Aunt Betty’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar and butter. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir well.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, pudding mix and cream of tartar. Stir this into the sugar mixture. Mix until combined. Add the 2 cups of chocolate chips and mix until combined.

Spread the cookie mixture evenly into the pan. Bake the cookies at 350 F for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Check to be sure they are done (toothpick poked in the center should come out clean) at 20 minutes. If not, put them back in the oven for a few minutes longer.

While the bar cookies are baking, melt 1 cup semi sweet morsels in the microwave (melt for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between each additional 30 second increment; stop once it’s smooth). Stir in the half and half until the mixture is creamy.

As soon as the bars come out of the oven spread the melted chocolate mixture evenly over the top. Cool before cutting.

Makes approximately 24 small bars.