Name: Maw-Maw's Toffee Cookie Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup brown sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 cups all purpose flour; 1.25 cups chocolate chips; optional: chopped pecans

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This recipe for toffee cookie bars come straight from my grandma’s recipe box. They are a simple brown sugar cookie bar topped with chocolate and optionally pecans for a easy and tasty dessert.

Stack of cookie bars with golden toffee base and chocolate spread over the top.

If you like the deep flavor of brown sugar and simple desserts, these bars are for you. They come together in just a few minutes with a handful of ingredients you likely already have.

I was digging through some old family recipes recently when I stumbled upon this gem. My Maw-Maw had emailed it to my mom with a note that she used to make these toffee bars whenever she had to take something special somewhere.

The ingredient list was short and the method was beyond simple, so I decided to whip some up. I am certainly glad I did.

Making the bars

Desserts really don’t get a whole lot easier than this. Just beat some softened butter with brown sugar, an egg, vanilla and salt.

Add flour and mix until combined. Gently pat it out in a 10×15″ sheet pan and it’s ready to go.

When the hot cookie bars come out of the oven, sprinkle some chocolate chips over the top. Let them sit for about a minute and then spread it smooth.

sheet pan filled with toffee bars with chocolate spread over the top.

Maw-Maw sprinkled chopped pecans over hers which sounds amazing. Due to the taste preferences of those I was sharing with, I left them off.

Once the bars are cooled and the chocolate is set, cut the bars into squares and serve. They are fabulous.

Easy adaptations

I used light brown sugar in these bars and it resulted in a light blonde bar. For a deeper flavor and color, feel free to switch to dark brown sugar.

Use your favorite kind of chocolate chips. I used milk chocolate because they are Little Dude’s favorite.

First piece of toffee cookie bars being lifted out of sheet pan, ready to serve.

Dark chocolate or semisweet chips would be fabulous as well and would be a great foil to the brown sugar in the bars.

If you choose to top your bars with pecans, take a few minutes to toast them first. You could even add a pinch of salt when you do for the maximum toasty sweet and salty combination.

More fabulous cookie bar recipes

Soft sugar cookie bars topped with a fluffy layer buttercream are a fun and easy treat. They are so much quicker to make than individual cookies and taste great!

Brown sugar chocolate chip cookie bars are quick and easy to make and sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Oatmeal cream pie bars bars will remind you of the oatmeal creme pies you used to get in your lunchbox. They are super easy to make and will give you a taste of childhood!

Love this recipe? Give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review in the recipe card below!

Yield: 24 Servings

Maw-Maw's Toffee Cookie Bars

This recipe for toffee cookie bars come straight from my grandma's recipe box. They are a simple brown sugar cookie bar topped with chocolate and optionally pecans for a easy and tasty dessert.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1.25 cups chocolate chips
optional: chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth.
Cream in brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla, mixing until combined.
Stir in salt and flour until just incorporated.
Pat into a 10x15-inch pan.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Right after removing the bars from the oven, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Let sit for 1 minute and then spread until smooth. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the melted chocolate if desired.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.
Store at room temperature for up to a week.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 51mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 2g

All nutritional information is estimated and will depend on the exact ingredients you use.

This recipe for toffee cookie bars come straight from my grandma's recipe box. They are a simple brown sugar cookie bar topped with chocolate and optionally pecans for a easy and tasty dessert.

Kris

Saturday 3rd of July 2021

I can't wait to make these. Husband will love them!

Carlee

Sunday 4th of July 2021

I hope he does! Have a nice 4th!

Barb

Saturday 26th of June 2021

Made these bars today and there is not enough batter to go in a 10x15 jelly roll pan. They are so skimpy something is wrong in the instructions.

Sunday 27th of June 2021

I made it in my 10x15" pan and they turned out just as pictured. I was actually tempted to size the recipe up to fit a 13x18" half sheet pan, because I think it's a more popular size pan to have. However I thought I should keep the recipe just they way my Maw-Maw has been making it for decades.

Ann

Can these Toffee Cookie Bars be frozen?

Yes, the chocolate may bloom, but they will still taste delicious.

Jo Ann

Friday 25th of June 2021

I am assuming that all purpose flour is used?

Yes, you are correct.

Billie Patrick

Love your MAW-MAW's cookie bars. I'm sure I will be making them often. Grandmother's know best. Thank YOU for sharing.

They certainly do, thank you!

Maw-Maw’s Toffee Cookie Bars