With pantry ingredients, a single bowl, and not a second of dough-chilling time, you can have these cookie bars. Which are, as their name says, really good.
Makes one 8-9″ square pan, 12-16 bars
Ingredients
3/4 cup (172g) butter, softened
3/4 cup (150g) brown sugar, packed
6 Tbs. (75g) granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
6 Tbs. (40g) quick-cooking oats
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Scant 1/2 tsp. salt
6oz. (1 heaping cup) chocolate chips or chunks
2oz. (1/2 cup) finely chopped nuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8-9” square pan tightly with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract into a large bowl. Use a hand mixer to cream together the ingredients on medium speed for 1 minute, or until pale and combined. Add the egg and continue to beat on medium speed for 30 seconds to one minute, until the mixture is light.
- Add the flour, oats, corn starch, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Beat the mixture on medium speed for about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, until a thick dough forms. Fold the chocolate chips and nuts into the dough.
- Scrape the dough into the baking pan and use clean fingertips to press it into an even layer. Transfer the baking pan to the middle rack of the preheated oven.
- Bake the cookie bars for 28-33 minutes, until they are golden brown at the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the baking pan from the oven. Transfer the cookie bars to the refrigerator to cool for 1-2 hours. Once they are completely cool, remove the bars from the pan by lifting up on the edges of the aluminum foil. Slice into 12-16 squares.
*Leftover cookie bars may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, in the refrigerator for 5, or in the freezer for 3 months.
