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Recipe adapted from QuickCooking magazine, January/February 2001 (now Simple & Delicious magazine)
Can’t Leave Alone Bars (also known as Can’t Get Enough Bars)is a simple, easy cookie recipe that was first published in Quick Cooking magazinein 2001.
The bar cookies are true to their name – people cannot eat just one and leavethem alone – and their popularity caught on quickly.
When made for a gathering,potluck, party, or just dessert, these bar cookies are the first to go.The recipe is constructed in 3 layers, with the bottom andtop layers made of the same mixture – and a cake mix at that. The middle layer,made of melted chocolate, is poured over the crust.
Different cookie elves construct the top layer differentways. Some drop spoonfuls of the mixture on top of the smooth middle chocolatelayer. This creates hardened lumps on the cookie surface and may propel you toover bake the bars. Other cookie elves sprinkle the remaining mixture over thechocolate, which creates a crumbly texture.
The Elf advises against both those approaches. Instead, thebest method is to flatten teaspoonfuls of cookie dough between your hands and arrangethem across the surface to fit together, allowing chocolate to peek through.This creates an even top layer, which lets bars bake uniformly.
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Bake time: 20-25 minutes
Makes about 3 dozen bars
Ingredients
1 package white cake mix (regular size), any brand
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporatedmilk)
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine, cubed
Directions for Can’t Leave Alone Bars
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13 x 9 baking pan with foil.Spray foil lightly with vegetable spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil with alarge spoon (or with an electric mixer on low speed) until just well blended.Press half to two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Setremaining cake mixture aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the sweetened condensedmilk, chocolate chips, and butter. Microwave uncovered for 30-45 seconds. Stir.Repeat until chips and butter are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour chocolatemixture over crust.
- Take a teaspoonful ofremaining cake mixture and flatten it between your hands. Lay flattened doughon top of chocolate layer. Repeat with remaining cake mixture, arrangingflattened dough pieces across the chocolate surface. Chocolate will be visiblein gaps between pieces of dough.
- Bake bars 20-25 minutes. Do not over bake or bar surfacewill become hard.
- Cool bars completely on a wire rack. Lift foil ends toremove bars from the pan. Cut bars into 7 x 5 rows or other size depending onyour preference.
- Store bars in an airtight container with waxed paper betweenlayers.
Can't Leave Alone Bars with sprinkles (right)
Special Baking Tips forCan’t Leave Alone Bars
You can vary Can’t Leave Alone Bars by making a chocolateversion, using a chocolate cake mix and butterscotch chips, or a strawberryversion, using a strawberry cake mix and white chocolate chips.
Adapt the bars to any holiday by sprinkling the top layer,before baking, with colored decos, nonpareils, or sprinkles that areappropriate for that season.
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