Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars*

I tried and tried to think of a “peg” for this recipe (you know, tying it to seasonality or recent holidays or something going on in my life … ). But then I realized: chocolate chip cookies need no peg.

There should never be a reason to bake chocolate chip cookies, just like there should never be a reason to pop bottles of cava or eat cake for dinner or have leftover Chinese for breakfast. Sometimes, “Monday” is a reason, or “Tuesday” or “Wednesday” or … you get my drift. I don’t need an explanation for why I’m talking about chocolate chip cookies today, and you should never need an explanation for why you’re eating chocolate chip cookies.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY’RE THIS GOOD.

And yes, that all-caps is deserved. I fell in love with this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, as I do with everything on her site. But it was hardly a fair fight. Chunks of deep dark chocolate, barely encased by a dough of three sugars, a smidge of flour, a whole lotta butter and a fair amount of salt? Who could resist?

In my infinite laziness, I made these into chocolate chip cookie bars, since the dough was a bit difficult to deal with. Plus, I didn’t want to bother with rolling out two dozen cookies when I could just dump the dough into a pan and then slice afterwards. Needless to say, this worked out deliciously.

I waited three days to make these, which means I lived three whole days without them in my belly. Don’t make that mistake. They are everything you’ve always wanted from a chocolate chip cookie, but better because they’re neat little squares, all warm and puddly and soft and perfect … ok fine, I’ll pull myself together now. But only long enough to make another batch.

*I know, technically these are blondies. But chocolate chip cookie bars sounds so much more exciting! And I already have the perfect blondie recipe. Indulge me.

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Makes 1 7-x-11-inch pan of bars + 6 cookies

– 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

– 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

– 1 cup packed dark brown sugar

– 1 large egg

– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

– 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

– a heaping 1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt

– 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

– 8 ounces (1/2 pound) semi- or bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch chunks (this is easiest with a serrated knife)

– flaky sea salt, to finish

1) Preheat the oven to 360F and butter a 7-x-11-inch baking pan.

2) In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, beating until incorporated, and scraping down the bowl as needed.

3) Beat in the salt and baking soda until combined, then the flour on a low speed until just mixed. The dough will look super crumbly at this point. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chunks.

4) Transfer three-fourths of the dough to the prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the bars are set in the middle. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely. Cut once the bars are completely cooled — it may help to refrigerate or freeze them before cutting, to get clean lines. (Or you could grab a spoon and have at the warm chocolatey goo … I won’t judge.)

To make cookies (you’ll have leftover dough, or you could go all cookies): Scoop the cookies into 2-tablespoon mounds, spacing them 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle each with a few flakes of sea salt. Bake for 11-12 minutes, until golden on the outside but still very gooey and soft inside. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.