Lazy Gal's Guide to Baking: The Cookie Bar

​​  I mean, we've all been there: you're in the mood to whip up something sweet, but not to roll out 60 little cookies, then wait & watch 4 batches in the oven so they don't get too dark.  Solution?  Put all of the dough in a pan and let it do it's thing.  The only person that will know you're being lazy, is you! (And me, but I'm not judging).  There are just a few adjustments you should make to assure your cookie bar gets cooked all the way through without getting burnt on the top, and here they are:

1. Bake the bar at 25 degrees lower than what the original cookie recipe calls for. I know the recipe might say 375, but that's for the little individual cookies. If you bake the bar at 375, you'll end up with a burnt top and a doughy middle. (Nothing wrong with cookie dough, but that wasn't our goal this time.)​​​
2. Only fill up your dish 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full! Cookie bars are fun, but scraping the burnt on cookie bits that spilled over from your pan? Not so fun. (Just take my word for it.)
3. Let it cool all the way before you cut into it. I know, you are giving me a dirty look, and that's okay! If you try to cut into your big ole' cookie before it's cooled it will fall apart, even if it is all the way cooked. (Although if you don't care what it looks like, go on with your bad self!)

Not only are cookie bars quick and easy, they also result in thicker, chewier cookies! Baking them in a pan keeps them from spreading out, and getting flat. (See pictures below for a side-by-side comparison!) 

Here's my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, that I almost exclusively make in bar- form. You're welcome, and enjoy!

Ingredients:
-2 & 1/4 cups all purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1 cup melted butter (salted)
-1 cup brown sugar
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-1 Tbs vanilla extract
-optional: if you have it, add a half teaspoon of maple extract (you can thank me later)
-2 eggs
-1 bag of milk chocolate chips, 1/2 bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
-Preheat your oven to the magic cookie bar temp of 350 degrees
-Melt your butter, then once it is slightly cooled add it to the sugars.
-Once you've whipped that up a bit, add in your vanilla extract. (I know I said 1 Tbs, but listen to your heart, follow your dreams- I've never had someone complain about too much vanilla.)
-Next, add your eggs and let your mixer whip them a bit. (Pro-tip: crack your eggs into a separate bowl as to avoid egg-shell chunks in your cookie. Or at least turn off your mixer if you plan on cracking them right into your mixer, because let me tell you you will never be able to get all of the egg shell out once your KitchenAid has had your way with it.)
-Then add your flour 1/4 cup at a time, as to avoid the cloud of flour being evenly dispersed around your kitchen.
-After that add your salt and baking powder, and let your mixer have it's way with the mixture for a bit. (Sure if you want to get fancy you could mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl then mix it with your wet ingredients, but who wants to clean another bowl?)
-Next mix in your chocolate chips. (Again, most people would say to "gently fold them" into the dough, but again why are we getting more utensils dirty? Let your mixer do it's job.)
-Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray, plop the dough in, and smooth it out some so there is an even layer. 
-Pop it in the oven for 30-45 minutes. (30 if you like soft, doughy cookies and 45 if you're more of a thick-'n-chewy person.)
-If you're like me, you forgot to set a timer, so stick a toothpick into the middle to see if it's cooked: if the toothpick comes out clean, you are good to go my friend.
-After you get your big ole' cookie out of the oven it's time to:

1. practice some self control and let it cool for 45 minutes to an hour​, or
2. just dig in, go for gold.

Either way, happy baking!
  -Emily B.