Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (Or Giant Cookie)

These are so fast and easy, and the batch is surprisingly large. When I'm pressed for time and want something sweet, I always make these or brownies. We're talking 15 minutes prep time, 20 minutes baking, and you've got 4 dozen cookie bars. I don't recommend making them unless you've got people coming over to help eat them, but I do recommend serving them warm with ice cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 to 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375º and grease a large cookie sheet (jelly roll pan).
In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugars and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and spread into the cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool at least 5 minutes before cutting, but the longer you wait the prettier they are.

Coconut Cookies, With or Without Dark Chocolate

Both of these cookies are from the same dough. After I baked the first dozen, I added a cup of dark chocolate chips and spooned lumpy globs onto the cookie sheet. They look and taste very different, but they're rich and sweet and the kind of chewy only coconut can produce.

For extra glam, dip the cookies in shredded coconut before placing on the cookie sheet.

Coconut Cookies
1 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp coconut extract
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup shredded coconut
3/4 to 1 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375º.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and shredded coconut. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon. Stir in the vanilla, coconut extract, egg and egg yolk. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the chocolate chips if desired.

Drop in heaping teaspoonfuls two inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. They will be chewier if you under-bake them a little, which I personally prefer.

Unbelievable Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok, so, chocolate cookies are totally basic and classic and wonderful. A friend of mine said that they're simple compared to the things I make most of the time (like peanut butter cake and chocolate cherry rum fudge), which might explain why I don't make them very often. The truth is, I don't make them very often because every time I do the batch lasts only a few hours and everyone in the house grumbles about having eaten too many. Maybe it's because there's something special about chocolate chip cookies that is so very satisfying in the way that hugs from your favorite family members are satisfying. You know?

I have experimented with chocolate chip cookie recipes for the past few years and this recipe is the result of that experimentation. It has double the vanilla and a little more salt than most recipes. The double vanilla is just because I love it so much, and the salt counteracts it and brings some savory into the picture to accompany the walnuts. I have faith that these will become your favorite chocolate chip cookies the first time you try them, but I would love to try any recipes you might want to email me as a challenge.


Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 slightly-overfull cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional, it makes them good though)
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted and cooled to warm
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1) Preheat the oven to 325º with racks in the middle and upper-middle positions.
2) Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
3) Mix the butter and sugars in a medium bowl. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat until just combined.
4) Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of flour and beat until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
5) Drop lumpy tablespoonfuls on a cookie sheet, at least 2" apart. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.