Cameron’s grandmother makes a delicious recipe for coffee toffee bars. I’ve had it at her house before and most recently at a bridal shower. Her recipe is made with almonds and almond extract. Cameron is allergic to nuts. I figured other people with nut allergies needed to enjoy this recipe too so we walked over to her house… I asked if she had the recipe handy. She gave me the recipe which was handwritten on a 3×5 card (and told me it wasn’t even the original, it was a copy!) I excitedly came home and started testing. 3 batches later and I nailed the recipe for these coffee cookie crack bars and was so happy I had made it into a nut free toffee bar. Cameron was equally as happy too – haha! So in Cam’s grandma’s toffee bars recipe, none of this fancy candy thermometer business was necessary. I was happy about it because I don’t own a candy thermometer. (oops!) Also, the bars aren’t crunchy like perhaps a traditional toffee bar recipe. These crack bars are more chewy & cookie-ish! Some other desserts you’ll probably like if you like these Coffee Cookie Crack Bars are my Caramel Chocolate Bars, Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies, and Coffee Cake Cookies!
Butter: You will want butter softened to room temperature. Take it our of the fridge ~30 minutes prior to baking. Butter is officially softened and ready to use when it can be easily squished between your thumb and forefinger.
And I know, we all forget to take the butter out ahead of time! OK, so how do I soften butter quickly if I forget to take it out? Two ways I’ve tried: You can cut the butter in small chunks and place it near a warming stove or window seal or put the butter in a baggie and use a rolling pin or meat pounder to flatten the butter.
Brown sugar: I used a dark brown sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar will get creamed with the softened butter in the first step. Instant Coffee Granules: You’ll need two hefty tablespoons of instant coffee. I use Nescafe but any brand works. Flour: All-Purpose flour. I have not tested this recipe with any other flour varieties. Be sure to spoon and level the flour to ensure accurate measurements. Chocolate chips: Milk chocolate chips are the best in this recipe! Sweetened Condensed milk: You will need 1, 14oz. can. This is what is used for the top layer of the toffee bars! Other ingredients needed: vanilla extract, salt and baking powder. (Espresso powder is optional)
How to cut the bars into diamonds
Cut diagonally across the bars beginning in one corner—the lower left corner is an easy place to make your first cut—and cutting from one toothpick to the next closest on the perpendicular side. Continue making cuts across the bars moving from left to right. When you’ve cut all the way across, begin cutting from the corner above where you started.
