What do you do when dinner about 30 minutes away from being done, and you have no fresh baked goods in the house for dessert?  Well, most people would just say – there is no dessert.  In my family, that doesn’t go over so well.  That is not to say that we have fresh baked goods every night for dessert – but it was a weekend, and we decided to take a vote.  What do you think won?  Of course the fresh baked goods.

I took out one of my old recipe binders, where I cut out recipes in magazines and actually put them in a photo album, with all intentions of making them.  I did this for years, until I decided – out of sight out of mind – and that’s when I started piling my recipes on the counter (and later on in the pantry) – so they were always in my face when I was looking for something to make.  I was in search of a very quick and easy recipe that my kids could make without my help – and that we had all the ingredients.  After flipping pages for almost 10 minutes, I found it – the Oatmeal Coconut Squares from Gourmet Magazine – years and years ago.  We had all the ingredients, and the recipe was so easy, I just let them loose.  They were the perfect quick and easy dessert – and I think my 6 year old did most of the work – my 9 year old supervised, which is a role she loves playing in the kitchen.  So – if you don’t feel like making dessert tonight – go and get a little person to make this for you.  You and your little person will thank me for it!

 Ingredients

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (milk or semisweet)
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line a 9-inch square metal baking pan with a 12- to 14-inch-long sheet of foil, letting excess hang over sides, and butter foil in pan.

Toss together oats, flour, brown sugar, chips, coconut, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Beat together butter, egg, and vanilla with a fork in another bowl, then stir into oat mixture until incorporated. Spoon batter into baking pan, patting evenly.

Bake in middle of oven until set, about 25 minutes. Remove from pan by lifting ends of foil. Cool on a rack, then cut into 16 squares.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here:  Oatmeal Coconut Squares with Chocolate Chips