Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar

I wish there was a word in the English language for the family that we choose for ourselves, because I have a son just like that. His mom passed away when he was young and ever since our family met him 5 years ago, we have loved him like our own. Last week he married the most wonderful girl in Utah and yesterday we had an open house for them here in Seattle. We decided to keep it simple and have an ice cream sundae bar for the guests. I made a variation of the Pioneer Woman’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar as the base of the sundae (have you noticed my family’s obsession with ice cream yet? – haha!). It was a big hit! It’s a perfect dessert for big or small groups, and even tastes good on its own without all the toppings. I hope you all love it as much as we do!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BAR

1 cup butter (226 g), room temperature
1 cup brown sugar (220 g)
½ cup white sugar (100 g)
2 large eggs, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ¼ cup (281 g) all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (not table salt)
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 ounces (350 g) semi sweet chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks, mini M&M’s, or a mixture of them all!)

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C) and grease a quarter sheet pan or jelly roll pan (you can also use a 9 x 13 cake pan, but just know that this bar cookie won’t raise to the top of the pan like a cake would).

Beat the butter and sugars until thoroughly combined and no pieces of butter remain. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add the soda, salt, and flour and mix until just combined and no dry flour is visible. Add chocolate and mix until it is well distributed. Spread evenly into greased baking pan.

Bake 18-22 minutes until the cookies are lightly golden on top and set in the middle. You don’t want the cookies rock solid in the middle or they won’t be soft and moist, just set enough that they do not look raw anymore. I have noticed a pretty wide range on when the cookies are done – so just keep watching them every 2 minutes, starting at 18 minutes, and pull them out when they are perfect!