Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

The traditional chocolate chip cookie changes shape in this recipe. The cookie dough is baked in a 9X13 pan and then cut into squares. 

Thicker and softer than a cookie, these bars can be embellished with a little frosting and pretty candy piece. They're party-ready in no time flat and look a bit more grown up when topped with some piped frosting and candy.

We love this dessert any time of the year, but always make them when the holiday season rolls around. To make them even more festive, we tint the frosting red or green and top with seasonal candy pieces.

We like Nestle Toll House's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe for this bar cookie.

Use the basic recipe on the package, but omit the chopped nuts. Also, you'll want to add 1 cup of dried cranberries to the batter for a little flavor variation and interest.

Here's the recipe from Nestle with our changes.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12 ounce package) Nestle Toll House Semi Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup of dried cranberries
Chocolate frosting

Directions