don’t want to use a combination. In addition to diced, peeled apples, we’re going to coat them with light brown sugar and granulated sugar, some flour (to thicken the coating), spices, and a little vanilla extract for flavor.
• The Dutch Crumble: of course, for a Dutch apple pie bar, it needs to have that signature Dutch crumble topping! This will be made from the usual ingredient suspects, including butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Super simple, and yields a buttery, soft crumble topping.

Everything comes together pretty quickly, and once the components are ready, you’ll assemble the bars!

First goes the pastry crust in a lined pan (I like lining with parchment) whereupon you’ll pre-bake the bottom crust. This just gives it a little added insurance that it is done and can better support the heavier filling and topping.

Once it has pre-baked slightly, you’ll add your filling and topping. Pile it on HIGH and thick, because every self-respecting apple pie has a thick filling!

Bake it up, and let it cool before slicing into bars!

These Dutch Apple Pie Bars are seriously DIVINE! Filled with gooey, spiced apples, a buttery Dutch crumble topping and the most amazing pastry crust, you’re going to LOVE these easy bars!

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Dutch Apple Pie Bars

These Dutch Apple Pie Bars are mind-blowingly good! Layers of flaky pastry crust, gooey spiced apple filling and a buttery Dutch crumble topping make for a supremely delicious bar!

Course Bars, Pie

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed

FOR THE APPLE FILLING:

• 4 cups apples, peeled and diced (about 4 medium - I used a mixture of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

FOR THE DUTCH CRUMB:

• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Line an 8" square light metal baking pan with parchment paper or foil, extending the sides of the parchment or foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil or paper lightly with cooking spray; set aside.
• First, make your pastry crust. In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt until mixed. Add in the egg yolk, cubed butter and milk and pulse until a soft dough comes together into a ball shape. Roll the dough ball in a piece of plastic wrap and briefly refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
• Toss the diced, peeled apples together with the sugars, flour, spices and vanilla until fully coated. Set aside. For the Dutch crumble, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt until crumbly. Set aside.
• Unroll your pie dough in an 8" square shape. Place it evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly puffed. Remove from oven, but keep oven on. Top the crust with the apples in an even layer, as well as any juices from the apple bowl, followed by the Dutch crumble crumbled evenly over the top.
• Return to the oven and bake for an additional 40-45 minutes or until light golden brown on the top and appears set. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.

I know you’re going to LOVE these! They’re surely going to be in my autumn recipe rotation!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Dutch Apple Pie Bars first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

Scotcharoos are crispy rice treats fully loaded with peanut butter, butterscotch and chocolate flavors! They are SO addictive and delicious, and not your ordinary rice krispy treat!

So prior to this, I have to admit – I had never had a Scotcharoo.

Growing up, my parents did not bake. My grandparents did not bake. We did not have the family baking experience. Once in a blue moon, my mom would make my grandma’s coffee cake, but that was about it and we certainly didn’t have fun little treats like these.

Prepared snack cakes and packaged cookies were more our speed, and hey, there’s nothing wrong with that! But a lot of these classic childhood treats everyone requests from me are above my head because I just never grew up with them. But now I’m here as a professional to fix that and experience them as a thirty-something year old. You’re never too old!

The Low-Down on Scotcharoos

What are scotcharoos, exactly? Good question! They’re basically glorified rice krispy treats that get a fancier treatment. Instead of marshmallows and butter like a regular RKT, these have a boiled candy mixture of granulated sugar, peanut butter and corn syrup as the “sauce” mixed with the crispy rice cereal, and a butterscotch and milk chocolate layer as the topping.

In another word, they’re scrumptious. 

How to Make Scotcharoos

You’ll simply melt the granulated sugar, peanut butter and corn syrup together in a medium saucepan until the sugar has dissolved and everything has become melted and smooth. You won’t bring it to a boil, but you want it to be hot and no longer grainy from the sugar. Once it has reached this stage, you’ll pour it in a bowl with your crispy rice cereal and toss it to coat.

Press the coated cereal mixture into a greased pan and then make your topping. The topping is just melted butterscotch chips and melted milk chocolate chips stirred together. Pour it over the top and let the topping set before cutting into squares to serve.

These bars are sweet, salty, chewy and so decadent. They really taste like a gourmet rice krispy treat from a fancy bakery or candy shop, but are surprisingly simple to make!

