Recipes for Bars and Squares

By Don Bell / Recipe Archivist and Compiler

Get Mom's favorite recipes for bars and squares. They are all so easy to make from scratch, and you'll love how they turn out. And, believe me, you'll love even more how delicious they taste!

Enjoy a variety of mouth watering homemade treats featuring the tantalizing flavors of marshmallow, coconut, peanut butter, walnuts, caramel, dates, and rich creamy chocolate.

Grandma's Easy-to-Make Recipes for Bars and Squares

Homemade Caramel Nut BarsMake Mom's Delicious Dessert Bars and Squares
(Source: ©manyakotic/Depositphoto.com)
Vintage Dessert SquaresDessert Squares

Step back in time with these vintage 1920s treats that were always a hit at Grandma's house. You can easily recreate these old-time dessert squares recipes using simple ingredients from your pantry.

Homemade Date SquareCanadian Date Squares

Best served in generous-size pieces, these chewy, oat-filled treats are a true Canadian classic. I'm sure you'll agree that this is the best Canadian date squares recipe you've ever tried.

Homemade Chocolate BrowniesChocolate Brownies

Mom's brownies were always the highlight of our weekly baking day, filling the house with a rich chocolate aroma. Treat your family to these old fashioned chocolate brownies for a taste of pure childhood comfort.

Cutting Homemade Peanut Butter Marshmallow SquaresPeanut Butter Squares

Aunt Sylvia's combination of peanut butter and marshmallows creates a soft, sweet treat that's impossible to resist. This peanut butter marshmallow squares recipe is a must-have for your next family gathering.

Cornflake CookiesCornflake Cookies

These crunchy, no-bake treats are perfect for when you want a delicious snack without turning on the oven. Follow this old fashioned cornflake cookie recipe for a quick treat the kids will love.

Homemade Nanaimo BarNo Bake Squares

If you're looking for something quick, easy, and incredibly yummy, these unbaked treats are just the ticket. Explore Mom's collection of no bake squares recipes, including her beloved Nanaimo bars.

Homemade Hermit Squares CoolingHermit Squares

These spicy, raisin-filled squares are a genuine family favorite that brings back so many fond memories. You'll love how easy it is to make these old fashioned hermit squares from scratch.

Dessert BarsSimple Dessert Bars

Whether you're craving fruit-filled bars or the classic magic cookie bar, these simple recipes never disappoint. Check out these simple dessert bars recipes for treats that are as easy to make as they are to eat.

Grandma's Delicious Bars and Squares

Homemade Hermit SquaresGrandma's Hermit Squares are Easy to Make
(Source: ©myviewpoint/Depositphotos.com)

Dessert Bars and Squares are always popular sweets to serve on any occasion, and these old fashioned recipes for bars and squares were some of Mom's favorites. I just know you'll love them.

Are they bars, squares, or candy? You decide! Make tasty treats perfect for serving at parties, taking on picnics, and for placing in lunchboxes for a delicious homemade treat.

Squares and bars can traditionally have one or several layers with textures ranging from cake-like to soft frosting. They are prepared in a cake pan whether baked or unbaked, and afterwards cut into squares or rectangles for serving.

Talk about your comfort foods, homemade squares will leave you wanting more, so plan to double the recipe or make two or three varieties to satisfy the dessert lovers.

And remember, besides being the perfect dessert for a birthday or bake sale, a box full of assorted squares makes a perfect homemade gift for someone special.

Memories of Mom's Home Baking

One of my fondest childhood memories is the sweet aroma wafting through the house on Monday mornings when Mom lit the fire in her kitchen stove and began the weekly baking.

Nowadays, realtors will sometimes reheat an apple pie in the oven before hosting an open house, knowing the aroma of home baking comforts people and make the house feel homey.

Baked treats weren't only for taking to parties in Grandma's day. Squares, scones, cookies, and buttered slices of banana bread offered a convenient afternoon snack and a late evening snack after the day's farm chores had gotten done. Life was good!

In the midst of our hectic lifestyle, it's comforting to return to Mom's old fashioned recipes for bars and squares and recreate homemade treats that are always comforting and delicious.

I Really Enjoy All the Recipes

I really enjoy the recipes for bars and squares and the pics that go with them; have tried many and hope to try many more. Your grandmother must have loved being able to show her love through her baking; this grandmother is the same. —Gwen, U.S.A.

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Don Bell

Don Bell, Founder & Archivist, Old Fashioned Dessert Recipes. Don has spent over two decades preserving heritage dessert recipes from handwritten family notebooks, recipe scrapbooks, and vintage cookbooks. His collection spans hundreds of authentic, old fashioned recipes presented exactly as originally written.


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