Chocolate Chip Bars

Bake sale favourites, squares are easily wrapped individually. If making for a bake sale, consider not using nuts. I've substituted cereal like Grape Nuts for nuts, or used more chocolate chips instead.

Easy Chocolate Chip Squares

From Nan Findlay's recipe binder. Use good-quality chocolate chips. The simplest recipe will be amazing if you use the best ingredients.

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts

1. Mix ingredients.
2. Press into a 9 x 9 inch ungreased non-stick pan.
3. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven about 25 minutes or till golden.
4. Cut into squares or bars while warm.

Large Pan Chocolate Chip Bars (Sheet Cake)

It's really good! Baked in a 9 x 13 inch pan, it cuts into 24 bars.

Cake:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs.
2. Blend in flour, baking soda, sour cream and 2/3 cup chocolate chips (don't over-mix)
3. Spread batter evenly into a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan.

Topping:

• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Combine all topping ingredients except pecans. Mix well and sprinkle evenly over surface of cake batter in pan.
2. Top with pecans and remaining 1/3 cup chocolate chips.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool.
4. Serve warm or cool.

Brown Butter Brookie

A fudgy brownie and chocolate chip cookie combined in a square, the taste is like taking a bite of chocolate chip cookie and a bite of brownie and chewing them both together.  This recipe is a little more work for the baker, who has to mix up two doughs (brownie and cookie) and combine them in one 9 x 13 inch pan and wash the bowls.

Makes 12 large pieces or 24 smaller squares. This recipe from ELLEGourmet.ca uses chopped semi-sweet chocolate but you can substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips. 

Brownie

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp instant espresso or coffee powder (optional)
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup Dutch-processed or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp white granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Cookie

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugare
• 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & levelled
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate, divided

1. Line 9x13 inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper with overhang.
2. To make Brownie dough: Melt 1/2 cup butter in a pot over medium heat until foamy and browned, stirring to incorporate brown bits.
3. Transfer melted butter to a bowl, setting the pot aside for using later. Let butter cool in the bowl 2-3 minutes then add 3/4 cup chopped chocolate and stir till smooth.
4. Stir in 1-1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp coffee powder (if using) and 3/4 tsp salt.
5. Sift in 1/3 cup cocoa powder and stir until smooth.
6. In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp white sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 2 large eggs on medium-high about 2-3 minutes or until light in colour and volume has increased.
7. Stir in chocolate mixture and then 1/2 cup flour until just combined. 
8. If you don't have a second large electric mixer bowl, transfer the brownie dough to a regular large bowl or remove and wrap the dough in parchment paper, and wash and dry your mixer bowl thoroughly to use for the cookie dough. If you have a second mixer bowl to use, lucky, use that and set the Brownie dough in its bowl aside.
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
10. To make cookie dough: In the pot used before, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat until foamy and golden brown, stirring to incorporate browned bits. Transfer to a large mixer bowl and let cool 10 minutes.
11. After the 10 minutes add to the cooled butter: 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup white sugar, 1 large egg, 1-1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat with electric mixer until mixture is light and thickened.
12. Sift in 1-1/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp baking soda.
13. Stir until just combined.
14. Set aside 2 Tbsp of the 3/4 cup chocolate. Stir 3/4 cups minus 2 Tbsp chocolate pieces into the cookie dough.
15. Assembly: Use a 2 Tbsp cookie scoop or a large spoon. Dollop the cookie dough onto the prepared pan in blobs, leaving spaces in between each dollop. In the spaces between cookie dough dollops, drop roughly same-size blobs of the brownie dough.
16. Using wet hands or the back of a spatula, flatten the dough, banging the pan on the counter to help even out the mixtures.
17. Now sprinkle over and press in the remaining 2 Tbsp chocolate.
18. Place the pan on middle rack of preheated 350 degrees F oven and bake about 22 minutes or until the top is shiny, edges are set and a cake tester inserted into brownie at centre comes out with gooey crumbs.
19. Remove pan from oven and set on top of a cooling rack for 30 minutes.
20. Lift the edges of the foil or parchment paper in the pan and remove it all from the pan to rack to cool the baked Brookies completely.
21. To cut easily, chill the Brookies slightly. Remove the foil or parchment paper. Use a large, sharp chef's knife to cut, wiping it and running it under hot water between each cut. Cut into 12 large squares or 24 larger squares.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup sifted all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1-1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1. Grease a 9x13x2 inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream butter and sugar together 5 minutes, then beat in eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
4. Stir chopped nuts into flour mixture.
5. Add flour mixture to butter and sugar mixture.
6. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F 15-20 minutes or until firm.
7. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle marshmallows on top. Return to oven to bake another 3 minutes, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
8. Combine chocolate chips with peanut butter in a saucepan, stirring over low heat until chocolate melts.
9. Stir cereal into chocolate peanut butter mixture, then spread mixture on top of cooled marshmallow.
10. Put pan in the fridge to chill. Cut into individual bars to serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

Marshmallow Peanut Bars

• 1-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cups softened butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping:

• 2/3 cups corn syrup
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups chocolate chips or peanut butter chips
• 2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• 1 cup peanuts
• 1 cup chopped toasted almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine: flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, 1/2 cup butter, vanilla, egg. Mix until crumbly.
3. Press mixture into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan.
4. Bake 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
5. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with marshmallows.
6. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows begin to puff.
7. Remove from oven and let cool.
8. Prepare topping. In a large saucepan, heat corn syrup, butter, vanilla, chocolate or peanut butter chips. Stir constantly until chips melt and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in cereal and nuts.
9. Smooth warm topping over marshmallows in pan.
10. Chill until firm and cut into bars.