Yikes – a whole month almost since my last posting again…(sorry!)…I now have to also wish all you dads out there a very H A P P Y F A T H E R ‘ S D A Y for next weekend…how time flies with so much to do and so little time (today’s task is to catch up on posting a few new recipes that I’ve been meaning to share with you!).
“Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.” ~Author Unknown
Uncanny timing with it being close to Father’s Day for unintentionally creating a copycat recipe to Christie’s “Dad’s Goodie Rings” cookies! I’ve got to gloat again that I’ve been blessed with the best one of those too – my dad is my rock and such a provider, constantly still looking after us “kids” despite being grown ups now. He is gentle and kindhearted, caring and strong…and because he liked these cookie bars I made so much yesterday (and he loved the ugly cookies last week too!), I’m also naming them in dedication to him, not just for the copycat reference!
This recipe’s origin started just over a week ago when I was striving to make a healthy (well healthy-ish!) cookie to take camping at the lake. An oopsie (the cookies entirely melted together on the pan into one giant mess of a cookie that I had to cut apart) that tasted way too good to completely give up on. I decided that while being a flop for a traditional cookie, my infinitely unattractive cookie concoction would be absolutely perfect recipe as a base for a bar.
Fast-forward one week to yesterday – I tried to let my creative baking juices flow to figure out a suitable and flavor-complimenting topping for this base but I found myself stumped at something overtly-creative so I finally decided to keep it simple and make a dark chocolate coating to counter-balance the sweetness of the bar. The verdict = childhood reminiscent, tastebuds singing, and literally melting-in-your mouth deliciousness…a dessert harmony really!!! These cookie bars evoked memories from when I was a kid going camping with my family when my parents would bring a bag of Christie brand “Dad’s” cookies…do you know the delectable coconut cookies called “Goodie Rings” dipped in chocolate? Since I haven’t shopped in the cookie aisle for a couple of years now, I’m not sure if they even make them anymore, but if you’ve never tried them, trust me, they are FANTASTICALLY good. My dad (and the rest of my family…it was actually my sister that pointed out that they tasted identical to the “Goodie Rings”) LOVED them last night and, if you haven’t read my blog before, they don’t completely follow the h.u.n.n.y philosophy of eating so when they say they even prefer these to a refined sugar, butter based cookie, I take that compliment in high regard!
I hope this recipe brings back fond memories for you too – enjoy!
~ theHONEYhunny
Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Bars (a.k.a. “Dad’s Cookies”)
Recipe Source:A‘theHONEYhunny’ Creation
Recipe Serves: Serves 12
(Remember to use as many organic ingredients in this recipe as possible.)
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½ cuppure(not extra virgin)coconut oil, at room temperature
1 cupcoconut sugar
1 egg, large size(free-range and organic, if possible)
½ tsp baking powder
¼tspbaking soda
½ tspvanilla extract (brand without sugar listed as an ingredient)
1/8tsp Himalayan sea salt, finely ground
1 cuprolled oats (or quick oats)
¾ cup coconut, shredded and unsweetened
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¼ cuppure (not extra virgin) coconut oil
1 tbsphoney
3 tbspcocoa powder
½ tspvanilla extract (brand without sugar listed as an ingredient)
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Preheat oven to 350oF. Line 9″ x 13″ baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium size bowl, thoroughly combine first 9 ingredients (coconut oil, coconut sugar, egg, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, sea salt, rolled oats, and coconut) with electric mixer.
Transfer mixture into parchment paper lined baking pan. Spread dough with spatula or damp fingers until evenly covers entire base of the pan.
Bake for 15 minutes at 350oF (once done the edges should be slightly more dark in colour due to the caramelization of the coconut sugar).
Again, using your spatula, press baked dough flat and evenly. Cool to room temperature, approximately 15 minutes. Score bars with knife into 12 squares then refrigerate (while bars are still in the pan).
Once cool, make chocolate layer by melting remaining 4 ingredients (coconut oil, honey, cocoa powder, and vanilla) over low heat on stovetop in a small saucepan. Once melted, pour over the cold cookie bar base and spread into an even layer. Again refrigerate until chocolate sets then can cut into squares using scored outlines.
Serve straight from refrigerator.
