ShareThisThis recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens All-Time Favorites 2010 Cookbook, a supplement to the magazine. It’s a spin-off of one of my old favorites, Graham Cracker Toffee, but with the addition of a baked in buttery oat layer which makes the bars more “cookie-like” than candy and adds texture and flavor. To make the recipe even more fun, BHG recommends topping the cookies with smoked almonds. I didn’t have any on hand, so I used toasted sliced almonds and was very happy with the results.
By the way, the original recipe just called for “butter” and since the recipe didn’t call for any additional salt, I assumed they used regular salted butter. I didn’t have any salted butter on hand so I used unsalted butter and about 3/8 teaspoon of salt. You can see the original version by clicking link at the bottom, but here’s how I made it.
Oat & Toffee Grahams
12 whole graham crackers
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tbsp all purpose flour
2/3 cup salted butter, melted (or use unsalted and add 3/8 tsp )
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark or semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted and lightly crushed***
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15×10x1 inch nonstick foil.
Arrange whole graham crackers in a single layer in prepared pan leaving no gaps.
Combine oats, sugars, and flour in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter, egg, and vanilla until well combined; spoon over graham crackers and spread evenly to edges of pan to cover graham crackers.
Bake on center rack for 20-25 minutes or until oat mixture bubbles and is browned on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Return to oven 1-2 minutes.
Spread melted chocolate over top to cover. Sprinkle with almonds. Cool in pan on a wire rack. To set chocolate, chill briefly. Grasp foil and lift from pan. Place on a large cutting board and cut into squares with a chef’s knife. These are pretty solid bars, so you may do more “breaking” than “cutting” but you should still be able to make squares.
Makes about 32
***Spread almonds on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 7 minutes or until they start to brown. Let cool.
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Oat ‘n’ Toffee Grahams
this is right up my flavor alley.
I always like to use unsalted butter & just add salt to taste – but I’m a cooker, not a baker, so kudos for figuring out the right ratio of salt needed when making a substitution!
I’ve been meaning to make the David Lebovitz “Chocolate-Covered Caramelized Matzoh Crunch” http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2008/01/chocolatecovere.html for some time. I finally bought the matzoh last month but was too busy with Christmas cookies. This recipe reminds me that I better do it soon.
This kind of reminds of your Frito Bark which is always a hit with my friends. I will have to surprise them with these bars next time!
Those look amazing!
This is a comment on Louise’s comment. I make chocolate covered Matzohs all the time. My recipe is different than David Lebovits. I like mine better because it calls for 1 cup chopped pecans melted with regular salted butter and brown sugar and then poured over the matzoh. Also, add sliced almonds on top and then I cut mine into squares when they are warm or they are too difficult to cut. Breaking them up after they cool is messy. I won 3rd place for bars at the MN State Fair a few years ago entering these.
And the reason I saw Louise’s comment: These Oat and toffee grahams remind me of the Matzo bars…These look great!!!
So I’m picturing that really bad-for-you saltine cracker toffee (crack) stuff, but these look better and are much more healthy, what with the oats and such!
This looks so good! I made saltine toffee over the holidays which was good, but this looks even better!
Addendum to earlier comment….my Matzoh “crack” is different, but I can’t say better than D.Lebovitz since I’ve never tried his! I also don’t melt the pecans, but you all probably got that!