LAist Cookie Exchange: Chocolate Chip Bars

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Tis the season - for cookies!!! Cookies are one of the most versatile treats you can make. They are perfect for gift-giving, office parties, dessert, or a quick snack. They please children and grown-ups alike. Most cookie batters freeze well so you can make cookies anytime you feel like it. Cookie recipes are easy to make and hard to screw up. You just need to keep an eye on them so they don't burn. You can double up recipes to make two batches, and in general, they're not too labor-intensive. Even if the recipe is a little more time-consuming, like roll-out cookies that you have to cut out and decorate, it's still not work. It's fun!

These chocolate-chip cookie bars are a slightly different take on an old classic. They satisfy chocolate-chip die-hards while making the holiday cookie tray look a little more special. Cookie bars have the added benefit of being extremely fast to make. This is my mother's recipe, and one of my childhood favoriites.

I combine butter and shortening in this recipe so that you get the richness of butter without the bars becoming too soft. For a richer, denser and more buttery bar use all butter. For a lighter, more cake-like bar use all shortening.

Recipe after the jump!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS

2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup Crisco shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
3 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
6 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together butter, shortening and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix.

Mix together flour, baking soda and salt.

Gradually add dry ingredients to mixer. Mix.

Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into a large rectangular pan (9" x 13" or 10" x 15") and bake tor about 20 minutes or until done.

You can also add walnuts or pecans, or if you're really feeling wild - M&Ms.

Photo by Blair Christensonvia Flickr