Great Canadian Cookies and Bars

Turn this nostalgic treat into a fancy holiday dessert with this simple recipe. A chewy cocoa graham base is topped with a creamy custard filling, a chocolate glaze hit with a splash of peppermint, and dotted with crushed peppermint candies or candy canes to complete the festive look.

You don’t need to be a lumberjack to enjoy these soft and sweet plaid sugar cookies!

You don’t even need to turn on the oven to whip up a batch of these no-bake desserts. A red graham cracker base and a few sprinkles make these creamy cheesecake bites celebration-worthy.

A versatile cookie that makes for the most satisfying snack any day of the week. Studded with Hickory Sticks, Coffee Crisp bites and maple fudge, it’s oh-so Canadian.

Light, buttery shortbread gets a Canadian twist with a hint of maple syrup. Bonus points if you have maple leaf cookie cutters!

Enjoy a few different favourite pie flavours with each bite of these tasty little treats.

There is a double dose of maple flavour in these delectable sandwich cookies. Opt for maple extract in the cream to give intense flavour without watering it down.

Butter tarts turn into sticky, decadent curlicues that skip the muss and fuss of the traditional recipe. These pinwheels stack up just like a holiday cookie, adding an unexpected, classic Canadian pop to festive sweets trays. You can make these with either puff pastry or traditional pie dough — just be sure to make them!

Found in the official 1946 Canadian Army Cook’s Manual, these sweet, chewy cookies were likely eaten by thousands of soldiers in mess halls across the country.

Once the curse of the holidays, ugly Christmas sweaters deserve to be celebrated, whether in the form of tasty cookies, or by sporting one at your next festive get-together (or better yet, both!)

Maple-flavoured sugar cookies are topped with a sweet maple glaze.

For those who like a little extra crunch in their nanaimo bars, roughly chopped walnuts give the base of these sweet bars a chewy bite.

Learn how to make Anna Olson’s Nanaimo Bars

This classic Canadian dessert gets a fall twist with pumpkin and cinnamon. Pumpkin butter cream is spiced with nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon sits atop a crunchy chocolate and coconut base, and is topped with a layer of dark chocolate. You may want to make extra because these will disappear fast!

This classic salty-sweet combo gets a grown-up twist with a swirl of sweet Niagara ice wine, giving these tasty squares a punch of Canadian flavour.

Just like grandma used to make, this classic recipe has been passed down from one generation to the next before landing in your repertoire.

These lovely cookies are sure to impress your guests. The star shape can be achieved with a star-shaped tip on a piping bag or with a cookie press.

These icebox cookies by Anna Olson are made of tender tart dough that can be frozen for up to three months. Make the dough in advance so you have it on hand and are prepared when the next bake sale pops up.

These lemon meringue squares are a dressed-up version of a lemon square and are topped with a cooked marshmallow layer.

These sweet squares are as fun to make as they are to eat. Break out your rolling pin and get ready to smash toffee into delicious bits to sprinkle overtop of these scrumptious squares.

There’s a good reason you’ll find oatmeal chocolate chip cookies at most Canadian bake sales and potlucks – they’re almost as easy to bake as they are to devour. Saskatoon curler Darlene Danilyw made these gems for Lynn Crawford’s visit to the Granite Club Curling potluck.

Chock-full of dried fruit, pecans and warming spices, these mini versions of fruitcake are both pretty and practical — the perfect treat for any holiday celebration.

Grammie Bent’s Dunkin’ Snaps, baked by Marsha Clarke when Lynn visited the he Waterloo County Quilters’ Guild, exemplify why gingersnaps are perfect little cookies. Whether you crunch them as they are or dip them in your double double, these spicy snaps offer warmth on cold Canadian days.

The classic Canadian layered bar gets a cheesecake twist in this delicious treat that will quickly become a family favourite.

Don’t forget to leave a plate of cookies and milk for Santa! These chocolaty ones are sure to please.

Chocolaty and crunchy with chunks of toffee, you’ll love these simple squares.

Shortbread cookies are spiked with a hint of rum, and jazzed up with roasted pecans and a drizzle of melted dark chocolate. Be sure to make extra because it’s impossible to eat just one!

Roasted hazelnuts and smooth, velvety hazelnut spread come together in this delightfully chewy cookie.

Whether used in a pie, sauce or in bars, Canadians adore their butterscotch. This sticky, sweet butter and brown sugar confection is dotted with chocolate chips, walnuts and coconut, before it’s spread onto a cakey base to make an irresistible dessert.

Learn how to make the Mennonite classic at home with this traditional fried cookie recipe from Saskatchewan.

Serve up these delightful sweet and tart treats in generous, cake-sized squares. Your guests will thank you.

Chewy maple fudge squares covered in savoury toasted pecans ready to pop in your mouth in just 25 minutes.