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    Home » Food » Homestead Kitchen Recipes

    This and That Bar Recipe

    Sarita Harbour.
    Modified: Aug 6, 2025 · Published: Jan 15, 2022 by Sarita Harbour · This post may contain affiliate links ·
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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Are you looking for a recipe that uses up all of the extra baking ingredients left over after Christmas? If so, you’ll love our new This and That Bar Recipe. 

    My son’s girlfriend baked these up a few weeks ago and was thrilled with the results. We wanted to share them with you.

    I don't like to throw away food scraps. It's a pain to get to the dump, and the tipping fees increased in 2022. So I'm on a mission to reduce our household waste.

    We compost what we can to add to our vegetable garden. When we have homestead animals around we give them our kitchen scraps too.

    Yet combining small amounts of baking ingredients with leftover cereal and snack foods is a great way to create a new dessert. I've baked Post Honey Wheat Muffins and my daughter wants to try making these Fruity Pebbles Cookies next.

    This and That bars in baking dishPin
    Credit: Lindsay Bailey

    Use Leftovers for This and That Bar Recipe

    If your family is anything like ours, you likely bake up a storm over the holidays. Yet you might still have a few odds and ends of Christmas baking ingredients left to use up.

    The mixture chilled and ready for slicingPin
    Credit: Lindsay Bailey

    That’s why Lindsay created a This and That Bar Recipe.

    They use a little bit of “this” and a little bit of “that.”  And they’re the perfect way to enjoy a dessert that fits into a new year’s food budget or pantry challenge.

    And by the way, if you're looking for another great bar or square recipe, try these fun confetti squares made with colorful mini marshmallows!

    If you're looking for a unique way to add pretzels to your desserts, you'll want to give this easy caramel pretzel crack bars recipe a go. Or, if you love almond bark as much as we do, make this frugal Almond Bark Holiday Dessert recipe.

    This and That Dessert BarPin
    Credit: Lindsay Bailey

    This is really more of a guide than a recipe. Use what you have on hand.

    The key is to try to use equal amounts of dried fruit, walnuts, chocolate or another sweetener.

    Stack of The Bars ready to servePin
    Credit: Lindsay Bailey

    For example, try a handful of cranberries, a cup of walnuts, and about ¼ bag of chocolate chips to create your very own This and That Bar recipe. 

    Recipe

    Stack of This and That BarsPin

    This and That Bars

    Blake Culver
    This is really more of a guide than a recipe. Remember to use up your leftovers,
    The key to a really tasty This and That Bar is to try to use equal amounts of dried fruit, walnuts, chocolate or another sweetener. You don't want the bars to be too dry.
    For example, a handful of cranberries, a cup of walnuts, and about ¼ bag of chocolate chips make a good, simple combination. 
    These measurements below are approximate.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Additional Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Food
    Cuisine American
    Servings 36 bars
    Calories 74 kcal

    Equipment

    • measuring spoons
    • Measuring Cups

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup dried cranberries
    • ½ cup raisins
    • ¼ cup walnuts crushed,
    • ½ cup shelled sunflower seeds
    • 1 cup oats
    • 1 cup mini marshmallows melted
    • 2 tbsps peanut butter
    • Additional ½ cup Baker’s Chocolate or chocolate chips any kind
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions
     

    • Mix all ingredients, except the second amount of chocolate chips in a buttered 9 x 9 baking dish.
    • Using a buttered spatula, press the mixture down into an even block.  
    • Melt Bakers Chocolate (or choc chips) and drizzle over top. 
    • Place in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes, until the chocolate is solid.
    • Remove the block from the dish onto a cutting board, and cut it into rectangular bars or squares.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    Remember, the idea here is to use up what you have on hand. Possible ingredients could include
    • shredded coconut 
    • chocolate chips
    • dried cranberries, raisins, or berries
    • nuts or seeds
    • dried fruit chunks
    • dates
    • Don't be afraid to experiment! You can't really go wrong.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 74kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 221mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6g
    Keyword dessert bars, desserts from leftovers, frugal desserts, this and that bars
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    You may also like...

    • Condensed Milk Dinner Rolls
    • Grandma's Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies Recipe
    • Peach Cookie Crumb Cobbler Recipe
    • Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe
    • Recipe for Raspberry Lemon Almond Muffins

    Like this recipe? Save it for later!

    This and That Bar Recipe text overlay on image of stacked dessert barsPin
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    About Sarita Harbour

    Sarita Harbour is a long-time freelance writer, blogger, and homesteader who has been creating online content for over 15 years. She’s the founder of An Off Grid Life, where she shares practical advice on self-reliance, homesteading, off-grid living, and homeschooling based on her 11-year adventure living in Canada’s remote Northwest Territories.

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    Sarita Harbour.

    I'm Sarita. My family and I lived off the grid for 11 years in Canada's far north. If I did it, you can too.

    Learn more here →

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