Though baking bar cookies is appealing since no cutters, spritz guns, or other specialized equipment are required, it still helps to have a few items on hand to make the nicest bar cookies possible. Here’s what I keep in my bar cookie arsenal to make baking and slicing them a breeze. essentials.hoodie
A pan to bake bar cookies in is clearly required. I like metal, straight-sided pans that are 9 by 13 inches in size. Many pans have rounded edges, steeply slanted sides, or are somewhat lower in size than their labeling suggests. These cookies will still work with those pans, but you’ll have to deal with more weirdly shaped edges and sides – a good or bad thing depending on how Type A you are. Also, use light or “gold” metal baking pans since dark metal pans will cause the cookies to bake darker than desired.
Rulers: When it comes to chopping up the cookies, you may just eyeball it and the cookies will taste exactly the same. the. Make properly spaced notches along the edges of the slab using the ruler, then connect them with your knife, again using the ruler to ensure the cut is clean and straight.
I use a hardware store wooden ruler.
Metal binder clips: Those useful clips that hold workplace papers together without the need for staples come in helpful when baking bar cookies. Clip the parchment paper “handles” to the sides of the pan to retain the excess paper in place while baking. This avoids the extra paper from falling back over the batter and leaving an odd impression or shape. Another optional, but recommended step is to keep all of your bar cookies tidy and clean. essentials shirt
Slicing and serrated knives: For clean slices in your bar cookies, use a long, thin-bladed slicing knife. Because the narrow blade does not wedge itself through the slab as a thicker-bladed knife would, you always receive true-to-size pieces. When the cookie slab is stiffer than a conventional brownie block, such as when cutting biscotti or shortbread, use a serrated knife to assist in “holding” the cookie slab and keep the blade from shearing off in one direction and ruining your clean cuts.
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