Because, I mean, Valentine's Day is coming soon. I'm thinking perhaps it's a good time to take a break from those New Year's Resolutions and treat ourselves with some sweet little cookie bars. Whether you make these for your significant other or your favorite little kiddos you are not likely to find anyone who will turn them down. A cookie base made with sweetened condensed milk and thick rich butter cream frosting. Not many can resist this combo!
I LOVE cookies made with condensed milk. For one thing they are so simple. Only a few ingredients to mix up. For another I love the taste. Sweet but not too sweet. Oh, and finally? No eggs. Why is this important? Sneaking a bite or two of the uncooked dough! (Maybe it was more?)
The fact that the cookies are not overly sweet make them the perfect base for the rich butter cream frosting. A nice thick layer is pretty much a requirement!
I made these in my Crock-Pot Casserole Slow Cooker
(affiliate link, FYI) which is perfect for this kind of recipe. But I've also made plenty of cookie bars in my 6 quart oval slow cooker as well and that works great too. I love using my slow cooker to "bake" treats! No need to worry about sitting by the oven or the fear of what will go wrong when I get distracted!
Slow Cooker Frosted Cookie Bars
Ingredients
For cookies:
- 2 cups butter softened
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1.75 oz rainbow sprinkles (plus more for topping, if desired)
For frosting:
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 drops or more food coloring, if desired
Instructions
Cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl with handheld mixer beat softened butter for 2 minutes
- Add condensed milk, baking powder, salt and vanilla
- Slowly add flour while mixing at medium speed until fully incorporated
- Using a spoon mix in white chocolate chips by hand
- Add sprinkles and stir just enough to mix but don't over mix as they will bleed into batter
- Pour into slow cooker that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours until edges are just lightly browned and middle appears set
- Let cool completely (for a few hours at least) then frost
Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl with handheld mixer beat softened butter for 2 minutes
- Add 3 cups of powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons cream and continue to mix at medium high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add more sugar if too thin or more cream if too thick.
- Add food coloring and mix until combined
- Frost cookie bars and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
just curious but to take 3.5 hrs. plus several hours to cool then even more time and mess to ice just 12 cookie bars???????? I don't get it. where do you save anything? I could make 12 cookie bars in an hour and clean up the mess as well. what am I missing?
I'm not sure if you're "missing" anything but as noted it can just be a fun way to make a dessert without having to worry about watching the oven. I have a lot of people reach out to me as well that don't have access to a stove for some reason or another and love to be able to "bake" desserts as well, so this is one way I can help everyone :). Feel free to make in the oven if that's what works best for you. Enjoy!
I for one am very thankful for recipes like this! We are re-doing our kitchen, and I currently don't have an oven or a stove, so I've been trying to get creative with my slow cooker. I'm so glad I found your website! 🙂
One question about the recipe: What would you recommend as a replacement for the sweetened condensed milk? I live in Germany and can't buy it here. Could I use eggs?
Hi Alicia! I'm so glad the slow cooker is helping out! You could make your own sweetened condensed milk if you wanted to give that a try, or you could adapt any other shortbread recipe you have and try making it in the slow cooker.
Okay, thanks for the tip! 🙂
Is 4 CUPS of flour correct? I just made these per the recipe and they came out crumbly and dry. Big time bummer
Hi Melissa! I'm so sorry it didn't turn out! That's always such a bummer. Yes, 4 cups of flour is definitely correct. I've made this recipe many times (and changed up the flavors a bit with different extracts) to take to parties. Did you use all 2 cups of butter (which would be 4 sticks?). I know it's a lot, but this recipe makes a ton. You could also do half the recipe and bake it in a smaller square casserole dish.
I've been thinking about getting a casserole slow cooker and I am now convinced! Making cookie bars so easily? Doesn't get any easier that this. Thanks, Jen!
Totally worth it!
I can't believe you made these in a slow cooker! I seriously need to try this.
Thanks!! And thanks so much for the inspiration!!!