Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

You might also call these "blondies", particularly if you use white chocolate chips. This was one of the first desserts I ever made on my own; I've been making them regularly for over fifteen years! All of my attempts to veganize them have failed to live up to the original, but if you try them first with Earth Balance and Ener-G in place of butter and eggs, you won't miss the original. :)



1/2 cup (one stick) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-3/4 cups flour
1 cup (6 oz.) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of an 8"x8", a 9"x9", a 7"x10", or a 9"x13" pan* with shortening and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for about two minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in salt and baking powder. Stir in flour, then stir in chocolate chips. Batter will be very thick!

Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for about 10 or 15 minutes before you cut the bars.



*The size of the pan determines the thickness and quantity of the bars. I generally use a 7"x10" pan, but really any pan works just fine.