I love cookie bars! All the sweet, delicious tastes of cookies, but also easier to make. This way, you don't have to worry about how the cookies are sized/shaped or anything like that. Plus, these will be thicker than most cookies (around 3/4 inch to 1 inch). When I feel like making cookies, I usually prefer to make them as bars.
The 3 ingredients that really make this pop are cinnamon, butterscotch morsels, and mini truffles, all of which can be found at Walmart.
Other toppings you could add or swap out could include M & Ms, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, or white chocolate chips. Really, there's no limit to how creative you can be with these bars!
Does this have to be served immediately after cooking? Or can this dish be kept & keep warm to serve after cooking?
This dish can do either! if you wrap each cookie bar in aluminum foil and place into an insulated container (a cooler without ice in it), the cookie bars can be kept warm for a few hours. Helpful when taking for a tailgate party after a Saturday long run!
Can any of this be prepped ahead of time? (say, the night before a Saturday morning long run)?
For this one, it's actually advantageous if you can cook it the night before, then let it cool overnight.
How long will these cookie bars last for?
It all depends on how moist the cookie mix is on the baking sheet before it goes into the oven. If you're a bit generous (but not too much!) with the water & veg. oil when mixing everything, the bars will keep that moisture as they cook & then are removed from the oven. On the flip side, if you're very light with the water & veg. oil, the bars will start to harden much sooner & might need to be re heated in the microwave if eating some time after they are cooked.
I like my cookie bars to be more on the soft, moist side, where even if I'm eating one some time after I've cooked them, I don't have to re heat in the microwave. If that's what you like as well, follow the ingredient amounts listed below. If you would like the cookie bars to be a bit harder, cut the water & veg. oil amounts in half.
Either way, you'll have some delicious cookie bars! If you decide to make these, let me know how they went!