you're making mealtime meaningful.
When the snow piles up and windows frost over with an icy bite, turn on the stove and whip up these Snowdrift Bars. A cookie crumb base houses coconut and marshmallows and is coated with a creamy cream cheese frosting.
How and why these bars became Snowdrift Bars isn’t clear, but the ample pile of cream cheese frosting is quite similar to a snowdrift during a blizzard. These bars are also a great no-bake dessert to make with kids while home on a snow day. The easy dump-and-stir method allows kids to make the dessert as well.
The recipe starts off with melting butter and sugar together over a stove. Next, you gradually whisk in the butter-sugar mixture with some eggs. This will temper the eggs and prevent the proteins from scrambling or becoming hard. Once the eggs are tempered and close to the temperature of the butter-sugar mixture, go ahead and whisk them into the pot. As it all cooks, the mixture will thicken and the sugar will dissolve. Let the mixture cool in the pot off of the heat for one hour. After that period, whisk in the vanilla, shredded coconut, cookie crumbs, and mini marshmallows.
Spread into a parchment-lined baking pan and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
While the bars are firming up, the frosting can be whipped up. A base of cream cheese and butter is creamed until smooth and then mixed with a bit of powdered sugar and vanilla.
The frosting is then spread on top, and then the pan of sweet delight is cut into bars.
Snowdrift Bars are a delight to make, as much as they are to eat! The cookie crumb base is speckled with coconut and mini marshmallows, making for a dessert that’s satisfying in taste and texture.
The frosting on top isn’t too sweet and adds a wonderful cream cheese tang to the dessert.
These would be a great treat to try out with kids or a great addition to have in a cookie tin or for a holiday potluck. The reasons to make these Snowdrift Bars are endless!
Snowdrift Bars
Yield(s): Makes about 12 large bars
15m prep time
20m cook time
3h inactive
you're making mealtime meaningful.
For the bars:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 2 cups Nilla wafer cookie crumbs
- 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
For the frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
To make the bars:
- Line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter on a low heat.
- Once butter is melted add in sugar, stirring continuously on low for 1 minute.
- Add the beaten eggs into a heat-safe bowl and gradually whisk in the hot-butter sugar mixture a tablespoon at a time into the eggs, beating continuously. Adding several tablespoons of the hot mixture will be enough to temper the eggs.
- Whisk the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan.
- Whisk continuously cooking for about 7 to 8 minutes, you want the mixture to thicken and the sugar to dissolve.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla and coconut. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, which will take a t least 1 hour.
- Once cooled to room temperature, fold in cookie crumbs and mini marshmallows.
- Use a rubber spatula to spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
To make the frosting:
- While the bars are chilling, make the frosting. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and lump free, about 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl frequently.
- Add vanilla followed by the powdered sugar until it is thoroughly combined.
- Spread the frosting over the chilled pan of bars.
- Use parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and cut into squares.
Recipe adapted from Food.com.