I have a problem with baking for special occasions. I have amassed so many dessert recipes [mostly on Pinterest] that I rarely bring the same dessert twice. Every occasion, I try something new. Some have been good. A couple were complete failures [seriously, did no one test the recipe before posting it online for the world…? I mean, come on… cheesecake batter should not be the consistency of milk!]. And some have been so delicious it’s crazy I haven’t made them again!

I haven’t made any decisions about Christmas yet. I’ve been too busy bitching about how much the holiday season heightens my anxiety. But I’m sure, even though the Lemon Pound Cake with Sugar Glaze was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever tasted in my life, I’ll probably try something new. What the hell is wrong with me?

[And now I’m fantasizing about that pound cake. <insert long dreamy sigh>]

I love oatmeal. Oatmeal cookies, oatmeal bars, oatmeal oatmeal. And perhaps especially oatmeal cookie dough. I plop the drops of dough onto the pan but, my God, I do not have any need for baking those suckers. I’m pretty sure I enjoy the dough more than the cookies. Pure unadulterated oatmeal cookie dough. No raisins… no chocolate chips. Mmm.

So, the day before Thanksgiving, I made oatmeal cookie dough. Delicious, sugary, buttery sweet, oatmeal-y heaven. (Only, for these bars, I skipped the cinnamon and nutmeg because I knew chocolate was coming into the picture.) Still… there is no such thing as bad oatmeal cookie dough. But I had to reign in my carnal desire for that dough. [But I admit, I considered using a smaller baking pan so I’d have more for me… pre-baking. No no no! Bad Sandra!]

I loved the idea of fudge in the middle rather than chocolate chips mixed into the cookie dough. And it turned out quite wonderful. Rich and fudgy, but also oatmeal-cookie-ish. Yum.

Oatmeal Cookie Fudge Bars

• Servings: 24
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Ingredients
Oatmeal Cookie Dough:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups oats

Fudge:
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 cups chocolate chips
½ cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Make the oatmeal cookie dough:
3. In a stand mixer (or in a bowl using a hand mixer), cream butter and white and brown sugars; add the eggs and mix until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and oats.
5. Gradually add the oat mixture to the butter/egg mixture until combined.
6. Spread about ¾ of the oatmeal cookie dough into a 9-inch-by-13-inch rectangular baking pan. You will curse me while doing this – spreading the thick dough was kind of a pain.
7. To make the fudge, in a pot on medium-low heat, melt together the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla. Keep stirring until completely melted and smooth.
8. Pour and spread this over the layer of oatmeal cookie dough.
9. Top with the remaining oatmeal cookie dough, dropping in clumps over the chocolate.
10. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely and freeze before cutting into squares.

Notes
I used a glass pan, but any 9 x 13-inch will work. Also I think in the future I might line with parchment hanging over 2 sides for easier removal, but it wasn’t bad getting them out of the pan – use a thin spatula.

Freezing the finished, cooled bars helps the fudge set. However, my freezer was full. I refrigerated instead and that was also successful.

Finally, since we had so many desserts at our gathering, I cut the 24 pieces in half, so we actually had 48 small bars, but I still think that’s 24 servings. Or 12. Ha!