Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I LOVE cookie bars. I love them because most cookies spread out when they bake, but cookie bars spread upwards. I just love that they're thick. My favorite by far of all the chocolate chip cookie bar recipes is the Ghirardelli recipe. This is a great one when you don't have the time to scoop out individual cookie dough balls. Oh, and if you can, use real butter in this one and not margarine...it definitely makes a difference in the richness of the taste!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

- 2 tsp. vanilla

- 2 large eggs

- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

- 1 tsp. salt

- 12 oz. package chocolate chips (2 cups)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt and then gradually add to egg mixture while mixing on low speed. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread evenly into a greased 9x13 pan (I spray the back of a rubber spatula with Pam to help spread the dough and press into the pan).

Bake for about 30 minutes, turning around at the halfway point, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan. Cut into squares and serve.