Description
Mud Hen Bars are a delightful treat combining a buttery, shortbread-like base with gooey mini marshmallows, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and a light golden meringue topping sweetened with brown sugar. These bars offer a texture contrast of chewy marshmallows, rich chocolate, and a crisp, sweet meringue atop a soft buttery crust—perfect for a snack, dessert, or party treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Base and Dough
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 whole egg
- 2 egg yolks (from 2 eggs, whites reserved)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Toppings
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 egg whites (from the 2 eggs separated)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the bars.
- Prepare Pan: Lightly spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Base Ingredients: In a large bowl or electric mixer, beat together the shortening, softened butter, granulated sugar, 1 whole egg, 2 egg yolks, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined. Spread this dough evenly into the prepared 9×13 pan. Wetting your fingers slightly can help prevent sticking while spreading.
- Add Chocolate and Marshmallows: Evenly sprinkle the mini marshmallows and semi-sweet chocolate chips over the dough layer in the pan.
- Beat Egg Whites: In a clean, dry mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, beat the reserved 2 egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form, which should take about 2 minutes.
- Incorporate Brown Sugar: Gently fold 1 cup of light brown sugar into the stiff egg whites using a rubber spatula. Stir carefully until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Spread Meringue Topping: Carefully spread this sweetened meringue mixture on top of the chocolate chips and marshmallows layer. It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown (about 30 minutes is typical).
- Cool and Serve: Allow bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into 16 squares for serving.
Notes
- Wet your fingers slightly when spreading the dough to prevent sticking.
- Be sure to use a clean and dry bowl to beat the egg whites to achieve proper stiff peaks.
- The baking time can vary; keep an eye on the top while baking to avoid over browning.
- Allow bars to cool thoroughly before slicing to maintain structure.
- These bars are rich and sweet—perfect with a glass of milk or coffee.
