Fudge Cookie Bars {Fudge Nut Bars}

I have been enjoying these fudgy cookie bars for about fifteen years. I remember asking the first person who made them what "that cookie" was called that I liked so much. She told me they are Fudge Nut Bars. I told her it must be a different cookie, because these didn't have nuts in them. She explained that she didn't put nuts in them. A couple years later, I met my husband. His mom and grandma also make Fudge Nut Bars...without the nuts. After I married, I also began to make Fudge Nut Bars. Of course I left out the nuts. On a rare visit to my Aunt Janice's house, she had made cookies. You guessed it. Fudge Nut Bars...without the nuts!

Since you can't taste the AWESOMENESS of these cookies (and they didn't photograph well), and I didn't want to confuse you by calling them Fudge Nut Bars, I thought I would just call them Fudge Cookie Bars. Now if you like nuts, do add them, but really, they absolutely delicious without them. I will say they are a tad bit of work, but being a bar cookie, they really don't take too much time to make.

Earlier this month I opted to make these Fudge Cookie Bars knowing I could give a large portion of them away, while keeping a good amount for ourselves. A couple months ago new (Amish) neighbors moved into our neighborhood. I couldn't believe all that time had passed without meeting them. So Big Sister, Brother, and I went one night after supper, taking a plate full of cookies with us.

Finally...the family recipe!

Fudge Nut Bars
or Fudge Cookie Bars

Cookie Dough

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick oata

Chocolate Fudge Layer
1 cup sweetened condensed milk (14 oz can)
12 ounces chocolate chips (one bag)
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts-optional

~ Beat together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Then add flour, soda, and salt. Next mix in the oats. Set the cookie dough aside.

~ Over low heat in a medium saucepan, melt together sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir until smooth. Then stir in the chopped nuts if you really want to.
~ Spread 2/3 of dough in 11x16 pan using your hands to press and spread the dough to the sides. Spread chocolate mixture on top. Crumble remaining dough on top. Or take a handful and flatten it and then place on the chocolate topping.
~ Bake 22-27 minutes at 350° until edges are just browned. If using a nonstick pan, be sure to bake at 325° instead!
~ Cool and cut into bars. (You can make your cookies 1.5x3 or 2x2 or whatever size you like.)
~ These make a large batch. They freeze beautifully after they are cut.

Below on the left is an image of the Fudge Nut bars before baking. On the right is after they are baked, and before they are cut.