Butter Fingers

     In the late 1970s or early 80s a Home Ec. student teacher from KSU, Miss Wiens, made these bar cookies as a treat for the students. They were a hit and for years, we made these for Abilene High School’s National Honor Society Induction. Originally the peanut butter frosting covered the entire surface of the cookies; I cut the frosting recipe in half and use it to drizzle the surface.

Butter Fingers      Makes one 8”x12” or 9”x13” pan

Cookie Base:

   1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature

   1/2 cup granulated sugar

   1/2 cup packed brown sugar

   1/3 cup peanut creamy butter

   1 egg

   1/2 teaspoon baking soda

   1/4 teaspoon salt

   1/2 teaspoon vanilla

   1 cup all-purpose flour

   1 cup quick rolled oats (old-fashioned works too)

Chocolate Layer: 

   6  to 8 ounces chocolate chips (I prefer semi-sweet)

Frosting:

   1/4 cup powdered sugar

   2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

   3 to 4 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 8”x12” or 9”x13” pan with parchment paper or foil; grease or spray.

2. Cookie Base: Using a mixer, cream butter and sugars. Mix in peanut butter, egg, soda ,salt, and vanilla. Then add flour and rolled oats; mix completely. 

3. Spread into prepared pan – the dough is thick so I distibute it in the pan and then lay a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap over the surface – this keeps my fingers from sticking to the dough as I pat and push the dough to evenly cover the bottom of the pan.

4. Put the cookies in the preheated oven and bake until light brown -- about 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Chocolate Layer: Remove base from oven and top with 6 to 8 ounces of chocolate chips – use enough to cover the surface. I usually put back in the oven for a minute or so and then remove and spread the melted chips evenly over the surface of the bar cookies.

6. Cool cookies competely on a wire rack.

7. Frosting: Mix together the powdered sugar, peanut butter and enough milk so frosting can be  drizzled over the hardened surface of the chocolate -- I put the frosting in a spoon and drizzle back and forth creating a criss-cross pattern. (A mini food processer works well for mixing the frosting.)

8. Cut into bars  after frosting sets up.

Baking Tip:

To easily remove bar cookies from the pan, line with foil or parchment paper (fold or cut it to fit the pan) extending  it beyond the edges, creating “wings” or handles that can be used to pull the entire sheet of cookies out after they have cooled. The “wings” can actually extend either from the long or short side of the pan.