Cappuccino Crunch Bars

Muffin Goddess's Note:

These are something a little different for a non-specific sweet craving. I made a couple of minor alterations, but the original recipe was Edwina Gadsby's submission to Home-Tested Cookie Recipes. I found that they are better a day or two after you make them.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 30 bars

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee or 2 teaspoons espresso powder, dissolved in
• 1 tablespoon hot water, and cooled to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup toffee pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 13x9-inch pan (I recommend cooking spray- if you use shortening, the bars may seem greasy once cooled).
3. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl; set aside.
4. With an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars until fluffy.
5. Beat eggs in one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Mix in dissolved and cooled coffee, extracts and orange zest.
7. Gradually mix in flour mixture.
8. Once flour is blended in, stir in chips and toffee bits.
9. Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread evenly.
10. Bake 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown.
11. Cool in pan on wire rack before cutting into bars.

Reviews

[under12parsecs]

Wow! The orange zest really makes these lovely cookie bars! Absolutely beautiful flavor and I underbaked them a bit so they would stay chewy and gooey. I cut the recipe in half and used 1/4 c white and 1/4 c milk chocolate chips. These are going in the keeper file!

[katew]

My result was good and yummy but was like a cake texture wise. It was not a fudgy brownie but was nevertheless delicious. I cut back a bit on the sugar and used dark chocolate chunks. Made for ZWT 7.

[the_cookie_lady]

These were extremely tasty! Mine did not, however, turn out like a brownie. They were kind of like cake with a crunchy toffee bottom crust. I'm not sure if I might have over "fluffed" the butter and sugars or if it might have been because I used egg beaters instead of the actual eggs. Regardless of them not turning out quite as I had expected, I rather enjoyed the crunchy bottom crust (but it was kind of hard to get out of the pan at first). My toffee was chocolate covered and I used only about 3/4 cup white chocolate because that's what I had. I used orange extract (didn't have any fresh oranges) and cut down on it (only 1/4 tsp) since one reviewer suggested that the orange overpowered the coffee flavor. These really were great though! Thanks for posting such a tasty alternative to brownies!