Hershey's Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I was on the quest in September to make a yummy cookie bar that my family would love (mostly so I could stop the madness in making cookies because the batches took so much longer to cook).  I was reading this great blog who kindly made them for a Daddy and kids camping trip and didn't even get to have any.  Of course, she also got that time at home to relax by herself so I guess it was a good trade off.  Check out My Epicurean Adventures and her camping preparation cooking adventure because there are a bunch of great recipes there.

I decided that they had to be on my list long before I even saw the recipe (which you can find here).  These were easy to make and made a huge portion because they used a jelly roll pan instead of a 9 x 13 baking dish.  I was a little afraid that they would spill over but they plumped up and didn't go over the edge so don't worry.  Check out how I made them and see if this is something you want to make too!!  I promise you if you tasted them, you would already agree that these are a tasty treat and they would be the next on your list to make.  Especially since they are easy ingredients that most people have around the house.

First step, cream the butters and sugars together.  Add the vanilla, if you have any, but I didn't have any and they were fine without it.

Add the eggs and mix until combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the mix.  I try to move the mixer top up so that the blade gets out of the way.... hoping that it leads to me being a neater baker but it never seems to work that way.  How do you make sure all of the flour ends in the bowl and not on the counter or mixer?

Mix all the ingredients together.  This was an action shot which with my old point and shot (now broken) would have shown you but my husband's fancy camera that I am now using takes the picture so quickly that is looks like the blade is still! 

After the dough is formed and all the dry ingredients are incorporated, add the chocolate chips.  This is a Hershey's recipe so they suggest the Hershey's milk chocolate chips.  I mixed those with the Nestle semi-sweet chips.  Can you see the difference?  The Hershey ones are a little smaller and lighter and the Nestle are a little bigger and dark.

I used the last of the chips that I had in the house!!  Don't panic, my parents stopped at Sam's Club and picked me up a big bag which is now waiting in the freezer for more taste test chocolate bars.  When they are all mixed it, you can make cookies or this nifty bar cookie recipe and save pans and time!

The best way to save on cleaning later is to put parchment paper on the bottom of a jelly roll pan.  Do you know what a jelly roll pan is?  I didn't know until I got married and registered for things that there was a difference between a cookie sheet and a jelly roll pan because my mom spent my childhood years calling her jelly roll pans cookie sheets.  She often makes up words so I guess I am lucky that at least she used a word that didn't make me sound silly if I said it to other people.  More stories later on how my mom makes up words later and back to the recipe.

If you don't have parchment paper, don't worry because you can just extra grease your pan and they should come out fine.  But if you do, pull it out and rip to fit the jelly roll pan. 

Then with your saved butter packages from the recipe, spread the butter on the pan. You don't have to do this but it helps the parchment paper stay down and not slide all around.

 Add the parchment paper.  If you mess it up like I did, put a little scrap in the corner to cover where you didn't rip straight.  Don't worry because no one else will see this part unless you take pictures and post it on your blog :) It is great if the paper sticks up a little on the sides because it will give you something to grab onto after the bars are cooled to remove from the pan.  Run your hand over to press the parchment into the butter to stick down. Use the other butter wrapper to grease the top of the parchment paper.

Dump the batter in the middle of the pan and scrap out the bowl.

Here is the hardest part of the whole recipe.  Spread the cookie batter in the pan.  I tried using the spatula and the butter wrapper and neither worked particularly well but I got it all spread and then just had extra to eat off the spatula at the end.

Put it in the oven and bake until desired brownness.  I went a little over because I was doing too many things and I was afraid to take it out too early and get a gooey mess but they were still super tasty.

Let it cool completed which was only easy because I was out of the house all day because the smell was amazing.  I cut them and as you can see the parchment paper came out clean and the bars came right off.

Here is a bar for me to share.  Okay, I can't share them because my family finished them off in a few short days but I hope that this pretty picture will hold you over until you make your own batch with the recipe below.

HERSHEY'S Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c butter
• 3/4 c granulated sugar
• 3/4 c light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 c Chocolate Chips
• 1 c nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F.

2. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if desired.

3. Spread batter in greased, parchment lined 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake at 375°F. 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely; cut into bars. About 4 dozen bars.

Shared on Homemade Monday at Frugal by Choice
and Church Supper at Everyday Mom's Meals
and Saturday Night Fever at Yummy Healthy Easy