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Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cup whole oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup chocolate swirled cookie butter plus 1/3 cup for spreading on baked dough
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup toffee bits
- Creme Base
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup regular cookie butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup (or more if "someone" hasn't eaten them on you!) M&M's® Crispy
View Full Recipe at The Life and Loves of Grumpy's…
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%20and%20I%20could%20have%20a%20treat%20that%20wouldn't%20dig%20into%20my%20calorie%20allotment%20for%20the%20day%20too%20deep.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20have%20to%20tell%20you%20that%20these%20M&M's%C2%AE%20caused%20a%20slight%20altercation%20between%20Grumpy%20and%20me.%20Yup,%20we%20had%20a%20little%20bit%20of%20an%20unsettling%20moment%20between%20us%20because%20of%20them.%20I%20made%20my%20recipe%20more%20than%20once.%20That%20meant%20I%20needed%20more%20than%20one%20bag%20around%20the%20house.%20See%20that%20jar%20full%20of%20candy%20in%20the%20photo%20above?%20I%20filled%20that%20jar%20and%20happily%20left%20if%20for%20Grumpy%20to%20munch%20on%20while%20I%20was%20at%20my%20Food%20Blog%20Conference.%20You%20would%20have%20thought%20that%20would%20have%20been%20enough%20for%20him.%20I%20bet%20you%20can%20guess%20where%20I%20am%20going%20with%20this,%20right?%20A%20food%20blogger's%20worst%20nightmare%20is%20finding%20a%20product%20or%20finished%20recipe%20gone%20before%20they%20can%20make%20the%20recipe%20or%20photograph%20the%20final%20product.%20I%20had%20that%20nightmare%20last%20weekend%20as%20I%20prepared%20to%20do%20a%20final%20run%20of%20my%20recipe!%20I%20went%20to%20the%20pantry%20where%20I%20had%20put%20the%20bag%20of%20M&M's%C2%AE%20Crispy%20only%20to%20find%20that%20there%20was%20only%20about%20a%20cup%20of%20them%20left%20in%20the%20bag!%20Bad,%20bad%20Grumpy.%20I%20have%20a%20feeling%20that%20won't%20happen%20again%20any%20time%20soon!%20Being%20a%20seasoned%20blogger,%20he%20knows%20that%20for%20the%20most%20part,%20certain%20items%20are%20%22untouchable%22%20until%20I%20say%20so.%20I%20think%20the%20fact%20he%20tasted%20the%20candy%20the%20week%20before,%20%22thought%22%20I%20was%20done%20baking,%20and%20liked%20the%20candy,%20well,%20I%20guess%20I%20can't%20entirely%20blame%20him%20for%20digging%20in!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETwo%20rules%20that%20should%20always%20be%20enforced%20in%20a%20food%20blogger%20home:%201.)Never%20do%20you%20ever%20eat%20anything%20without%20asking%20first%20and%202.)%20Hide%20whatever%20you%20don't%20want%20someone%20to%20find%20and%20sneak%20into%20on%20you!%20The%20effect%20of%20following%20those%20two%20rules?%20Nobody,%20and%20I%20mean%20nobody%20has%20to%20have%20any%20tears%20over%20the%20situation%20and%20yes.%20I%20did%20cry.%20I'm%20not%20ashamed%20to%20admit%20it.%20I%20only%20had%20enough%20left%20to%20make%20this%20recipe%20and%20no%20snacking%20for%20me%20while%20I%20was%20doing%20it.%20%20Do%20you%20have%20any%20idea%20how%20much%20that%20hurt?%20Oh,%20that%20was%20so%20hard%20to%20do!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThat%20said,%20I%20have%20to%20say%20that%20when%20I%20saw%20that%20my%20local%20Walmart%20had%20a%20big%20M&M's%C2%AE%20display%20back%20in%20their%20candy%20aisle,%20I%20about%20went%20crazy.%20Everything%20we%20love%20and%20want%20in%20one%20spot!%20Grumpy's%20favorite%20choices%20have%20always%20been%20the%20almond%20and%20peanut,%20where%20mine%20has%20always%20been%20the%20crispy%20choice.%20I%20have%20a%20feeling%20after%20the%20%22situation%22%20I%20just%20told%20you%20about%20that%20Grumpy%20loves%20those%20crispy%20one%20just%20about%20as%20much%20as%20I%20do!%20I%20think%20when%20we%20go%20out%20shopping%20next%20weekend%20I%20may%20have%20to%20stockpile%20and%20%22hide%22.