Toll House Cookie Bars

Surely, I'm not the only mom with a teenager who forgets until 9:30 at night to tell me that he needs treats for school for the following morning?  I will spare you all of the "not so pleasant" details of the conversation regarding these much needed snacks but I should tell you in his defense however, that he did offer to make the snacks himself.  With my son standing in front of me, I had a split second decision to make: allow my 16 year old to make a batch of cookies - unassisted - and face the mess that would inevitably be left in the kitchen or --- bake them myself.  As much as I love to have him help in the kitchen, I decided that I didn't have enough energy to clean up after him that night.  (Sometime's it's just quicker and easier to make something myself.)  I turned to a recipe for chocolate chip cookie cake on Thatssoyummy.com because it was the easiest thing that I could thing of to make on such short notice. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
(adapted from Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake – Dam Good Sweet by David Guas and Raquel Pelzel, as seen on Lemonpi)

Ingredients
1 stick butter, unsalted
1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream the butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.

 
Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 15 seconds.
Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the egg.

Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Add the dry ingredients and combine on low speed until just a few dry streaks remain.

Add the chocolate chips and mix for a few seconds until combined.

 
Scrape the batter into a greased and lined 9-inch round (or square) cake pan.  Press the batter into a smooth and even layer in the pan.

 
Bake until lightly golden and puffy around the edges (the center should still feel quite soft), 18 – 22 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes and then run a paring knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake.
Cool for at least 4 hours before turning the cake out of the pan and onto a large plate.
Slice then serve…

This cookie cake only took about 15 minutes to get into the oven and once it baked, I left it on top of the stove to cool overnight. 

So if any of you are faced with a late night baking project, try this chocolate chip cookie cake.  Kids love it.

Ciao!


Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
(adapted from Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake – Dam Good Sweet by David Guas and Raquel Pelzel, as seen on Lemonpi)

Ingredients
1 stick butter, unsalted
1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream the butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.
Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 15 seconds.
Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the egg.
Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Add the dry ingredients and combine on low speed until just a few dry streaks remain.
Add the chocolate chips and mix for a few seconds until combined.
Scrape the batter into a greased and lined 9-inch round cake pan.
Press the batter into a smooth and even layer in the pan. Bake until lightly golden and puffy around the edges (the center should still feel quite soft), 18 – 22 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes and then run a paring knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake.
Cool for at least 4 hours before turning the cake out of the pan and onto a large plate.
Slice then serve…