Project 52 - Favorites (& A Recipe)

This week's Project 52 theme is Favorites.  I made these cookie bars for a cookout we went to this weekend.  They are one of our "favorite" desserts, so I thought I would share the recipe.  I especially love them because it is so much faster to make a bar cookie then making a several batches of cookies.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.


Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
(recipe source Cook's Illustrated)

2⅛ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips (I use semisweet, but you can substitute milk chocolate, white, peanut butter or bittersweet chips)

Directions:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position.  Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges.

Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk melted butter and sugars in medium large bowl until combined. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well. Using rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in chips and turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with spatula.

Bake until top is light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from sides of pan, 27 to 30 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove bars from pan by lifting foil overhang and transfer to cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.