Pin This decadent Chaos Cake Thanksgiving Turkey Disaster Bar recipe transforms holiday leftovers into a playful dessert that perfectly balances sweet, salty, crunchy, and chewy in every bite. Think of it as the delicious aftermath of Thanksgiving, captured in a bar you can enjoy with your hands.
I created these bars during a particularly chaotic Thanksgiving when we had way too many leftovers and too many lingering guests. What started as a kitchen experiment has become our most requested post-holiday tradition, with friends texting me days before Thanksgiving asking if I'll be making my "disaster bars" again.
Ingredients
- Melted butter: creates a rich, flavorful base and helps bind the graham cracker crust
- Graham cracker crumbs: provide the perfect sweet and slightly salty foundation
- Granulated sugar: balances the savory elements and enhances the overall sweetness
- All purpose flour: gives structure to the cookie layer without making it too dense
- Baking powder: ensures the cookie layer has just the right amount of lift
- Brown sugar: adds a deep molasses flavor that complements the holiday spices
- Large eggs: bind everything together while adding richness to the cookie layer
- Vanilla extract: enhances all the other flavors without overwhelming them
- Chopped pecans or walnuts: add essential crunch and nutty flavor
- Chocolate chips: create pockets of melted goodness throughout each bar
- Dried cranberries: provide tart bursts that cut through the sweetness
- Mini marshmallows: melt slightly, creating gooey pockets throughout
- Sweet potato or pumpkin puree: brings authentic Thanksgiving flavor
- Optional turkey bacon: adds a surprising savory element that makes these bars unique
- Ground cinnamon: provides warm spice notes essential for holiday baking
- Caramel sauce: creates an irresistible top layer that seals in moisture
- Flaky sea salt: balances the sweetness and makes the flavors pop
Instructions
- Prepare the Baking Pan:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides to easily lift out the bars later. Make sure the paper is pressed firmly into corners to avoid any batter seeping underneath.
- Create the Graham Cracker Base:
- In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and granulated sugar, stirring until every crumb is moistened and the mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer this mixture to your prepared pan and use the bottom of a measuring cup to firmly press it into an even layer, making sure to get into the corners. A solid foundation ensures your bars wont fall apart when serving.
- Mix the Cookie Layer:
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar in a separate bowl, making sure to break up any lumps in the brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until the batter is smooth and no dry spots remain. The consistency should be similar to a thick cookie dough.
- Fold in the Mix Ins:
- Gently fold in the chopped nuts, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, mini marshmallows, sweet potato or pumpkin puree, optional turkey bacon, and cinnamon. Use a folding motion rather than stirring vigorously to prevent overmixing, which could make your bars tough. The mixture will look chaotic and colorful, which is exactly what you want.
- Assemble the Layers:
- Carefully spread the loaded cookie mixture over the graham cracker crust, using an offset spatula to create an even layer. Take your time here to ensure even baking. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top and use a knife to create gentle swirls throughout, being careful not to cut into the graham cracker base.
- Bake to Perfection:
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. The edges will be slightly darker and may pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Finish with Flair:
- Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt while the surface is still warm, allowing it to slightly melt into the caramel. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before attempting to cut them, which will take about 2 hours.
- Slice and Serve:
- Once completely cool, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab out of the pan and onto a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into 16 equal bars, wiping the knife clean between cuts for the neatest presentation. Store in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers.
Pin The secret to these bars is actually the sweet potato or pumpkin puree. While many people focus on the optional turkey bacon as the unusual ingredient, its the vegetable puree that keeps these bars moist for days. I discovered this by accident one year when trying to use up leftover sweet potato casserole, and now I deliberately make extra at Thanksgiving just for these bars.
Storage Tips
These bars maintain their texture and flavor for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Place pieces of parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. For longer storage, wrap individual bars in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 2 hours before serving.
If you live in a particularly humid environment, add a slice of bread to the storage container to absorb excess moisture and keep the bars from becoming soggy. Replace the bread slice every day or when it becomes stale.
Creative Substitutions
The beauty of these chaos bars is their adaptability. Try white chocolate chips instead of semi sweet for a sweeter profile. Replace cranberries with dried cherries or even chopped dried apricots for different fruit notes. The nuts can be substituted with pepitas, sunflower seeds, or even crushed pretzel pieces for a different kind of crunch.
For the sweet potato or pumpkin element, leftover cranberry sauce can work as a fascinating alternative, though reduce the amount to 1/3 cup due to its higher moisture content. Vegetarians can replace the turkey bacon with smoked almonds or coconut bacon for that hint of smokiness without the meat.
Serving Suggestions
While these bars are perfect on their own, serving them slightly warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream transforms them into a plated dessert worthy of company. For brunch, pair with coffee spiked with a splash of bourbon cream for a truly indulgent experience.
Create a dessert board by cutting the bars into smaller, bite sized pieces and arranging them alongside fresh berries, chocolate truffles, and spiced nuts for a grazing dessert experience that keeps guests coming back for just one more taste.
Pin Enjoy these unique Thanksgiving leftover bars any time of year!
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → Can I make these bars vegetarian?
Yes! Simply omit the turkey bacon or substitute it with candied pecans for a vegetarian version that maintains the sweet-savory balance.
- → How should I store these dessert bars?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months if wrapped tightly.
- → Can I substitute the sweet potato puree?
Absolutely! Pumpkin puree works perfectly as a 1:1 substitute, or you can use mashed sweet potatoes. Some bakers even use both for extra depth of flavor.
- → What makes these 'chaos' bars?
The name comes from the delightful combination of contrasting flavors and textures that might seem chaotic but come together beautifully—much like a busy Thanksgiving kitchen.
- → Can I add other Thanksgiving leftovers to this dessert?
Yes! Consider adding crushed stuffing croutons for extra crunch, a swirl of cranberry sauce, or even crumbled pie crust from leftover desserts for creative variations.
- → How do I know when the bars are fully baked?
The bars are done when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The edges will be slightly firmer than the center.