Mud Hen Bars

By Maria Lichty

Updated June 02, 2020

These sweet Mud Hen dessert bars are perfect for potlucks and parties! Everyone loves them!

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I was looking for a bar treat to make for a party and stumbled across a recipe for Mud Hen Bars. The bars have a cookie crust and are topped with marshmallows and chocolate chips. Wait, there is more! The bars also have a brown sugar meringue topping. I wasn’t sure where the “Mud Hen” name came from, but I didn’t care. I was going to make the bars anyways.

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First, you make a basic cookie dough crust and top it with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. You can add chopped nuts, but I left them out since Josh is allergic and I really don’t care for nuts in my cookies and bar treats.

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Next, you beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and gently fold in the brown sugar.

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You cover the bars with the meringue topping and bake for about 30 minutes. And then you impatiently wait for the bars to cool so you can can cut and devour them. Oh wait, these were for a party so I couldn’t devour them all, but I did sneak a taste. I loved the cookie base, but the best part of these bars is the brown sugar meringue topping. The topping is sweet, crackly, and melts in your mouth.

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Everyone at the party loved these bars and wanted the recipe. When I told them they were Mud Hen Bars, they looked confused. I told them not to worry because I don’t know why they are called Mud Hen Bars either:) I still have no idea, but I don’t really care. All I know is that these bars are super duper delicious and that is all that matters to me!

More Bar Recipes

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Bars

Mud Hen Bars

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, divided (1 egg, 2 yolks, and 2 egg whites)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (I left these out)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 pan and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and granulated sugar until creamy. Beat in 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks (put aside the whites for later.) Beat in the vanilla extract.
  • In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Blend until just combined. Spread mixture into 9×13″ pan. Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate chips, and nuts-if using.
  • Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the brown sugar. Spread mixture evenly over marshmallows and chocolate chips. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bars are a deep golden brown. Let bars cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

Nutrition

Have you tried this recipe?

  • Oatmeal Fudge Bars from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures
  • Heath Bar Blondies from Eat, Live, Run
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars from Two Peas and Their Pod
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Mud Hen Bars

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, divided (1 egg, 2 yolks, and 2 egg whites)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (I left these out)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and granulated sugar until creamy. Beat in 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks (put aside the whites for later.) Beat in the vanilla extract.
  • In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Blend until just combined. Spread mixture into 9x13" pan. Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate chips, and nuts-if using.
  • Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the brown sugar. Spread mixture evenly over marshmallows and chocolate chips. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bars are a deep golden brown. Let bars cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

Nutrition