14 butter bar recipes

Peanut Butter Bars: shortcut bars built on peanut butter cookie mix, dressed up with crushed peanuts, white sugar glaze, and a chocolate drizzle. Bake-sale ready in 45 minutes.

Gooey butter pecan bars layered with melted marshmallows, chocolate chips, and coconut on a cake mix crust. A 5-minute prep, no-fuss dessert bar that disappears at every potluck and bake sale.

No-bake mocha peanut butter balls rolled from instant coffee, cocoa, oatmeal, and crunchy peanut butter. A sugar-free, no-cook snack you can make in 10 minutes flat.

Whole roasted chicken rubbed under the skin with garlic, lemon, and fresh rosemary, roasted alongside potatoes in one pan. A simple, elegant Easter dinner that serves 10.

Chewy banana oat bars with cinnamon and raisins, made with no butter, no oil, and egg whites only. A wholesome grab-and-go snack or breakfast bar that cuts into 24 squares.

Low-calorie berry bars made with a tangy buttermilk batter topped with fresh or frozen blueberries and raspberries, finished with sugar and lemon zest. No butter needed. Just 48 calories per bar.

Classic Rice Krispies treats with just three ingredients: butter, marshmallows, and crisp rice cereal. Soft, chewy, no-bake bars ready in under 15 minutes.

Chewy mini chocolate chip bars made with nonfat yogurt and egg whites instead of butter. Lower in fat but still loaded with brown sugar chewiness.

Fudgy, low-fat chocolate mousse bars made with applesauce and yogurt instead of butter. Dense, rich, and guilt-free with just 1 tablespoon of oil.

Practically fat-free York gingerbread bars made with pureed carrots, buttermilk, fresh ginger, and molasses. No butter, no oil. Moist crumb with bright orange zest and a cinnamon-sugar top.

Bran muffins with a hidden spoonful of apple butter baked into the center. A quick semi-homemade muffin using bran muffin mix sweetened with honey.

A surprising vintage side dish: sliced cucumbers and Spanish onions layered with chili sauce and butter, baked until meltingly tender. Prove that cucumbers aren't just for salads.

Apricot and cardamom bars with dried apricot, apricot nectar, and unsweetened applesauce in the batter, finished with a sweet apricot glaze drizzle. Low-fat and done in 45 minutes.

Louisiana roast cuts deep pockets into the meat and stuffs them with the Cajun trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper bound with garlic and butter. Baked low and slow so the seasoning melts into every slice.