Decadent Bars

I have used this recipe three times now. I find it easy, quick and delicious. It is a great recipe to take for potluck gatherings and any place where you might wish to donate food--bake sales, funeral receptions, etc. It travels well. It's not real fancy but tastes delicious and the absence of a rich frosting or topping appeals to my family.

...Wow! these have an amazing, "addictive" flavor, said my husband. Very moist, sweet but not too sweet, maybe a little bit cakey, but I might have overmixed the batter. I didn't have all the ingredients so I had to change a few things, but I guess I got lucky because they were delicious! I had no shortening so I used 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup of half vegetable oil, half whipping cream. Used sliced almonds instead of butterscotch chips and included 1/4 cup powdered almonds (removed 1/4 cup flour). Baked 23 minutes. I love how the orange, coconut and almond flavors blended together, the result smelled and tasted quite delicate and refined. Will make again.

I LOVE this recipe. Everytime I go home on leave, my family asks me to make it. Also, its a HUGE hit at potlucks. The only thing I changed was a added a splash of almond extract and a splash of vanilla extract. Like one of the other reviewers mentioned, I too made this recipe without shortening the first few times. I just put half butter and half vegetable oil. It worked like a charm and it was a little easier to mix than plain shortening alone.

These are excellent. They reminded me of my aunt's orange cookies. And I have to agree after eating 1/4 of the pan...you can't eat just one!!

This recipe is good except it's not wow. The orange flavour is excellent but it's still missing something. Mine almost was more of a cake than bars.

These were okay. The orange, butterscotch combination just didn't go together for me very well. I think that these need a little orange extract to boost the orange flavor. I also think that white chips would be a better choice in these bars.

I almost decided not to make this recipe. I only made it because it was quick. Wow. Very little work..but excellent results. It was delicious and great for a picnic or cookie tray.

I must confess I used the basic ingredients of this recipe but altered it to my tastes. I used butter instead of shortning. Mixed butter and brown sugar. Added the egg. I tossed in two ripe bananas, the coconut (i used unsweetened shredded coconut), did not use any OJ or orange zest. Then added the dry ingredients PLUS 3/4 cup plump juicy craizins. No bits of any kind. Results were delicious!!! Not "crazy chewy," as I would have loved, but moist and flavorful...yum yum yum!!! I hope i'm not offending the person who originally posted the recipe. I'm sure the original is awesome I just like banana flavor more than orange.

Made these YUMMY brownie bars today to bring to my families Christmas Eve party. They will NOT be a dissapointment. I made a couple changes. I added orange extract in place of the orange peel to give it a stronger orange taste about a tsp. And added about a 1/2 tsp. Or so of almond extract. I also substituted the butterscotch chips for white chocolate chips. My son do sent like coconut and my husband doesn't like white chocolate anything. They couldn't keep their hands off of them. This has now become one of my favorite bar recipes. Dried cranberries would add a festive touch to them and go fantastic with the orange and coconut flavor!

I would have to agree that the orange and butterscotch flavors just don't go together and maybe a white chocolate may be more compatible. Also, mine turned out very cakey rather than moist bar looking like in the picture.