Description
Delicious and chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bars topped with a sweet maple cinnamon frosting. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon and loaded with raisins, these bars bring the classic cookie flavor in a convenient bar form, making them ideal for snacking or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Bars
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup raisins
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon maple extract (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, setting it aside for later use.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and fine salt until well combined to ensure even flavor distribution in your bars.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter and light brown sugar together using a mixer for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which helps create a tender texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate them. Then mix in the vanilla extract for added flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overmixing and toughening the bars.
- Incorporate Oats and Raisins: Gently fold in the quick-cooking oats and raisins to distribute them evenly throughout the dough.
- Spread Dough and Bake: Spread the cookie dough evenly in the prepared baking pan. Optionally, sprinkle extra raisins on top for a decorative and tasty touch. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.
- Cool Bars: Allow the bars to cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, which is important for the frosting step.
- Make Frosting: Beat the unsalted butter until smooth in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporated for a creamy texture.
- Add Flavor to Frosting: Stir in maple syrup, heavy cream, ground cinnamon, and the optional maple extract. Mix everything until smooth and well blended.
- Frost Bars: Spread the prepared frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars.
- Serve: Slice the frosted bars into squares and serve as a delicious treat or dessert.
Notes
- Make sure all ingredients like butter and eggs are at room temperature for better mixing and texture.
- Quick-cooking oats provide a softer texture, but rolled oats can be used for a chewier bar.
- Maple extract in the frosting is optional but adds a nice depth of flavor.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
