Nanaimo Bars

I have run into variations of this recipe here and there, and finally decided to try them. Yeah, OK, now I see why they're in so many books and magazines. Total sweet deliciousness. And not too much work or trouble. Bar cookies are awesome because you get like 3 dozen for not that much work.

The variation I chose comes from a Betty Crocker cookie magazine so of course it uses Betty Crocker cookie mix in the crust. A shameless marketing gimick, but sometimes I'm OK with that. These cookie mixes are available in most stores near me, so I assume they're near you too. They look like this:Now, what's up with the name? It's pronounced "na-NY-mo" and it's their city of origin in British Columbia, Canada. Reportedly these cookies were invented and named by an anonymous housewife who submitted the recipe to a magazine. According to my Field Guide to Cookies, the city is so proud of the bar that the town's mascot is a giant Nanaimo bar named - what else? - "Nanaimo Barney." (But I couldn't find a Google image of him so I have my doubts.)Nanaimo Bars
Cookie base:
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker double chocolate chunk cookie mix
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup chopped nut topping or chopped walnuts
1/2 cup coconut
1 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten

Filling:
4 cups powdered sugar
4 T vanilla instant pudding mix
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup milk

Topping:
1 bag (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/4 cup butter

1. Heat oven to 350. Line bottom and sides of 9x13 pan with foil, leaving foil hanging over 2 opposite sides of pan. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until well mixed. Spread into pan; press lightly. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until set. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

2. In large bowl of electric mixer, stir together powdered sugar and pudding mix. Add 1/3 cup butter and the milk; beat with mixer on medium until smooth (filling will be very thick.) Spoon over cookie base; press evenly to cover. Refrigerate while making topping. *I found the filling so thick that I patted handfuls flat in my hands and laid them on the cookie base until it was mostly covered, then I evened it out with an offset spatula.

3. In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on HIGH 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Spread over filling. Refrigerate uncovered until set, about 30 minutes.

4. Use foil to lift bars from pan; pull foil from sides of bars. Cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in fridge.

Recipe from Betty Crocker's Christmas Cookies, December 2009