Tips & Tricks

How do I make sure my scotcharoos stay soft and chewy? The key to ensuring your scotcharoos stay soft and chewy is to not boil the peanut butter mixture. You just want to make sure the sugar has dissolved but take it off the heat before the mixture boils.

How can I store completed scotcharoos? Finished scotcharoos can be kept at room temperature covered airtight up to a week.

These Scotcharoos are so delicious – you and your kids will love ’em!

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Scotcharoos

These Scotcharoos are seriously DIVINE! Combining peanut butter, butterscotch and chocolate, they elevate basic rice krispy treats into a gourmet childhood favorite!

Course Bars, Candy

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 24 bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 6 cups rice krispy cereal
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

• Liberally grease a 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray, or line the pan with parchment paper or foil and then grease. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, peanut butter, and corn syrup and stir together over medium-high heat. Continue cooking and stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is melted and smooth, about 10 minutes. Do NOT allow the mixture to boil. If the mixture begins to bubble, pull it off of the heat. It shouldn't be super grainy from the sugar. While this cooks, add your cereal to a large bowl and set aside.
• Pour the peanut butter mixture into the bowl with the cereal and toss to coat completely. Pour the coated cereal into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Be careful, as the mixture may be hot.
• In a medium microwaveable bowl, combine the butterscotch and milk chocolate chips. Microwave on HIGH power for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave again in 30 second intervals, stopping to stir every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the bars and spread in an even layer.
• Allow the chocolate to set, about 1 hour, before cutting into squares.

If you love sweet and salty flavors, you’re going to fall in LOVE with these irresistible scotcharoos!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Scotcharoos first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Monster Cookie Carmelitas are oatmeal cookie bars fully loaded with a peanut butter caramel, chocolate chips and miniature M&M’s for a fun twist on two classics: carmelitas and monster cookies!

I cannot believe September is this week! Although it will mean nothing in the grand scheme of, well, anything. Least of all weather-wise.

At least we’re one step closer to Christmas. Yeah, I dropped the holly jolly C-word. And I won’t apologize for it.

In the meantime, I’m cooking up all sorts of cozy recipes for fall or the prequel to fall, and those include these bad boys. Let’s just say they are one of my better harebrained ideas.

Monster Cookie Carmelitas

First, let’s break down what the heck a monster cookie carmelita is, anyway. Actually, it’s two different desserts mashed into one concept: carmelitas, which are caramel and chocolate-filled oatmeal cookie bars, and monster cookies, which are oatmeal-based cookies loaded with chocolate, peanut butter and M&M’s. Since they have similarities between them (chocolate, oats), and caramel and peanut butter go well together, I figured this would be a culinary match made in heaven.

And I was right!

The base is essentially an oatmeal cookie that we’ll bake in a square pan. You’ll throw down your first layer using half of the dough, and bake it for a little bit to set. Then you’ll add your caramel layer, which consists of caramel squares melted with a little heavy cream and with some creamy peanut butter stirred in.

Once your caramel layer is on, you’ll sprinkle on your chocolate chips and miniature M&M’s, followed by the remaining bits of cookie dough.

Bake it up, and you have these gloriously gooey bars!

Success Tips for Monster Cookie Carmelitas

• When working with caramel, things are bound to get sticky. I recommend lining your baking pan with foil or parchment and greasing the foil or parchment paper with nonstick spray to be extra cautious.
• These bars cut best when they have properly cooled and had time to sit at room temperature. I would not attempt to cut them when they are still warm, as the caramel layer is heavy and they are still kind of fragile and gooey when room temperature. You can always briefly refrigerate before cutting, but I recommend serving anything with caramel at room temperature so as not to crack a tooth.
• Bars can be kept for up to 5 days at room temperature, if stored airtight.

These bars are hearty, chocolaty, absolutely bursting with gooey goodness from the buttery caramel and peanut butter filling and are such a fun twist between two classic desserts. Now, who wants some of these Monster Cookie Carmelitas?

These are so unbelievably gooey and delicious.. I know you’re going to go nuts for them!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Monster Cookie Carmelitas first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart Bars are layers of shortbread cookie with an addictive and thick brown sugar cinnamon filling and a cinnamon glaze JUST like your favorite Pop Tarts from childhood!

One of my favorite snacks growing up were Pop Tarts. I had a few flavors I liked, but none were as favorable as the brown sugar and cinnamon ones. Those were top-tier!

