Chocolate Raisin Bars are an unexpectedly delicious dessert option with a flaky crust and an ooey-gooey caramel filling.
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If you’re looking to shake up your dessert repertoire, I highly recommend this unexpectedly delicious recipe.
Chocolate Raisin Bars are packed with chocolate chips, raisins and a gooey center that’s reminiscent of pecan pie. They’re kind of an anomaly as there’s no good way to truly explain them.
They look like like a blondie, but the texture is very different as they don’t have that “cookie” feel. Rather, the dough becomes both crispy and chewy.
They’re prepped like a layer bar, but the final product doesn’t resemble one.
I might not be able to adequately describe them, so I’ll just say that you’ll just have to try them for yourself.
And trust me, you won’t regret it!
How do you make Chocolate Raisin Bars?
This recipe starts with a buttery, sweet crust that combines flour, brown sugar, and butter. The crust bakes separately while the topping is prepared.
The topping is a wonderful mixture of brown sugar, flour, eggs, chocolate chips and raisins. You can also add some pecans, walnuts or almonds, if you’d like.
The combined topping gets poured onto the just-out-of-the-oven crust and then the combined dish cooks for about 20 minutes.
Because of their consistency, it’s important that you let the bars cool all the way before you cut them. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a melty, gooey pile of deliciousness. (Not that that’s a bad thing, but it does kind of ruin the “bar” convenience of the recipe!)
What should I serve with this dessert?
Although these bars definitely qualify as an awesome dessert on their own, they taste amazing when served alongside some ice cream.
Some ice cream flavors that work particularly well with Chocolate Raisin Bars are:
- Butter Pecan
- Vanilla
- Rum Raisin
- Chocolate
- Rocky Road
You can also warm each bar for a few seconds in the microwave and top with a dollop of whipped cream or clotted cream.
Chocolate Raisin Bars
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 cup Flour
- 1/4 cup Brown sugar
- 1/4 tablespoon Salt
- 1/2 cup Butter (cut into small slices or chunks)
For the topping
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Flour
- 1/4 tablespoon Salt
- 1/2 tablespoon Baking powder
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla
- 1/2 cup Chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup Raisins
- 1/4 cup Chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds (optional)
Instructions
For the crust
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in the butter until coarse crumbs form. (Or, if you're using a stand mixer, mix on low for about 2 minutes.)
- Press into the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
For the topping
- While the crust bakes, add the brown sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, eggs and vanilla to the mix bowl. Stir or beat until well combined, about 1 minute. By hand, stir in the chocolate, raisins and nuts, if using.
- Pour the topping over the hot, baked crust and return to the oven. Bake at 325 degrees for 18-22 minutes, until golden and set.
- Cool bars completely before cutting.
Notes
- Make sure to let the bars cool completely before cutting so that they have a chance to set up properly.
- For a decadent dessert, warm individual chocolate raisin bars for a few seconds in the microwave and serve alongside ice cream or topped with a dollop of whipped cream or clotted cream.
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