I LOVE fresh-from-the-oven cookies, but I don’t always love the time it takes to scoop out individual balls of cookie dough, wait in the kitchen while they bake, then quickly swap the first tray for the second tray, move the first tray to the cooling rack, scoop more cookie dough onto the next tray, pull the second tray out of the oven, etc. etc.
It’s kind of a process — and some days, I just don’t have the patience to deal with it all!
So, lately, I’ve started making cookie bars — which taste exactly the same as a regular cookie, but they are SO much faster and easier to make. Plus they result in fewer dirty dishes at the end of the day!
There’s really no trick to making cookie bars because you simply use the exact same dough you would for regular cookies. However, instead of tediously rolling countless spoonfuls of dough, you just dump the cookie dough into a greased 9×13″ baking pan.
A recipe that normally makes 2-3 dozen cookies will easily fit in one 9×13″ pan. If your recipe makes 5-6 dozen cookies, you can make two 9×13″ pans and put some in the freezer.
Peanut Butter Cookie Bars:
I’m not picky when it comes to cookie bars, but our all-time favorite recipe is peanut butter cookie bars with a special chocolate topping.
Simply make your favorite peanut butter cookie recipe and press the dough into a greased 9×13″ baking pan.
Bake bars according to your cookie recipe directions {usually 12-15 minuets}. Let them cool completely.
Melt 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 3/4 cup butterscotch chips in a small sauce pan or in the microwave.
Pour melted chocolate mixture over peanut butter cookie bars and let cool.
Cut into bars and eat — or freeze for later!
One word of caution: once you start making cookie bars — you might never go back to making regular cookies!
What is your favorite cookie recipe?
