Original Mud Hens
Please read the post below to see why I’m calling this “original” mud hens, and then try them soon! Have a GREAT day!
Gratefully, Christy
I have spent a considerable amount of time in the kitchen lately trying to come up with a shortcut recipe for my original Mud Hens recipe from My Cookbook.
No matter what I did, I ended up a little disappointed. The “shortcuts” weren’t nearly as good as the original. I normally don’t post recipes on SouthernPlate.com that are exclusive to my cookbook but when I found myself online looking to see if anyone else had come up with a good way to shortcut Mud Hens, I immediately came across over ten websites featuring the recipe from my cookbook ~laughs~ So I decided that if they can post my original recipe, I certainly can, too!
So forget the shortcuts. This recipe is simple and easy as it is. Once you taste it, I’m sure you’ll think it is worth the effort 
You’ll need: Shortening, sugar, eggs, butter, salt, baking powder, and all purpose flour.
You’ll also need: Chocolate Chips, Marshmallows, and Brown Sugar
Note: Use dark or light brown sugar, whatever cranks your tractor.
You don’t have to use mini chocolate chips but that is what I had on hand.
Begin by separating two of your eggs, whites in one bowl and yolks in the other.
Make sure you don’t get any of the yolk into your whites because we’re about to make an amazing brown sugar meringue and if any of those yolks get in there our meringue won’t beat up right.
Now put your butter, shortening, and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Add in your 2 egg yolks and the additional whole egg and beat again.
Like this.
At this point you should get out a separate bowl and place your flour, baking powder, and salt in it and stir together.
You really should do that.
I’m not, I’m going to just add in my flour, baking powder, and salt into the batter.
But you should really mix them up in a separate bowl first and then dump them in.
Unless you’re not in the mood to. In that case just put them into your batter separately like I did.
Mix that up until well combined and you have your dough.
Pat into the bottom of your greased 9×13 inch dish.
If you need to you can put a little flour on your hands to help keep it from sticking, like I did.
Top with chocolate chips and marshmallows.
Now we need to make our brown sugar meringue topping.
My mouth started watering just typing that..
Place your egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat the mess out of it until stiff peaks form.
Like this
Add in your brown sugar…
And stir with a spoon until it’s well combined like this.
Now this contains raw eggs so you shouldn’t taste it..
~She says as she licks the spoon and sets it aside for the next photo~
Pour your meringue over the top of your marshmallows and spread it around to the edges.
Like this.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
Oh how pretty!
Allow to cool completely and then cut into bars.
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup shortening
- 4 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 1 Cup sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 2 eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Chopped Nuts (optional)
- 1 Cup Mini Marshmallows
- 1/2 Cup (or a little more) Nestle Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar (dark or light)
Instructions
- Butter or grease a 9x13 pan.
- In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter, and sugar. Beat in the whole egg and the yolks of the other two eggs.
- In a separate bowl, shift he flour, baking powder, and salt together.
- Combine the flour mixture with the creamed mixture, blending thoroughly.
- Spread the batter into the baking pan, patting with your hands if need be.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips, marshmallows, and nuts over the batter.
- In large bowl, beat the 2 egg whites until stiff. Fold in brown sugar until well combined.
- Spread brown sugar meringue over top of marshmallows, spreading to touch the edges of the pan to prevent it from shrinking during baking.
- Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
- Cool completely and then cut into bars.
“Opportunity is always knocking.
The problem is that most people have the self-doubt station in their head turned up way too loud to hear it.
~Brian Vaszily
ENTER NESTLE’S BAKE AND SHARE HOLIDAY TREAT CONTEST
I’m teaming up with Nestle to help promote their Bake and Share Holiday Treat Contest! Click here to visit their Facebook page and get details on how you can enter your recipe for a chance to win $5000! We have some AMAZING cooks in the Southern Plate Family and I’d love to see one of you win this!
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Posted by Christy Jordan
on Nov 24 2011. Filed under Cookies, Holidays, Misc.
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Sounds so yummy! I will definitely have to make this – as soon as we finish all these pies I made!
These are yummy. Been making them for years. The are in Calling all Cooks page 361! The only difference is I use 1 1/2 sticks butter…! Guess it is an “original” if you change that to 4T. butter and 1/4 cup shortening but the all butter is very good too.
Hey Kaye! Lots of families have grown up on these, lucky families they are! In my introduction you’ll see I meant “original” as in “not a shortcut verson”.
All that butter sounds great!
This looks delicious! Will definately have to try this recipe.
Let me know how you like it Michele!
Gratefully,
Christy
These look wonderful. Could you fold the marshmallows into the meringe, for easier spreading on top of the chips?
