Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars + 1 Month of Blogging

Today is Baking it on My Own's 1 month birthday.  YAY!! It doesn't take much around this neck of the woods to have a reason to celebrate something.  I knew the recipe to celebrate this occasion had to be extra special - ...and by extra special I mean REALLY. REALLY. good.

The reality is - these cookie bars are hands down the best chocolate chip cookie bars I've ever eaten.  If I could shout from the rooftops how much joy these delicious morsels have brought to my life, I would.

When I was in college, my good friend Ed's mom (Rosie) had quite the reputation around our group of friends with her baking skills.  Her most famous desserts included her magic bars and these chocolate chip cookie bars. When word quickly spread about the arrival of these goodies, it was rare that I got to steal a few before all of his savage housemates got to them.  The few chances I did, I was ONE. HAPPY. GIRL. When we graduated college I was lucky enough to live with Ed for a few years while we were starting our careers.  It didn't take long for me to realize that I no longer had to plot my scheme for how to get my hands on some of these bars. The day that realization hit me, it was one of the happiest days of my life!  It was only a few short months until I finally got up the courage to ask Rosie for the recipe.  She (of course) graciously offered it up and I still have the original e-mail she sent Ed (circa 2006) with the subject line "Hi, from Mom." For the next few months I'm pretty sure I made these bars for co-workers, friends, Carl's fraternity brothers and Carl - every. single. time. he came to visit. I still remember those days fondly and even though I haven't seen Ed or his mom in a few years - every time I make these cookie bars I think of them and smile.

To this day, this recipe is my go-to chocolate chip cookie bar recipe and there is not one single thing I would change about it. Carl has been a huge fan of this recipe for years and always comments on his favorite part of the recipe: it's secret ingredient - PUDDING mix!

I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as we do.  As always, if you have any questions or just want to say, "Hi!" - please feel free to leave me a comment at the bottom of this post.  I love hearing from my readers!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Makes 15 good sized cookie bars

2 sticks butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
2 and 1/4 cup flour
1 heaping cup of chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts (optional, I prefer them without)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.   Spray a 9 x13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together with mixer.  When well blended - add vanilla and salt.  Beat in vanilla pudding mix and combine.  Next, add in eggs one at a time.  In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda.  Add dry mixture into wet mixture and stir until combined.  Add chocolate chips - stir and press into pan.

Bake for 24-28 minutes.  NOTE:  Do not over bake... under cooking is better than overcooking for this recipe. 

Remove from oven and cool pan on wire rack.  Once cool, cut cookie bars into squares (I usually make 15). Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Thank you to the oh-so-super-sweet Rosie for this tasty recipe - I miss seeing your smiling face! And a special shout out to Ed - in the slim chance that you get a chance to read this amidst all of the chaos that is medical school! - Miss you buddy and hope to see you soon!