You know we love cookies, so it's easy to understand that the upcoming Lion House cookbook (Lion House Cookies and Sweets) captured our imaginations. We were lucky enough to get our hands on a manuscript to test a few recipes. Some of us had more success than others, with the following recipe being our favorite of the bunch:
Photo courtesy of Deseret Book.
Oatmeal Fudge Bars
Made by Kaela Worthen Gardner, Associate Editor
Her review: Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are one of my most favorite sweet creations on the planet. So putting them in bar form, in which everything that is good about the cookie is multiplied, sounded like a fantastic idea. And it was. The chocolate chips of the traditional cookie are melted into a thick fudge-like layer. I also happen to love fudge. Cookies and fudge in one bar? Awesome. These bars were rich and chewy and all-around delicious. I made only one change: instead of mixing the nuts into the chocolate layer, I sprinkled them on top of half the pan before baking, so those who don’t love nuts could enjoy them and those who do wouldn’t have to suffer the lack of flavor.
Makes 36 bars
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.Cream together butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl; add eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl, and then add to creamed mixture. Mix in oats.
Combine sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and margarine in a heavy saucepan, and heat until chocolate is just melted. Stir in vanilla and nuts.
Spread two-thirds of the dough into prepared baking pan. Spread with chocolate mixture. Drop remaining one-third of dough on top by spoonfuls. Bake 25 minutes. Cool and then cut into bars.
And for a little more of a taste of the upcoming book . . .
Million Dollar Cookies, page 57
Photographed and made by Ashley Evanson, Online Editor
Would you make it again?: Yes, but with a few changes to the recipe.
Black-and-White Biscotti, page 75
Photographed and made by Alexa Justesen, LDS Living Intern
Would you make it again?: Yes.
Almost Oreo Cookies, page 24
Photographed and made by Kate Ensign-Lewis, Online Editor
Would you make it again?: Maybe; I'd undercook the cookies and substitute the frosting for a canister of store-bought cream cheese frosting.