Simple Cookie Bars - Six Flavour Combinations

So you guys seemed to enjoy last weeks Mozzarella Dipper recipe?! I thought I'd share another I tried recently because it was incredibly easy and so simple to vary to taste. Also perfect if you're looking for a productive activity for the kids! Let them loose with the icing and sprinkles. My husband (the official taste tester) tells me there is no way you could ruin these. Here's what you'll need..

• 275g Plain Flour
• pinch of Salt
• 120g Butter
• 55g Granulated Sugar
• 145g Soft Brown Sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla/flavouring of your choice

Mix together the butter, sugar, flavouring and beaten egg in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another. Combine and you have your base. From here I split the mixture in to 4. I doubled the quantity because I was making a lot but these measurements will make you a good 20 bars. I lined a deep baking tray with grease-proof paper (which I highly recommend because it made everything easier later) and added chocolate, marshmallows, sprinkles and cocoa for the variations. I pushed the dough out to the edges of the tin and put it in the oven for 180C for around 20 minutes. Bake for longer for crispier cookie bars and less time for a softer, chewier texture.I left them to cool for 5 minutes in the tray once they were done and then transferred them to a wire cooling rack, still on the greasproof paper. I'd say they took 30minutes to cool enough to ice/decorate but as I write this it is HOT in England.. I would imagine that time would be massively reduced in a non-heatwave. I made 6 variations:

• Funfetti - with sprinkles inside and icing/sprinkles on top
• Smores - Chocolate/Marshmallow with icing/biscuit crumb on top
• Chocolate Chip - needs no explanation
• Marble - Vanilla & Chocolate Mixed (with chocolate cause why not?)
• Chocolate Hazlenut - the marble with icing and grated chocolate and hazelenut on top
• Marshmallow - Just marshmallows inside and icing on top

None of this is particularly original or inspired, most just a matter of what I had in the cupboard to play with but it made one baking session a little more interesting. And if you're baking with kids they can each choose their own ingredients/toppings without any extra effort for Mum!I think you'll agree they are considerably cooler than your average cookie and if you're not a particularly confident baker they are so difficult to get wrong. I have had more than one #cookiefail in my time but these really are too easy to screw up. If you plan to give them a go, be sure to pin the recipe to come back to ;)