13 Delicious Bar Cookie Recipes that Can Serve a Crowd

Easy Monster Cookie Bars
Photo: Jason Donnelly

These cookie bar recipes—including creamy peanut butter bars, fruit-filled bars, chocolaty caramel treats, and more—are irresistible, foolproof, and perfect for any occasion. The best part? You don't have to worry about scooping messy spoonfuls of dough, cookie by cookie. It's all in one batch! Simply fill a pan and bake 'em up, and you've got warm, fresh-from-the-oven bar cookies.

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Easy Peanut Butter Bars

Easy Peanut Butter Bars

These peanut butter bars utilize self-rising flour to keep the ingredient count (and prep time) down. If you don't have any on hand, you can easily make your own. Candy-coated peanut butter pieces and coarsely chopped peanuts embellish the tops.

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Blood Orange Bars

Blood Orange Bars
Blaine Moats

Fresh blood orange juice brings these cookie bars a splash of sunny citrus flavor. Dust the golden bars with powdered sugar for the grand finale. No blood oranges stocked? Regular freshly-squeezed orange juice also does the trick.

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Cherry-Crumb Bars

Cherry-Crumb Bars
Blaine Moats

Craving tart cherries? Bring them to the dessert table in this easy bar cookie recipe. Oatmeal cookie mix and a quick homemade powdered sugar icing make easy work of this stunning sweet-tart treat.

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Chocolate Revel Bars

Chocolate Revel Bars
Carson Downing

These cookie bars are a well-loved recipe by BH&G staff and readers alike. Oats and rich chocolate complete the three layers of the soft, chewy bars. Pair a square with a big glass of milk or mug of hot chocolate.

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Lemon-Lime Bars

Lemon Lime Bars
Andy Lyons

Lemon bars have long been a family favorite. Pump up the citrus zing of the classic dessert with a luscious layer of lime. Garnish with lemon-lime zest, then dust on a sprinkling of powdered sugar to finish.

Buy It: Powdered Sugar Sifter ($11, Walmart)

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No-Bake Butterscotch-Pretzel Bars

no-bake pretzel and butterscotch bars
Peter Krumhardt

Gather some sweet pantry staples and get cooking. Featuring ingredients like pretzels, butterscotch, peanut butter, and powdered sugar, these no-bake cookie bars can be made without the hassle of a shopping trip.

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Gooey Butter Bars

Gooey Butter Bars
Andy Lyons

Sink your teeth into lush, buttery bites of honey-ginger sweetness. The beauty of this bar recipe? Its a blank canvas for any baker's imagination. Top the bars with anything you like, such as strawberries, blueberries, or even a simple glaze made with powdered sugar and tangerine juice—the options are endless.

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Pecan-Crusted Mojito Bars

Pecan-Crusted Mojito Bars
Jason Donnelly

Turn your favorite summertime cocktail into a sweet treat using pecans, fresh mint, and a whole lot of lime. Good luck stopping at just one of these bar cookies.

Buy It: IMUSA Citrus Squeezer ($8, Target)

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Spiced Pumpkin Bars

Spiced Pumpkin Bars
Karla Conrad

All you need is a can of pumpkin and a handful of baking staples to get these moist and delicious fall dessert bars going. The warm-spiced cake-like bars are covered in a simple, yet irresistible cream cheese frosting for the perfect tangy-sweet bite.

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Four-Nut Maple Bars

Four-Nut Maple Bars
Blaine Moats

Indulge in these whole-wheat, maple-laced nutty cookie bars. Frost them with a homemade chocolate-hazelnut concoction, then garnish with your favorite toasted nuts for a crunchy finale.

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Cappuccino-Caramel Oat Bars

Cappuccino-Caramel Oat Bars
Karla Conrad

Rolled oats (either quick-cooking or old-fashioned) give the coffee- and caramel-flavor cookie bars a chewy texture. They're so delicious, you might even sneak one for breakfast.

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Coconut-Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Coconut-Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Blaine Moats

Fresh or frozen blueberries give these creamy cheesecake bars a tart twist, while graham crackers and coconut provide a sweet and crumbly crust.

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Cinnamon Bars

Cinnamon Bars
Andy Lyons

Fans of snickerdoodles will devour these cookie bars. The warm-spiced brown sugar bars are baked to perfection before being brushed with melted butter and finished with a generous dusting of cinnamon sugar.

Buy It: OXO Good Grips Pastry Brush ($11, Bed Bath & Beyond)

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