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20found%20my%20M&M's%C2%AE%20Crispy%20in%20a%20big%20display%20in%20the%20candy%20aisle%20at%20my%20local%20Walmart%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20was%20in%20a%20mood%20for%20something%20chocolate,%20chewy,%20creamy%20and%20crunchy.%20I%20was%20inspired%20by%20a%20few%20different%20recipes%20I%20had%20seen%20on%20the%20internet%20and%20came%20up%20with%20this%20particular%20outcome.%20A%20bottom%20layer%20made%20with%20chocolate,%20chocolate%20cookie%20butter,%20and%20oatmeal%20as%20the%20main%20flavors.%20I%20then%20spread%20some%20chocolate%20cookie%20butter%20over%20the%20bottom%20layer%20when%20it%20was%20nice%20and%20hot%20(so%20it%20would%20melt)%20and%20let%20it%20cool%20for%20my%20final%20part%20of%20the%20recipe%20-%20the%20creamy,%20fudge%20like%20(uncooked)%20cookie%20butter%20layer.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENeed%20to%20slip%20the%20finished%20product%20out%20of%20the%20pan%20to%20cut%20into%20perfect%20squares?%20No%20problem!%20I%20used%20both%20a%20ceramic%20baking%20dish%20and%20a%20glass%20baking%20dish%20in%20testing%20of%20this%20recipe.%20I%20only%20sprayed%20with%20cooking%20spray%20and%20these%20bars%20slid%20out%20very%20easily%20when%20I%20wanted%20to%20cut%20them.%20%20They%20need%20to%20be%20completely%20cooled%20and%20sit%20a%20few%20hours%20after%20completion%20of%20the%20entire%20recipe,%20so%20if%20you%20can%20wait%20that%20long,%20you%20can%20cut%20them%20just%20like%20I%20did!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOptional%20ingredient%20suggestions:%20If%20you%20do%20not%20have%20or%20can't%20find%20chocolate%20cookie%20butter%20or%20regular%20cookie%20butter,%20feel%20free%20to%20use%20a%20hazelnut%20spread%20or%20regular%20peanut%20butter%20in%20place%20of%20cookie%20butter%20in%20my%20recipe.%20I'm%20sure%20the%20results%20will%20be%20just%20as%20tasty!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECookie%20Butter%20Crispy%20Creme%20Bars%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIngredients%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECookie%20Base%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EInstructions%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPreheat%20oven%20to%20350%20degrees.%20Spray%209x13%20pan%20with%20non-stick%20cooking%20spray.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIn%20a%20medium%20mixing%20bowl%20combine%20the%20oats,%20flour,%20cocoa%20powder,%20baking%20soda,%20salt%20and%20toffee%20bits.%20Set%20aside%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIn%20another%20medium%20mixing%20bowl,%20mix%20together%20the%20butter,%20cookie%20butter,%20brown%20sugar,%20egg%20and%20vanilla%20extract%20until%20creamy.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdd%20the%20flour%20mixture%20to%20the%20butter%20mixture%20and%20mixed%20until%20well%20combined.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPress%20the%20cookie%20base%20into%20the%20bottom%20of%20your%209x13%20pan%20covering%20the%20entire%20bottom%20of%20pan.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBake%20at%20350%20degrees%20for%2025-30%20minutes.%20Remove%20from%20oven%20and%20immediately%20spread%20with%201/3%20cup%20of%20chocolate%20cookie%20butter.%20Set%20aside%20and%20let%20cool%20completely.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMake%20the%20creme%20base%20by%20mixing%20together%20the%20butter,%20cookie%20butter,%20brown%20sugar,%20granulated%20sugar%20and%20vanilla%20extract%20until%20well%20combined%20and%20creamy.%20Gradually%20add%20the%20flour%20to%20the%20butter%20mixture%20mixing%20well%20until%20thoroughly%20combined.%20Spread%20creme%20base%20over%20top%20of%20cookie%20base.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EDecorate%20with%20M&M's%C2%AE%20Crispy%20and%20drizzle%20with%20melted%20cookie%20butter%20(about%202%20tablespoons%20can%20be%20melted%20in%20the%20microwave%20up%20to%201-1/2%20minutes).%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECut%20bars%20into%20small%20squares%20and%20serve.%20Store%20in%20airtight%20container.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMakes%2036%20bars.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}