You could. You really want meringue to be on top so it browns all nice. you may end up with puffy and browned marshmallows on top in stead and they could burn but you can certainly try it! Let me know how it does!
Gratefully,
Christy
Oh lady… that looks delicious. YUM!
There is a special place in heaven for people like you Rach!
Gratefully,
christy
Love this recipe. I use to make it for my mom, (she loved it) I haven’t made it since my high school days. My school friend gave me the recipe, but it didn’t have a name. So cool, I have a name for it now. Think I’ll make some today and see what my kids think! Thanks so much love your blog.
I hope they like them as well Marty! Can’t wait to hear the verdict.
and thank you for making me smile so big today!
[...] If you would like to make a full 9×13″ pan of these babies, check out Christy’s full recipe here. [...]
My grandma isn’t around to ask, so I have a silly question for you Christy, last year I try to make a home made chocolate pie for Christmas, when I went to make the merinque I had a really hard time getting stiff peaks to form, it did eventually but I just about burnt my hand mixture up doing it. One of my relatives suggested that my metal bowl wasn’t cold enough???? Should your bowl be cold for merinque?
I have a stand mixer, but you should make sure your bowl and beaters are clean clean clean! the least trace of oil will near about kill your meringue. I use a metal bowl if I do use a hand mixer b/c you can wash them in super hot water. Then pop the bowl and the beaters in the freezer. that should do the trick. if there is any possibility that a bit of yolk got in the whites, you should turn them into an egg white omelet or something and start over with fresh egg whites because if there’s any yolk in the whites your meringue will not turn out.
p.s. that’s from a grandma with almost 50 years baking experience. honey, it you can make a mess of it, I’ve done it!
Have you tried using cream of tartar in your merinque? That helps a lot too. It dosen’t take much of it and you can get really stiff peaks.
Thank you Christy, for all the hard work you do for us. May the sun always shine on you, because you always make it shine on us.
Oh my these look so yummy! I just got a new oven and I think these will help “break it in” nicely!
I talk about that in my book, too! Lol
Don’t shortcut something so good! I made these for a party and brought back an empty plate! LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you Christy! Your recipe came as a “lifesaver” (smile) to me because tonight I have my Sunday School class dinner and I was thinking what to make for dessert. Last year I made your apple pie (your mom’s) and the cherry one and both were a hit.
Thank you for ALL you share.
Love
Loly
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I had never heard of these. What a great new treat to try.
Ooooh! Making these for my office party tomorrow night! Thanks Christy!
Hey Christy! You DID show us a shortcut for these Mud Hens! Remember when you told us we really SHOULD mix the flour, baking soda and salt together in a seperate bowl and then you went ahead and just tossed all those ingredients in the egg yolk mixture? Savin’ us from washin’ another bowl was a shortcut in MY book! Love you and Southern Plate and everything related to you and SP!!!
Im swallowing hard, as Paula Deen says. Looks fantastic!
This sounds wonderful. Will try in my Christmas baking. Thanks
These look so yummy!!! Could I substitute gluten free Bisquick in this, Christy? I LOVE your cookbook!!
Thanks for this Christy, I am looking forward to making them.
Have a Blessed Day!
I never heard of meringue with brown suger. How neat. I am going to buy myself your cookbook for Christmas.
O.o these sound so yummy Christy! Like Raquel, I’ve wondered about making successful meringues too. Seems like sometimes it works and other times it flops or is chewy, etc. I’ve heard about the speck of yolk or bit of grease, cold eggs versus warm, humidity, cream of tartar and a few other ideas or reasons too I think. What is your say on it? Does it make much difference in this particular recipe?
Also – how well do these keep? and how to store them? Need answers, pretty please with a peppermint kiss on top *smiles*
sugar-pea, these bad boys sound scrumptious! i will have to make those for the boys at work soon. being diabetic, i have to have an outlet for my love of baking!
These sound so delicious. I have a potluck at church tonight for “Hanging of the Greens” and these sound like a winner for that venue!!! Thanks Christy!
Oh!my! I can’t wait to make these!!! Christy, I just love getting my daily recipes from you! I look forward to your stories too! I wish I had a parents and extended family like yours. Since I don’t, you kind of teach me how to have my own! Thank you!!
Christy, please tell me what I am doing wrong. I tried two times to beat the egg whites and they never got thick or to a peak. I just went ahead and added the brown sugar and poured it on top. The marshmellows are on the top and were getting to brown so covered it in foil to finish cooking. They don’t look to pretty and have no idea what they will taste like. Just took them out of oven. So, my problem is beating the egg whites. I did it with hand mixer a long time.