I love them still to this day, but I don’t buy them as often because I just feel like I’d have no self-control around them. And similarly, after making these, I had the same issue. They are insanely good. You’ve been warned!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart Bars

What are Pop Tart Bars, exactly? It’s kind of like a cookie bar, consisting of a shortbread-type cookie (the same kind I used in my Salted Caramel Butter Bars!) sandwiched around a brown sugar & cinnamon filling. You’ll bake it until it is golden brown and set, and then top it with a cinnamon and vanilla glaze, very similar to the ones on the Pop Tarts.

These Pop Tart Bars have ingredients you probably have on hand, including:

• Butter: we’ll be using unsalted butter in the cookie recipe for flavor, and as our fat element
• Sugar: both granulated sugar and confectioners’ (powdered) sugar are used to make these bars extra tender and flavorful
• Salt: to balance the sweetness
• Vanilla Extract: for flavor
• All-Purpose Flour: for structure

The filling consists of brown sugar (light brown is fine!), ground cinnamon, and a little bit of all-purpose flour for some structure, mixed with melted butter. This will create a sandy texture that will be the perfect brown sugar and cinnamon filling for our bars.

Lastly, the glaze is just confectioners’ sugar, ground cinnamon, a splash of vanilla extract, and some heavy cream or milk whisked together until smooth.

Tips for Baking

• These bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
• You can also freeze these bars without the glaze on them. Simply place the unfrosted bars in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature, then glaze.

These Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tart Bars are seriously DELICIOUS. You are going to FLIP for them!

*idea inspired by Butternut Bakery

I absolutely LOVE how these taste like a deep-dish Pop Tart! I hope you love them, too!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart Bars first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Brown Butter Vanilla Rice Krispy Treats are easily the BEST RKTs I have EVER made, hands down. Just a few simple tweaks transform a humble recipe into a gourmet creation!

I hope you guys had a relaxing Memorial Day Weekend!

I spent it partially by the pool, partially dating (yes, dating!), and partially with friends grabbing dinner. I’d say it was a good one!

And now that summer is practically here, it’s time for all the no-bake treats. Starting with arguably one of my favorite no-bake treats, the rice krispy treat!

Everyone has made a rice krispy treat before – they’re basically just three ingredients – but you can easily elevate them to make them out of this world AMAZING. That is what this recipe is all about today, and I’ll teach you how!

Brown Butter Vanilla Rice Krispy Treats

So brown butter vanilla rice krispy treats have a couple components that are different than your average RKT. The first part being brown butter. What is brown butter? It is butter that you cook past the melted point until it browns and gets nutty and caramelized. The butter will foam, fizzle and pop and then begin to cook and get caramelly browned bits in the bottom of the pan. This is what you want!

To the browned butter, you’ll add in your marshmallows (of course), but also some secret weapons for the best RKTs ever: pure vanilla extract and sweetened condensed milk. I know what you’re thinking – sweetened condensed milk whaaaa-?! But I PROMISE you, this extra special ingredient (and one of my FAVE secret weapons in the kitchen) gives these squares a buttery, caramelly, vanilla-y flavor that is just incredible.

Mix in your rice krispies cereal and a couple extra marshmallows for some gooey pockets of goodness, then you’ll press the mixture into your prepared pan.

The hardest part is letting them set and firm up, but thankfully it doesn’t take very long.

Rice Krispy Treats are seriously one of my ultimate weaknesses, and these ones are no exception. The sweetened condensed milk + nutty browned butter + rich vanilla flavors are mind-blowingly delicious and so simple. They take no real extra time at all but totally elevate the heck out of these humble squares.

Whatever you do, you MUST make these!

*modestly adapted by Jessie Sheehan’s book Snackable Bakes

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Brown Butter Vanilla Rice Krispy Treats

These Brown Butter Vanilla Rice Krispy Treats are seriously MIND-BLOWING! A few simple tweaks transform humble squares into gourmet treats with the addition of brown butter, vanilla and a secret ingredient.

