This recipe for Rocky Road Bars is perfect for when you're craving something sweet, but don't need a huge pan of brownies. Made in an 8 inch square pan, the base layer is slightly cakey and not too rich, which makes it a nice contrast to the sweet conglomeration of chocolate, marshmallows and pecans on top. I liked the bars even more after they’d cooled and chilled, because t that point, they were sturdy enough to carry around or stack on a plate.
Here's a photo. I'm obsessed with the idea of making the base banana flavored.
Rocky Road Bars
⅓ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 ¼ tablespoons softened butter
1 egg, beaten
½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. baking powder (double acting)
⅛ tsp. salt
¼ cup flour (lightly spooned)
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 cup small marshmallows
¾ bittersweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line an 8 inch square pan with foil and spray it with cooking spray or line with foil and spray foil.
In medium bowl, beat together sugar and butter. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add baking powder and salt and stir so that baking powder is well mixed, then gently stir in flour and ½ cup of the pecans.
Pour into pan and spread to edges….it will be thin. Bake for 13-15 minutes. If you smell burning, remove from oven (shouldn’t happen – but if your oven runs hot, check at 12-13)
Meanwhile, toss together remaining pecans, marshmallows and chocolate chips.
After base has baked for 15 minutes, remove base from oven and while hot, quickly arrange marshmallow mixture over top. Return to oven for only 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for a few hours. When cool, cut into 8 bars.
For firmer, sturdier bars, chill them after you’ve cut them
Makes 8 bars
Anna says
Hi Angie,
Thanks so much for saying that :). And hello to your kids too. I love hearing about kids who cook since it was so important to me as a kid.
Also, we have moved past the bouncy house and Fuzz now owns a trampoline. I have to say, the trampoline was a better investment. It holds up better and holds more (and bigger) kids. Plus, you don't have to plug it in. But the bouncy house was fun too. I think they're even more fun when you have room to keep them indoors. One friend cleared at all her living room furniture to make way for a bouncy house and the kids love it on rainy days.
Anna says
Cindy, I'll have to look for the flavored marshmallows. They sounds interesting.
Joe, I don't think oats would muck up the rocky road at all. That's a great idea.
Jen, I want the banana to be mixed in with the cake part....like banana nut bread. I don't want any condensed milk this time.
Jen says
Not particularly firm, but what about morphing a rocky road bar with your Banana Magic Bar Cookie. I can't think of anything more decadent.
Joe says
What about some sort of banana-oat cookie baked in the dish instead of portioning them out? I don't if the oats would clash with the rocky road part, but it should be sturdier than a banana cake/bar-type recipe.
Angie says
I absolutely love your site and both of my children check it everyday for your latest post...we have tried many of your recipes. We all watched the Pillsbury Bake off show and thats where we originally saw you and my son was intrigued by the fact that you bought your daughter a bouncy house with your winnings...he thinks you are too cool for doing that!
Cindy says
Our local Fry's grocery has Kraft marshmallows (big size) in chocolate and strawberry on special displays. I've been thinking about recipes to try with the chocolate ones. Best idea so far is triple chocolate rice krispy treats (made with cocoa krispies).