Chocolate Arrowroot Cookie Squares
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Send this recipe to my email.
These old fashioned Chocolate Arrowroot Cookie Squares are an all-time favourite that has been made in my family for decades. Great for the freezer too.
First published on December 4, 2007.
As a child, I first remember these simple and delicious no-bake Chocolate Arrowroot Cookie Squares as being made by Aunt Marion Morgan from Port-de-Grave, my mothers home town.
She was an "aunt" in the Newfoundland sense of the word. Here "aunt" and "uncle" were more commonly used as terms of respect for your elders than as a reference to a blood relative.
Though Aunt Marion had no children of her own, she welcomed the seemingly endless rabble of grandchildren visiting my grandparents a couple of doors up the lane. A boiling, black bottomed kettle on the kitchen wood stove meant cups of cocoa or sweet, milky tea were always on offer.
With steaming cups in hand and a warning to, "Blow on dat now, 'tis 'ot," we watched in anticipation as her ample frame, clad in her favourite lilac hued polyester dress and ever present apron, disappeared into the back pantry to retrieve a mystery treat for the tribe of little martles assembled around her kitchen.
A bottomless old biscuit tin held snowballs, date squares or chocolate chip cookies. However, sometimes she returned with a long rectangular Tupperware container full of Arrowroot Squares! Of course, much to the delight of her wide-eyed visitors.
Some 35+ years later, this recipe not only survives but thrives in my family circles. Especially at this time of year, a Christmas gathering will most likely find Aunt Marion's Arrowroot squares making yet another welcome and memorable appearance.
Like this Chocolate Arrowroot Cookie Squares Recipe?
You'll find hundreds of other sweet ideas in our Cakes & Pies Category and even more in our Desserts Category.
It's easy to keep up with the latest home style cooking & baking ideas from Rock Recipes. Be sure to follow Rock Recipes Facebook Page and follow us on Instagram.
Plus you'll see daily recipe suggestions from decadent desserts to quick delicious weekday meals too.
You can also sign up for our FREE newsletter to know immediately when we add new recipes. You'll also get weekly suggestions for great family friendly meals and desserts too!
Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Ingredients
For the cookie base
- 28 Arrowroot cookies
- 5 tbsp cocoa
- 7 tbsp sugar
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 3 beaten eggs
For the chocolate middle layer
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp cocoa
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp flour
- 3 tbsp boiling water
- 3 tbsp milk
- small pinch salt
For the Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 1 cup whipping Cream
- 3 tbsp icing sugar powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the base
- First break up the Arrowroot cookies into small pieces about the size of a postage stamp or smaller.
- In a medium saucepan combine the cocoa, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, salt and beaten eggs.
- Place on medium low heat and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot constantly until mixture resembles soft scrambled eggs. You want to make sure that the eggs are thoroughly cooked but not completely dried out.
- Add the broken Arrowroot cookies, mix well to combine together and press into the bottom of a greased or parchment lined 9x9 inch square baking dish.
- Set in fridge to cool for about 20 minutes.
For the chocolate middle layer
- While the base is cooling prepare the chocolate middle layer by mixing together all of the ingredients for the chocolate middle layer. Beat together very well until smooth and fluffy and spread evenly over the prepared base.
- If serving these right away, you can top them with Vanilla Whipped Cream and chocolate shavings. If you plan on freezing these, use a commercial whipped topping such as Rich’s or Nutriwhip because it holds up better to freezing. The 8 fl oz size will do.
For the Vanilla Whipped Cream
- Combine the whipping cream icing sugar and vanilla in a small bowl and whip to firm peaks.
Nutrition Information
Yield
36Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 105Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 34mgSodium 30mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 0gSugar 8gProtein 1g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
these look really yummy...was wondering can you freeze them without putting on the cream...leaving that until you're ready to serve?
looks and sounds good. can't wait to try them !
Absolutely!
Thanks for the recipe. I was at a bake sale and they said buy me. Everyone loved then. So I googled it and Wow.Thank you for the great story. I try to find as much Canadian content as possible.Thanks again form one Canadian to another.
Hooray! I have been wishing I could find this recipe for years. A friend's mother in Moncton used to make these and I loved them. I had the recipe but lost it years ago. I am so happy to be able to make these so simple but so delicious squares.
Hi there! My mother makes these squares but what you use for the bottom is the whole square and the topping is like a buttery fudge! very D-lish!
This was such an easy recipe to make. A bit of advise you better make double or the family will be upset.
Thanks for sharing!
My Grandmother made these but with a slight variation and I still make them from time to time. The bottom layer is the same but only one layer on top which is like a thick butter cream icing. One of my favorites from childhood!
St. John's Girl
Barry, That was a lovely story. Made me think of Aunt Hilda, Darlene Russell's Nanny who lived across the road. I have a happy tear in my eye thinking about the cookies I ate at her house and the dresses and apron. Thanks for making my day by bringing me back to such happy warm times. xo
Ah, that's so sweet of you to say, Patsy. So many great childhood memories are tied to food and celebration and it's a great time of year to be reminded of them. Have a great Christmas!
These look lovely and sound delicious! I have never heard of Arrowroot Cookies though. Is that something I need to order online or could you suggest a substitution should I not be able to find it where I live (South-Eastern US)? Thanks!
You may be surprised to find them in your cookie aisle. Vanilla wafers might make a good substitute.
I wanted a new recipe for cookies so this morning I decided to see what was posted on Rock Recipes. The Chocolate Arrowroot Squares looked perfect. Imagine my surprise when I read your memories of having them at Aunt Marion's. I was sitting in that very house (now our summer home) as I was reading.
You're welcome any time for tea and cookies but I can't promise they'll be as good as Marion's.
Isn't that remarkable! Please email me if you like at barrycparsons@gmail.com
My grandmother from Ontario, Canada used to make a very similar bar that she called Rich Chocolate Cake Squares. However, the middle layer was omitted and just iced with chocolate frosting. Delicious! They are one of my son's favorite "cookies" that I make at Christmas.
The recipe that I used to make (and lost unfortunately) had a cream filling. I am looking forward to trying this one!