Course Bars, No Bake Desserts, No-Bake Treats

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12 squares

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• Pinch salt
• 10 oz bag miniature marshmallows, plus 2 extra cups for stirring into the final mixture
• 6 cups crispy rice cereal

Instructions

• Line an 8x8 or 9x9 square pan with parchment paper or foil, extending the sides of the parchment or foil over the edges of the pan. Lightly grease with cooking spray; set aside.
• Add the butter to a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat until melted. Pay close attention, because at this point butter will brown quickly and it can go from browned to burned fast. Butter will start to foam, fizz and sizzle for a few minutes and then you'll begin to notice little browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Swirl the pan occasionally to prevent scorching and to pick up those browned bits. Once the butter is nutty, fragrant and amber in color, remove from heat.
• Stir the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and salt into the butter mixture, then add in 10 oz of the marshmallows and stir until totally smooth and combined.
• Add the crispy rice cereal to a large bowl with the remaining 2 cups of mini marshmallows. Pour the marshmallow mixture over the top and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine until the crispy rice cereal is fully coated.
• Using greased hands, carefully pat the mixture into the prepared pan (caution, as it may be hot). Pat it into an even layer, but don't compress it too much - the key to great RKTs is to have some air pockets in there. Allow the mixture to set for about an hour before cutting into squares.

These RKTs are seriously phenomenal! My neighbors and I devoured them and I know your fam will love them as well!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Brown Butter Vanilla Rice Krispy Treats first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars are perfect for spring! Swirled layers of carrot cake and creamy cheesecake in one delicious bar!

I cannot believe we are already halfway through March!

I was preparing some info for my accountants to file my taxes (ew) and I was looking over transactions and thinking, I remember making this purchase… but it was in December?! It felt like yesterday! And then other days I can’t even remember what I had for lunch that same day. And yet, here we are.

Springtime and Easter are coming up and those are both great reasons to bring on delicious, springy desserts! If you need some, I’ve got ya covered with this one: Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars. Yep, you read that right!

Here’s how they’re made!

Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars

Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars essentially have two components to them: the carrot cake portion and the cheesecake portion. Because you’re essentially making two separate desserts and blending them together, they are a bit more labor intensive to make, but I promise, they are well worth the trouble. And once the batters come together for both, it is smooth sailing.

For the carrot cake, you’re going to need carrots (but of course), oil for moisture, sugar, vanilla, eggs. spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, flour, leavening agents, salt, and then some yummy add-ins like crushed pineapple for both moisture and flavor. You’ll create the cake batter and set it aside.

Next you’ll make your cheesecake filling. This consists of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, a teensy bit of flour for stability, vanilla extract, and sour cream for a luscious tanginess.

Once the batters are both made, you’ll layer them in the pan by pouring half of the carrot cake mixture into a greased pan, then topping it with the cheesecake mixture, then dolloping the rest of the carrot cake batter on top of that and lightly swirling.

Bake it, and voila! The most gorgeous swirled Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars.

Tips for Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars

• I recommend tapping both your carrot cake batter bowl and cheesecake batter bowl lightly on the counter for about 30 taps to pop any air bubbles before pouring them into the pan together. This helps bake the cheesecake bars more evenly.
• Allow the cheesecake bars to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set before cutting into squares.
• For clean-cut squares, dip a sharp knife in hot water and wipe off the water with a paper towel. Cut into the bars, then wipe the knife after each cut.
• Cheesecake Bars can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

These Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars will soon be a HUGE hit with your loved ones! Enjoy!

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Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars

These Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars are a fun twist between moist carrot cake and tangy cheesecake in a unique and delicious bar!

Course Bars, Cheesecake

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 4 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 hours hours

Servings 15 servings

Ingredients

FOR THE CHEESECAKE:

• 16 oz (Two 8oz packages) cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream

FOR THE CARROT CAKE:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 8 oz (approx 1/3 cup) crushed pineapple, drained
• 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1¼ cups finely grated carrots

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a 9x13" light metal rectangular pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing the excess of the foil or parchment to hang over the sides. Spray the foil or parchment with cooking spray; set aside.
• Make the cheesecake: In a large bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and granulated sugar until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add in the flour and eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, mixing well after each addition. Lastly, beat in the sour cream until mixed well. Tap the bowl on the counter about 30 times gently to pop any air bubbles. Set aside.
• Now, move onto the carrot cake. In another clean bowl, combine the oil, crushed pineapple, granulated and brown sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk together until combined, about 30 seconds. Add in the spices, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour and mix until just barely combined. Lastly, fold in the finely shredded carrots until just combined. Tap the bowl on the counter about 30 times gently to pop any air bubbles.
• Pour 2/3 of the carrot cake mixture into the prepared greased and lined pan and spread to the edges with a rubber spatula or spoon. Top with the cheesecake mixture which will may be on the thinner side. Dollop the remaining carrot cake batter on top of the cheesecake layer and using a clean butter knife, swirl the cheesecake and carrot cake layers together very lightly. Don't go overboard marbling this layer.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is light golden brown and the center appears set. If it jiggles very slightly, that's okay, but it should not be sloshing around in the pan. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set before cutting into squares to serve. Store any leftovers airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.

