For this month’s Secret Recipe Club, TFAW got a real winner! At 365 Days of Baking the recipes are just that — all baked and the diligence of posting daily is to be commended.
I spent an afternoon poking around the 365 Days site trying to decide what to bake. My main issue – I was torn between salty and sweet. Sweet won out. I caught the recipe for these O’Henry Bars right as I was headed out to celebrate my grandma’s 88th birthday. The story fit so well — since this was a recipe passed down from grandma to blogger, maybe I should bake these for my grandma? The ingredients are classic and the recipe looked pretty fool-proof so I gave it a go.
Hi, grandma!
O’Henry Bars
adapted from 365DaysofBaking.com family recipe
4 cups quick oats, uncooked
2/3 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup light Karo syrup (corn syrup)
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
I followed the original recipe almost verbatim. My only change was upping the chocolate chip/peanut butter mixture on the top, since I thought the bars required a more solid, thick layer of chocolate.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with butter. Cream butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add Karo syrup and vanilla, combining thoroughly.
Stir in the oatmeal and blend, then press the mixture firmly into baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool, then place in refrigerator for 5-10 minutes.
While bars are in the refrigerator, melt peanut butter and chocolate chips in a small bowl over a saucepan containing an inch of simmering water. When bars are cooled, pour melted chocolate mix over top and spread to edges. Store in refrigerator until chocolate is firm and bars are ready to be served.
I hardly ever use corn syrup so I was a bit worried that these would turn out too sweet or goopy. The result? Amazeballs. Everyone, and I mean everyone, loved them — from home, to the office, to yes – grandma.
Our fellow blogger at 365 Days suggests these are good to make and bring to an event where there will be children. We think they’re good for anyone! This is one of those foods that if you don’t like, you just must not have a heart (or you’re allergic to peanut butter).
10 Comments
I think these should be called Oh’ Holy Schmolly Bars! They’re so good! Great photo’s and post. Nice meeting you through SRC and I look forward sharing recipes.
Great find! These bars look really good. I love the chocolate frosting on top!
Sooo sweet of you to bake these for your grandma! Awesome to be in the Secret Recipe Club with you. Here is my post from group C – http://su.pr/2rtACr
mmmm they look like a really good treat!!
Glad to be in Group C with you
Oh, these sound so fabulous!!! I think these are a must bake for me
I’m so glad your grandma liked them~
And thank YOU for being a great Group lead!
O’Henry Bars..they were absolutely delicious!
O’Henry Bars are one of those things that my family has made since I was little (at least 30 years), and one of my younger sister’s favorite treats. They truly are yummy
My grandson is allergic to peanuts. Do you think these would work with a peanut butter substitute such as Wow Butter?
It absolutely would! Any substitute that melts well will work.