Candy Bar Cookies won the 13th Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1961. Recipe on Pillsbury.com by Alice Reese of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Now look what I found...
It's Alice Reese accepting her grand prize award from Art Linkletter. Isn't her expression just priceless! The photo is printed in the Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off Cookbook. I think she's pretty excited to win $50,000. That was a lot of cash in 1961. That was the amount of the grand prize until 1996 when they changed it to ONE MILLION DOLLARS.
Start by combining butter, powdered sugar, whipping cream, vanilla and flour. Mix well.
This is what the dough looks like. Then you wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Take the chilled dough and roll out half of it into a 10" x 8" rectangle. Cut into 2-inch squares and bake at 325°F. for 10-13 minutes. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Here's what the baked cookies look like. They aren't browned at all and they even look like they're not done, but they are. Let them cool for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the caramels with some whipping cream and margarine on low heat, stirring frequently. Then you remove it from the heat and add powdered sugar and chopped pecans.
The chocolate glaze is made by melting chocolate chips with whipping cream and margarine over low heat. Be careful not to get the chocolate too hot or it will burn. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.
Then assemble the cookies by spreading a little bit of caramel filling, and a smaller amount of chocolate glaze on each cookie. Top with pecan halves. Then ENJOY! I bet you can't eat just one. These cookies just melt in your mouth. So good!
And they look so pretty too! Great for a party.
Stay tuned for Recipe #14 - Apple Pie '63
Candy Bar Cookies
Ingredients
Base
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup margarine or butter softened
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose or unbleached flour
Filling
- 21 caramels unwrapped
- 3 tablespoons whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons margarine or butter
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
Glaze
- â…“ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons margarine or butter
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 40 pecan halves ½ cup, if desired
Instructions
- In large bowl, combine all base ingredients except flour; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour; mix well. If necessary, cover dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour for easier handling.
- Heat oven to 325°F. On well-floured surface, roll out half of dough at a time into 10x8-inch rectangle. With pastry wheel or knife, cut into 2-inch squares. Place ½ inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake at 325°F. for 10 to 13 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheets; place on wire racks. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled.
- In medium saucepan, combine caramels, 3 tablespoons whipping cream and 3 tablespoons margarine; cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in ¾ cup powdered sugar and chopped pecans. (Add additional whipping cream a few drops at a time, if needed for desired spreading consistency.) Spread 1 teaspoon warm filling on each cookie square.
- In small saucepan, combine chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon whipping cream and 2 teaspoons margarine. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate chips are melted and mixture is smooth. REMOVE FROM HEAT. Stir in 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread glaze evenly over caramel filling on each cookie. Top each with pecan half.
Pauline says
I have been making them every year for thanksgiving since the book was printed,my family all grown still request them..they are sooo good although when it first came out it called for evaporated milk and I still make them that way instead of whipping cream .
Lise Ode says
What a wonderful tradition. Enjoy!
Cindy Reese Werp says
Hi, I am Cindy Reese, her Grand Daughter.
I believe she received a 25,000 check. She also received several prizes as well.
She had a dream and had dreamed these cookies. She immediately had to get up and write it all down.
I was almost 5 at the time and she spent alot of her time teaching me to bake.
I remember watching her win on TV. Pillsbury had sent reporters to photograph us as we watched.
It's nice to see so many enjoy her cookies.
Lise Ode says
Hi Cindy, This is just so fascinating. Thank you so much for commenting and telling us more of your grandmother's experience at the bakeoff. Just wonderful!
Mary says
I remember these from my childhood! We always called them the $25000 cookie recipe....Are you sure she received $50000? Just curious... I thought that they might have inspired the Twix candy bar. I am planning to make them for Christmas! Thanks for the recipe!
Lise Ode says
Hi Mary, Oh I love when readers remember these bakeoff recipes from back in the day. I'm pretty sure that prize money amount is correct. Hope you enjoy baking these cookies!