Was your bowl and beaters super super clean? If Amy greasy residue is on them that would cause a problem. Also, if even a speck of the yolk got in there that would do it as well. Report back when you can!
LOVE this, and thank you for posting. A wonderful East Texas bakery in Jefferson, Texas has been making something similar to this for many years. They call it “Sinful Brownie.” Boy, is it ever. Can hardly wait to make this! Hugs, Kimberly
These sound absolutely delish!! Can’t wait try them….thanks so much!!
I am like you, Christy….just that bit about the brown sugar made my mouth water…and that is very hard to do since I have an illness that makes my mouth super dry…..keep it up….who knew you could be medicine for my mouth???!!!! LOL
Yum! Thanks for sharing this recipe with us Christy!
My 14 year old granddaughter just pioneered herself with doing meringue at TG in a cherry tart. After a try with whisk, then old fashioned crank egg beater, we finally allowed her to use the electric hand mixer. Just sent this to her and requested she do them for Christmas. She said she knew why older women were so strong from all the hand cooking! Nice to know she appreciates where a lot of our muscles came from.
Am going to try these tomorrow for our girls annual Christmas cookie and candy day. Could these be frozen? Christy you are amazing.
Oh my oh my I can’t wait to make these!!!
Never heard of these but I must try these soon. Thanks
I’ve never heard of these. They look sooo gooood!!!
YUM YUM
Thinking about these and a little ‘nilla ice cream to top them off, just to please the 5 yr old boy in our family!
I am interested in knowing whether or not these would work for a cookie exchange. Would the flavor and freshness last for a couple of days? Thanks.
Hi Christy,
it looks great. Am planning to make it for my Christmas potluck party. Am wondering if I should leave it to cool in the pan itself or have to cool on a rack like cakes?
Do we need to line with parchment paper/oil/butter the pan to prevent it from sticking to the pan?
Also, can this be made in advance? If so, how many days in advance? should it be stored in the fridge or on the counter in an airtight container?
Hope to hear from you soon.
Tks,
Adelyn
The brown sugar meringue reminded me of a recipe I hand wrote in my recipe collection soon after I was married in 1962. It was for Sea Foam Frosting, which was sort of a Seven Minute Frosting recipe made with brown sugar and was my husband’s favorite topping for chocolate cake. I havn’t made it in years and years…..wonder if it would be as good now as I remember?
Finally made these tonight, and oh. my. stars. They are divine! Also, thank you very much for the step-by-step photos. If not for your photo, I would’ve been sure I messed up the merengue. This one’s a keeper!
Finally made this tonight, and oh. my. stars. So sinfully good! Thanks so much for including the step-by-step photos. If not for your pic, I would’ve been certain I ruined the merengue. But it looked just like yours (whew!). This one’s a keeper!
Just got back from the store with all the ing. to make these tomorrow, can’t wait!
I made these today for our family Christmas and they are amazing! This is my first time making any type of meringue & with your instructions it turned out great! It makes such a pretty presentation. You know in the South we are all about presentation! I’m sure after my family tastes these they will be asking me to make these every Christmas. Thanks!
These look divine! I have ABSOLUTELY got to try them! They actually “looked” alot like something my Mother-in-law makes that are called “Half-Way Cookies” <<–also, divine, but they are definitely different. But they both have a meringue topping. YUMMY!!!!!!!! I'd be happy to share the recipe with you! ~Michelle
I did not grow up with these but they look soooo good that I am sure I would like to grow old with them. Just love a good chewy meringue. thanks
[...] friend Christy Jordan’s Original Mud Hens recipe offers a cookie bar recipe that is scandalously delicious! (Photo Courtesy: Southern [...]
Just took them out of the oven for a cookie exchange tomorrow. They smell amazing!
Yummy!!!
Made these last night – did NOT wait on them to cool…My husband & I scooped the gooey goodness out of the fresh-from-the-oven pan & inhaled it right then & there! ~INSERT HALLELUJAH CHORUS!!~ I sent a couple of bars to our parents & siblings today just before going to the grocery store to buy more ingredients so I can promptly make another pan! ~INSERT HALLEULAH CHORUS AGAIN!!~ My SIL said they were FABULOUS! I AGREE!
Oh, boy, our SuperBowl party may be partly a southern affair! I dearly love chocolate and the taste of “marshies” but prefer them smooth rather than as discrete entities. Could I melt the chips perhaps adding a dab of cream? how about using spoonfuls of marshmallow creme though the spreading might be problematic? Never heard of brown sugar meringue though i know I’ll love it. Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have.
I almost ate my computer, they Look SO GOOD!