Gourmet Cookie Bouquets Recipe Blog

Archive for the ‘Bars & Brownies’ Category

It’s so easy to make homemade brownie gift jars. You provide the dry ingredients and the recipe and your recipient has everything she needs to make a delicious batch of brownies. You can decorate your jar to match your tastes and make it really personal. These gifts are thoughtful, welcomed, and don’t cost much. Here’s how you do it.

You’re going to layer ingredients needed to make the brownies in a clear container. A Mason jar works well as does any glass container that’s tall and has a lid. Get fancy or just go basic. It’s up to you. You’re going to need the following:

Brownies in a Jar

1 cup Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

2/3 cup Brown sugar

1/3 cup Good Cocoa

1/2 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup Walnuts (optional)

2/3 cup Granulated Sugar

It’s best if you also have a wide mouth funnel on hand. Grab some card stock and ribbon too as well as a decorative pen.

The idea is to layer the ingredients so that they look pretty. You’re not going to mix them. So start with the flour and go down the list. Add one ingredient at a time to the jar and tamp it down. The sugar will be the last thing you add on top of the mix. It’s looking great at this point, but you’ll still need to include the recipe on a piece of card stock or on a label. Print on a computer or hand write these directions:

You’ve got everything here you need to make a luscious batch of brownies except 3 eggs and 2/3 cup of oil and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Dump out the jar’s contents and add the additional ingredients. Mix until blended but don’t over mix. Pour your batter into a greased pan. 9” square works best. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Test with a toothpick. When it comes out of the center clean, your brownies are done. Allow to cool before cutting.

That’s it! Now it’s time to decorate the lid. You can place a circle of festive fabric on top of the lid of a mason jar and then screw on the lid. Tie a ribbon around the neck of the jar and punch a hole through the recipe card. Tie the recipe card firmly to the jar using the ribbon. You can create different patterned lids based on the season or the holiday.

These jars are great as holiday and birthday gifts, but they also make great raffle prizes or basket fillers. Think about all the PTO and church events that are coming up. You can contribute a few of these to raise money for a good cause. People love them because they are getting the convenience of home baking without the hassle of running out to gather all the ingredients.

They also make great little gifts for your kids’ teachers, your manicurist or hairdresser, the school bus driver, a friend at the office or a music teacher. You can even make these as wedding favors. Just choose pretty jars and make one for each couple (not each person). Singles, of course would get their own as well. These jars are easy to make and the kids can help.

Up for making more jar gifts? Try these:

• Homemade jar mixes for every holiday
• How to make a cookie jar gift

Whenever I receive a fruit basket, I immediately search for blackberries amongst the fruit. Blackberries are another of my favorite summer berries!  Right now they're pretty plentiful in the grocery store, farmer's market or maybe even in your own garden!  Below is a wonderfully moist bar recipe that will melt in your mouth!

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour (4.5 oz)
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 oz unsalted butter, cold butter, cut up (6 tablespoons)

Filling:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 very small pinch salt
2 cups fresh blackberries
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar (or try 1/4 granulated and 2 T. brown)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 oz unsalted butter, cut up, cold (4 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 inch square metal pan with non-stick foil or line with foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Combine flour, powdered sugar and salt in bowl of food processor and pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until mixture is coarse. Alternatively, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and cut the butter in with a pastry cutter.
3. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake until the surface is dry and the edges are browned, about 20-22 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before adding filling.
4. Combine the 1/4 cup sugar (+ 2 T extra if needed), cornstarch, and salt. Stir in the berries and zest until combined. Set aside.
5. Prepare topping. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in food processor bowl. Add butter and vanilla and pulse until mixture is coarse.
6. Spread the filling on the cooled crust. Sprinkle the topping over the filling. The whole thing will look pretty lumpy. Bake until the topping has browned lightly and the berry filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into bars. Makes about 12-16 depending on how you cut them.

If you think this is a great recipe, just wait until you try this recipe for blackberry cobbler. Yum!

If you're a fan of cookies, then you'll love these cookie bars!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar

• 1 cup oatmeal

• 3/4 cup flour

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. soda

• 1/2 cup margarine

• 1 beaten egg

• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 1/2 cup walnuts

Combine together the first 5 ingredients (all dry). Then add the wet ingredients including the margarine, egg, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix together well using an electric mixer on low speed. Fold in the walnuts. Spread cookie dough evenly in an 8” square pan. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes (until golden brown). Cut into square cookies and serve.

For more tasty bar recipes, try these:

• S'Mores Cookie Bars Recipe
• Eatmore Bars
• Heaven Bars
• Almond Bark Bars

There is really nothing like baking gourmet desserts. That's why this recipe is a thriller!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1/2 cup margarine

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup sour cream

• 3 large bananas, mashed

• 2 tsp. vanilla

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. soda

• 2 cups flour

Cream together the sugar and margarine in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and sour cream mixing well. Then add the bananas and vanilla mixing well. Sift together the flour, soda and salt. Then mix them in with the wet ingredients. Pour the gourmet banana bar mixture into a greased and floured 15”x10”x1” pan. Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes. Use a toothpick to test bar doneness. Cool completely prior to frosting.

Brown Butter Frosting

• 1/4 cup butter

• 3 Tbsp. sour cream

• 2 cups powdered sugar

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat stirring constantly until light browned and bubbly. After removing from the heat stir in the sour cream until mixed well. Add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time beating with an electric mixer between each addition until you achieve a fluffy, creamy frosting consistency. Frost and cut bars into squares. Store gourmet bars in the refrigerator.

If you're wanting more banana treats, try this recipe for Banana Nut Bread.

If you enjoy fresh organic fruit, then you'll really love this recipe for apple bar bites.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/2 cup margarine

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 8 oz. softened cream cheese

• 2 Tbsp. milk

• 1 beaten egg

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

• 3 1/2 cups chopped apples

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large glass mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, 1/2 cup of the white sugar and the cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter, cut the margarine into the dry ingredient mixture. Once well mixed, stir in the nuts. Press crumb mixture evenly into a greased 9x13” pan reserving 2 cups of the mixture for later use. In another mixing bowl, beat together softened cream cheese and milk; add remaining 1/4 cup of white sugar, beaten egg and vanilla; mix well. Pour over the crumb crust. Distribute the apples evenly on top the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the rest of reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool bars; slice and store in refrigerator.

If you enjoyed these apple bar bites, you'll really love this recipe for Apple Cobbler Recipe.