The Bake-Off is Coming: Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Bars

CakeSpy Note: OMG! The 46th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming! Since I so deeply loved attending the 45th Bake-Off, I thought I would get you excited early by sharing some of the finalists' recipes. Narrowed down from zillions of entries, I'll profile some of the 100 finalists--but of course, based on the subject matter of this site, I will focus on sweets! You can follow them by clicking the bakeoff tag below the post to see which ones have been posted so far. Enjoy! 

Listen. I famously despise raisins in my cookies. But JoAnne Tucker of Tampa, Florida, has basically come as close as anyone ever will to making me desire raisins in a cookie or bar form with these awesome Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast bars. I'd eat one or five.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Bars

Prep Time: 10 Min Total Time: 1 Hr 25 Min Makes: 18 servings

Ingredients

• 1 package Pillsbury Big Deluxe refrigerated oatmeal raisin cookies
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup Jif Mocha Cappuccino Flavored Hazelnut Spread

Procedure

1. Heat oven 350°F. Line 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil 1 inch over 2 opposite sides of pan. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften.
2. In a large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add oats, walnuts, coconut, chocolate chips and dried cranberries; mix with wooden spoon or knead with hands until well blended. Press mixture firmly in pan.
3. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown; cool 15 minutes. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove bars from pan using edges of foil as handles. Cut into 6 rows by 3 rows.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave mocha cappuccino hazelnut spread on High 30 to 35 seconds or until melted. Pour spread into 1-quart resealable food storage plastic bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag; squeeze bag to drizzle spread over bars.