Oatmeal Fudge Sandwich Cookies

As I proved last week, sandwich cookies are awesome. I also proved it a year and a half ago. Either way, sandwich cookies are a little more work than your average cookie - what with all the matching up, spread and sandwiching together. No more! These fudge sandwich cookies are baked up in one pan. Oatmeal, fudge, oatmeal. Done.

I baked these in a 9x13" pan, and then cut them into circles - for two reasons. 1 They looked adorable. 2 - I got to eat all the scraps.The fudge layer in these cookies was really fantastic - rich and decadent and sweet, perfectly paired with the crunchy oatmeal cookies. These were quite impressive little cookies to whip our for guests and impress your friends with. But they are definitely on the decadent side - so you may have to struggle to eat more than one. I wish you well with your struggle.
Previously: Homemade Milano Cookies, Chocolate Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies and Linzer Tart Cookies.

Tip of the Day: You can cut your bar cookies into any shapes you want for a fun touch - just use whatever cookie cutters you have, and be prepared to eat a lot of scraps. You'll generally want metal over plastic, with a relatively sharp edge, because some bar cookies - like these - can be a little tough to cut through.

Recipe: (adapted from America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book) Crust:
2 cups oats
2 cups light brown sugar
1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted

Filling:
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
½ stick butter
2 eggs
½ cup flour
½ cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee
½ teaspoon salt

Mix together the oats, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in melted butter until combined. Press ¼ of the mixture into the bottom of a greased and foil lined 9x13 pan. Reserve the rest. Bake for 8 minutes on 325 F, then let cool completely.

Melt the chocolate chips and butter together. Let cool slightly and whisk in the eggs. Stir in the flour, sugar, coffee and salt. Spread it over the cooled crust, and sprinkled with the rest of the oat mixture.

Bake on 325 F for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 2 hours before cutting.