Haunted House Cookie Bars Recipe
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup black royal icing or thick chocolate frosting
- Orange, white, and purple decorating icing
- Candy eyes, spooky sprinkles, and mini chocolate bars for “doors”
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal of the bars later.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes of mixing.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat well until everything is fully incorporated and smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a thick dough forms. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
- Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan. Once cool, lift them out using the parchment paper and cut them into 12 rectangular bars. If you want a “house” shape, you can trim the tops of each bar into a triangle point.
- Spread a layer of black icing or frosting over each bar. Use the colored icings to draw windows, doors, and cobwebs. Add candy eyes for “ghosts” in the windows and use mini chocolate bars as heavy front doors. Top with spooky sprinkles to finish.