I love the combination of spicy, sweet carrot cake and tangy cheesecake and I know you will, too!

Craving more carrot cake goodness? Check out this recipe!

The BEST Carrot Cake

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Brown Butter Brookies are a combination of brown butter chocolate chip cookies and fudge brownies in one decadent bar!

Happy March!

I cannot believe it is nearly springtime! Even though Sacramento is currently experiencing what could best be described for us as torrential rain storms and a freeze warning?!, I know the heat is coming!

Meanwhile, I am trying to brainstorm some fun spring recipes for you, along with some classic recipes to have in your arsenal. Who doesn’t want a brookie recipe?! Let’s talk about this one!

Brown Butter Brookies

Brookies are bars that consist of a chocolate chip cookie layer and a fudge brownie layer baked together into one decadent bar. They are a little bit more labor intensive than a regular recipe since you have to make both a brownie batter and a cookie dough, but boy, are they worth it. This particular recipe is for browned butter chocolate chip cookie dough which is out of this world amazing.

For the cookie portion, you’ll need the usual ingredients: butter, brown and white sugars, egg, vanilla extract, leavening, salt, flour, and chocolate chips. Super simple! Instead of using regular softened butter, we’re going to brown the butter to make it nutty, caramelized and fragrant – this deepens and elevates the flavor of the cookie dough. It is an extra step that is so delicious!

For the brownie portion, you’ll need: butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Another simple brownie recipe scaled down since we are stacking essentially two recipes together into one bar.

How to Brown Butter

If you’ve never browned butter before, it’s a simple process but requires you to keep a watchful eye on the pan, as it transforms from golden brown to burned and useless quickly! You’ll place the butter into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until it melts, then allow it to keep cooking past the melting point. It’ll look like not much is happening, but then you’ll notice it start to bubble up and foam and you’ll see little browned bits forming on the bottom of the pan. Swirl the pan around a little bit and pull it when the butter is amber in color and fragrant. Do not step away as it can blacken quickly!

These bars are so delicious with the rich and complex addition of brown butter. I recommend using a higher quality chocolate chip, such as Guittard or Ghirardelli, to really bring out that delicious chocolate flavor.

Brown Butter Blondies are sure to become a new hit with your family and friends!

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Brown Butter Brookies

These Brown Butter Brookies combine brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars and fudge brownies into one decadent, dreamy bar!

Course Bars, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 15 bars

Ingredients

For the COOKIE DOUGH:

• 12 Tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, divided, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like Guittard)

FOR THE BROWNIES:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder (Dutch process or unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350° degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 13x9" light metal baking pan with foil or parchment, extending the sides of the foil or paper over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil or parchment with cooking spray; set aside.
• First, make your cookie dough. Place 4 Tbsp of the softened butter into a large bowl and set aside. Place the remaining 8 Tbsp softened butter into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until melted. Continue cooking until mixture foams and bubbles and the butter begins to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn! Pour the browned butter, including all of the bits in the bottom of the pan, over the softened butter in the bowl you set aside earlier. Stir together until it is all melted together.
• To the butter bowl, add the sugars and mix well, followed by the vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk, mixing well after each addition. Add in the flour, baking powder and baking soda, and salt and mix until just barely combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Press the cookie dough mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Set aside.
• For the brownies: In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar and vanilla and stir until combined and shiny, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, stirring well, followed by the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt until just combined. Pour the brownie batter evenly over the cookie dough layer and try to cover the cookie dough layer as much as possible with the brownie batter.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, but not wet, crumbs. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Notes

I recommend using a higher quality chocolate chip and cocoa powder for this recipe since it is such a simple recipe. For this, I love Guittard or Ghirardelli chocolate chips and/or cocoa powders. They both make excellent chocolate products.

When I tell you I could NOT stop eating these! They are divine!

Want some more brownie goodness? Check out this recipe…

Copycat Cosmic Brownie Cookies

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Brown Butter Brookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.