It’s been so long since I shared a simple cookie bar. But with Halloween right around the corner, I figured now was the perfect time. We don’t get trick-or-treaters up here where we are, it’s a little too rural. Asher goes into Frisco where she goes to school and where the businesses on Main Street hand out candy. But she never brings much, if any, home. In general, we really don’t eat candy, and I don’t usually love using candy in my baking recipes. But sometimes, mostly for fun holidays like Halloween and Christmas, I cave in and throw some candy into recipes. The Halloween candies that we always have a lot of around here…M&M’s and Reese’s Pieces. I tend to buy way more than we’ll actually ever eat. I get so excited when they come out with the fall colors…followed by the holiday colors (I’m such a sucker for any kind of holiday packaging), that I buy one too many bags and never know what to do with them all. Enter these cookies bars. I mean, it’s Halloween, so I figure, if there’s ever a time to have fun with a candy filled recipe, it’s now. You know? A simple oatmeal cookie base studded with chocolate chips and your favorite leftover Halloween candy. I used Reese’s Pieces, but M&M’s or your favorite chopped up candy bar would be great too. Use what you, your family, and friends love most. As you can guess, these are pretty easy to make. I used my mom’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe as a base (which is from the HBH cookbook). Then I stirred in some candy pieces (again, use your favorite, chopped Reese’s would be so good too). I also decided to bake the cookies into bars, instead of round cookies. Mom’s recipe is honestly the BEST. Nothing beats it, and the fact that it’s a one bowl and done kind of recipe makes them that much better. Bonus? I pretty much always have the ingredients on hand. So it’s the perfect recipe to bake up whenever a craving for oatmeal cookies hits. And yes, along with this bar being easy to make, they’re also so delicious. Best oatmeal cookies. Ever. And I really mean it. I baked these up with my little sister, Asher in mind. She’s been begging me to make cookies. She has a class Halloween party coming up that I promised to bake something for, so we tested these cookie bars out over the weekend. These are full on Asher approved. The thing with kids? They tend to be picky, so I knew I could be getting into trouble with the oatmeal cookie. But I really wanted to bake up something other than just another chocolate chip cookie. Been there done that. I was worried, but when she came down to the studio on Saturday, she ended up loving every bite. She could not get enough. Granted, she loved the “Halloween” colored candies. But she also said the cookies were delicious. She’s so excited to make them again for her Halloween party. Side Note: Asher is now ten. When I asked her what she was going to be this year, she said, “you’ll have to wait until Halloween to find out”. And with sass. Ugh. I wish she’d just stop growing up already! Whenever I make the recipes I grew up baking with my mom, those more classic recipes, I always ask myself, why don’t I bake these more. Obviously it’s because I am constantly testing out new recipes. But it’s a bummer that it’s hard to find time to bake anything that’s “old” and from the archives. I’m glad I decided to dust this recipe off and share it with you guys. Sometimes I forget that it’s the classic recipes that are really the greatest. Hands down a favorite recipe of the month. And I love that these are fun for both Halloween and Thanksgiving. If you make these cookie bars please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
