Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars: Super-Fast, Made-from-Scratch Sweets, Treats, and Desserts, written by Dorothy Kern, features a fun variety of over 85 treats for every occasion. A few highlights include Tuxedo Cookies, Bacon and Caramel Brownies, Brown Butter Pecan Blondies, Three-Layer Cookie Cake, and Ice Cream Cookies. I will also be sharing her recipe for Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Harvard Common Press in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Dorothy Kern
Dorothy Kern is a food writer and photographer. She created Crazy for Crust in 2010 to share her recipes and inspire others.
Her work has been featured in Rachael Ray Magazine, Woman’s World Magazine, Buzzfeed, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, and more.
Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars
Dorothy begins Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars with a short introduction and background of how her love of baking has grown since she was a young child.
There are plenty of incredibly helpful notes scattered throughout the book from measuring ingredients to using the oven and doubling recipes. Beginners will particularly appreciate the detailed guides to basic ingredients and kitchen tools.
If you happen to have leftovers, Dorothy has also created a section with storage and freezing instructions.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Cookie Jar Favorites; Brownies; Blondies and Bars; Cookie Cakes, Skillet Bakes, and Cups- Oh My!; Crazy Cookies; Stuffed and Sandwiched; No Oven, No Problem: No-Bake Cookies and Bars; and For Man’s Best Friend: Dog Cookies for Your BFF. The contents have a list of the included recipes with page number for easy reference.
Each recipe is paired with a half to full-page photo of the finished dish. Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in English. Every treat has a headnote with background information, personal stories, yield, prep/chill/bake time, and helpful tips.
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars
Everything we have tried so far in Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars has been wonderful, but I especially loved the Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars!
These Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars come together easily with just a handful of ingredients. They don’t even require any special shaping! Simply bring together the dough, mix in the mini chocolate chips, and press evenly into the prepared pan.
For a soft texture, bake the shortbread bars in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes. Bake a little longer, around 35 minutes, for a more crisp and crunchy cookie bar.
Want to add a little something extra? Dorothy recommends adding 1 1/2 cups (165 grams) of toasted, chopped pecans in place of the chocolate chips.
Store the leftover Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Other Treats
I also made the Sprinkle Cookies, Brookie Skillet, Giant Stuffed Nutella Cookie, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars.
The Sprinkle Cookies were perfect for using up a few leftover sprinkle mixes I had on hand. They also come together in less than 30 minutes! Soft and chewy cookies are packed with sprinkles and baked until barely golden.
Claire picked the Brookie Skillet simply for the M&M’s topping, but this was such a fun treat to put together! A fudgy, decadent brownie base is topped with pieces of chocolate chip cookie dough and baked until just golden. It was another recipe with easily assembly since everything bakes together in a single skillet.
The Giant Stuffed Nutella Cookie was a favorite with Evan. I also loved how the recipe creates just two huge cookies for a small batch. A basic cookie dough is studded with mini chocolate chips, wrapped around scoops of Nutella to seal, and baked until golden.
The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars were another huge hit. An easy, eggless chocolate chip cookie dough is pressed into a prepared pan and covered with melted chocolate. The bars are refrigerated until set, then cut into individual squares to serve.
Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars is a great pick for those looking for fun treats to bake at home. I enjoyed the variety of flavors and styles of baked goods perfect for any time of year. Dog owners will appreciate the section devoted to dog-friendly recipes inspired by Dorothy’s labradoodle, Abby.
Most of the ingredients are readily available in the average American grocery store.
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars Recipe
Excerpt from Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter softened
- 2/3 cup (134 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) cornstarch
- 2 cups (248 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (245 grams) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9 × 13–inch (23 × 33 cm) pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Mix in the vanilla extract, salt, and cornstarch.
- Slowly mix in the flour until combined, then stir in the chocolate chips.
- Press the dough into a thin layer in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes for soft-baked texture or up to 35 minutes for crunchy shortbread.
- Cool completely before slicing into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Anita
This is a good recipe. I prefer regular shortbread, but my kids will definitely prefer this version.
Ieva
Yum! I love how cornstarch makes these a melt-in-the-mouth type of cookie. Absolutely delicious! Will definitely make these!
Claudia Lamascolo
These look super delicious and easy to make!
Dijana
These are amazing! Adding chocolate chips to shortbread is a game-changer! I love it!