Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Nana's Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe

These chocolate chip bar cookies were a standard in our house growing up. Mom often baked a batch for us to enjoy as lunch box treats and after school snacks. I still love to sample these chocolate chip squares warm from the oven with the melting chocolate chips - it makes me feel like a kid again.

Now that you've found an easy recipe for chocolate chip squares, it's time to begin to whip up a batch. Feel free to customize this recipe to make the chocolate chip bars you like best -- with nuts or without?

I prefer mine without nuts, just like how Mom used to make them. You can also experiment with different types of chocolate chips -- semi-sweet, milk chocolate, chocolate mint, dark chocolate, white chocolate, mini-chips, chocolate chunks -- the choice is yours.

I like making Nana's Chocolate Chip Bars with mini-chocolate chips best these days.

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Always remember to read the entire recipe to make sure you have all the ingredients on hand before beginning. There's nothing more frustrating than to begin mixing cookie bar dough only to discover you are missing a key ingredient that requires a trip to the market.

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Grease a 10x15-inch pan with cooking spray. If you prefer thicker chocolate chip cookie bars, like I do, use a 9x13 pan instead. When I last made them in a 9x13 pan they turned out about 1-inch thick and took just 30 minutes to bake.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
5. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
6. Beat in the flour mixture a little at a time until well combined, but don't over mix.
7. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using).
8. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (avoiding chocolate pieces as they will be melty).
9. Cool on wire rack.
10. Cut into desired size bars.
11. Store the cookie bars in the pan covered with foil or plastic wrap or remove them from the pan and place them in an airtight container. These chocolate chip cookie bars freeze well too.

Nana's Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar recipe makes about 35 cookie bars.

Simple Chocolate Chip Bars Recipe for a Small Batch

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Grease a 8x8-inch pan with cooking spray.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Beat together the oil and sugar with a wooden spoon until well combined.
5. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
6. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring until well combined.
7. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using).
8. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (avoiding chocolate pieces as they will be melty).
9. Cool on wire rack.
10. Cut into desired size bars.
11. Store the cookie bars in the pan covered with foil or plastic wrap or remove them from the pan and place them in an airtight container. These chocolate chip cookie bars freeze well too.

This recipe for Simple Chocolate Chip Bars makes about 12 cookie bars.

Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Bars

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
2. Grease a 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or use a non-stick baking pan.
3. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Cream together brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar with rubber spatula or wooden spoon until very smooth.
5. Add the eggs and combine until incorporated.
6. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
7. Slowly add the sifted flour mixture, stirring until well combined.
8. Stir in chocolate chips until thoroughly incorporated.
9. Spread the batter evenly into the baking pan.
10. Bake on center rack for 40 minutes, until golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11. Remove pan from oven and allow to cool on wire rack to room temperature before cutting.
12. Cut bars into desired size and shape.
13. For a clean cut, run knife blade under hot water and wipe dry before making each cut.
14. Serve immediately or store in tightly sealed container.

This recipe makes about 4 dozen 1-inch Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Bars.

Oat Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Prep and Bake Time: about 30 minutes

• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups regular rolled oats
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch square baking pan and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, oil and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
3. Beat in egg, applesauce and vanilla until well mixed.
4. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. Beat or stir the dry mixture into the creamed mixture until smooth and well combined.
6. Stir in oats and chocolate chips until thoroughly incorporated into mixture.
7. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
8. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over the top.
9. Bake about 15 minutes, until pale golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Let pan cool on rack for at least 10 minutes before cutting bars into desired size and shape.
11. Store bars in airtight container at room temperature.

This recipe makes about 16 (1-inch by 4-inch) Oat Chocolate Chip Bars.