Gooey Cookie Butter Funfetti Mash-Up Bars

[bubblebubba]

When fluffy unicorns, crazy clowns, and double rainbows collide, you get...



Oh yes, we just went there. And you'll be glad we did, too.

If you've never heard of cookie butter, just imagine dunking yourself into a jar of Christmas. Seriously. Crushed gingersnaps blended into a creamy nut buttery mix. Go and buy it. Just go. Don't look back. This post can wait...

Okay, got your jar of cookie butter? Good!

Now imagine dumping half that jar of scrumptious, slightly spiced cookie goodness into a sweet condensed milk filling, dumping all of this over a funfetti cake box dough, and drowning it all in whatever toppings strike your fancy: chocolate chips, white chocolate, coconut flakes, M&M's--you want it, you got it!

For the recipe and proof of box mix purchase, check under the link! For a rather intriguing interpretation of the meaning of sprinkles (you might think of it as the written version of interpretive dance) and a few amusing anecdotal associations with my rainbows obsession, check out my blog. Happy reading, and happy eatings!

The box mix:


Gooey Cookie Butter Funfetti Mash-Up Bars

Adapted from the lovely recipe by Averie Cooks.

Ingredients:

• 1 box Pillsbury’s funfetti cake mix
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup cookie butter
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (feel free to substitute peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or M&M’s to taste! I’m sure M&M’s would add great color to the bars!)
• 1/3 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• Sprinkles, for decorating

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine funfetti cake mix, egg, and butter. Mix until every is well incorporated; your dough may be thick, but just work through it until everything is mixed completely! Pat mixture smoothly into prepared baking pan.
3. Sprinkle chocolate chips and coconut flakes evenly over the funfetti cake crust. Add other ingredients to sweeten or brighten it up as desired! The more color, the better, I always say, and I believe my clown and unicorn friends would agree.
4. In the now-empty bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and cookie butter. Lick spoons and/or take “sample tests” as necessary. (Hey, I believe in a free kitchen, okay?) When you’re done being guilty of double-dipping, spoon the mixture evenly over the funfetti/toppings. Spread into a smooth layer.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 22-25 minutes. Don’t worry about it still being gooey-that’s what you want (if the recipe name didn’t give it away)! It’ll set up a bit more as it cools, if you can wait that long. Cut through with a knife that has been run under hot water for clean cuts, and bam! Killer sprinkle-filled bars. Store in the fridge for up to a week.