Kicked Up Magic Cookie Bars

Would you consider yourself a baker? If the answer is no, these magic cookie bars are for you! Super easy, super delicious, and you don't even dirty a bowl or a spoon.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 6 oz package of chocolate chips
• 1 6 oz package of white chocolate chips
• 1 6 oz package of butterscotch chip
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a small sauce pan, melt butter
3. Pour butter evenly into a 13x9 baking dish so that it coats the bottom of the dish
4. Layer remaining ingredients evenly on top of the butter
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bottom is golden brown
6. Let cool before cutting into squares

Sweetspot Cookie Bars

It seems like it's time for a cookie break.

When I start pining for a chocolate chip cookie, this is the one I want. Which is lucky for me because it's an easy recipe, one that produces a slight sugar crust, which is basically an envelope for some pillowey, chocolate- and vanilla-laced half-inch-thick sweet spot chocolate-chip-cookie action. The recipe originally came from the America's Test Kitchen mavens (Melted butter? An egg and a yolk?); my only real modification is to press it into a 9x13 pan rather than roll them into balls.

I never thought I'd turn into this type of person, but what makes these cookies dangerously easy is a scale. You do have to do some math that requires adding fractions. Otherwise just dump the sugar and the flour directly into the mixing bowls, and your only dirty dishes will be a whisk, spatula, mixing bowl, a 1/2 t measuring spoon, and the dish you melt the butter in.

Sweetspot Cookie Bars

• 6 oz butter (12 T), melted and then cooled slightly
• 7 oz light brown sugar (1 cup)
• 3-1/2 oz sugar (1/2 cup)
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 2 t vanilla
• 10-5/8 oz flour (2 cups + 2 T)
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts (optional!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk the butter into the sugars, mixing well. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, again mixing well. In separate bowl, combine the flour, soda, and salt, and then stir this mixture into the butter-sugar mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Press into a rectangular 13x9 Pyrex dish. Cook for 25-30 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown in the center. Allow to cool for at least a half hour before slicing into bars.

Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

As a contribution to a dinner party with both vegan and non-vegan guests, we made these easy, crowd-pleasing cookies found here.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup margarine
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup table sugar
• 1 ripe, mashed banana
• 5 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp vanilla soy milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder stirred into the flour
• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips (check if there is milkfat in the chips. We ended up using Ghiradelli

Instructions:

Beat together the margarine and sugars. Add the mashed banana and mix well, then add the vanilla, then the soy milk. Keep mixing and add the dry ingredients, in the order above.The final batter should be almost too dry to hold the chocolate chips. As the original post says, "Dry batter is good, since any chips that fall off the batter can go directly into your mouth, and no one will miss them."

Bake them for 10 or 12 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 375F on an ungreased cookie sheet. Let them congeal on the sheet for a moment after removing them from the oven, then cool on a plate or a wire rack.

The banana and large amount vanilla give these cookies a great flavor. And one excellent bonus of vegan cookies is that you can eat as much batter as you like without the dangers of raw egg.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
  
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts)

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 375deg
2. mix flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl
3. beat butter, sugars and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy
4. mix in eggs one at a time to butter mixture, making sure to beat well after each egg
5. slowly mix in flour mixture
6. once everything is well mixed stir in chocolate chips and nuts
7. scoop a rounded tablespoon onto your baking sheets.
8. bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown
9. cool and serve

Commentary:
I know you are thinking "whole wheat cookies.....?" Yeah I made them! It was honestly b/c I only had 1/4 cup regular flour and already started mixing the butter and sugar. I was pleasantly surprised how well they turned out. There are only subtle differences between them and ones made with white flour, but it doesnt really matter b/c they are good and healthier then cookies made with all purpose flour. I didnt add the nuts to mine but like cheese nuts make just about everything dessert taste better. I hope you enjoy!