Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars Recipe

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Ingredients

1/3 cup tightly packed, brown sugar (light or dark)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cold, and cut into bits
Cookie Dough ingredients
1/2 cup (that's 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup tightly packed, brown sugar (light or dark)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (mini chips are the best option. Regular chips were a bit too clunky, and the bars were difficult to slice)
Chocolate Glaze ingredients
4 oz of chopped bittersweet chocolate (semisweet will work too...if that's the way you roll)
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Preparation

Step 1

The original recipe calls for a layer of caramel. I didn't have any caramels on hand, or heavy cream to make my own, or the willingness to wait that long. So I forged ahead and ignored the caramel completely.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving a slight overhang along the edges. (For easy removal later on.) Lightly spray or grease the foil.

Prepare the shortbread: Place the brown sugar, salt, flour, and vanilla into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Scatter the cold bits of butter over the mixture. Pulse several times until well combined. (It will look like crumbly, wet sand, and that's okay. It will come together beautifully in the oven.) Press the crumbly mixture firmly into the bottom of prepared pan. Using a fork, poke a few holes into the surface of the dough. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown. [Note: My crust was ready after only 13 minutes, so keep a close watch.] Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding the cookie dough layer.

Prepare the cookie dough! In the bowl of a stand-mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (a hand-held will work too), beat together the butter and both sugars on medium speed, until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in the heavy cream and vanilla. On low speed, add the flour and salt, beating only until just combined. Use a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula to fold in the chocolate chips. Spread the cookie dough over the cool crust. Refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes.

Prepare the chocolate glaze. In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and butter. Heat at 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring well after each trip through the heat. Once the mixture is melted and smooth, pour it over the chilled cookie dough, and spread it out into an even layer. [Note: Try to work fast because it doesn't take long for the chocolate to harden.] Place the pan back into the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes.