Cookie Bars

Preheat oven to 300 F and lightly grease an 8X8 baking pan.

In a small bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Once smooth, slowly add flour mixture but do not over mix. If you want to make traditional cookie bars stir in chocolate chips and nuts. (Or reserve these ingredients for the topping—see below for those instructions.) Pour dough into the prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

If you want the melted chocolate top then pour plain batter (without the chocolate and nuts) into the pan and bake for about 30-32 minutes until light golden brown and set. Then pull pan out of the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top. Place cookies back in the oven for about 2 minutes, until the chips are beginning to melt and look glossy. Remove from oven and use a spatula to smooth melted chocolate evenly over cookie bars. Sprinkle nuts, sprinkles, or other toppings on and let set. Chocolate may take a few hours to firmly set.

Source: Adapted from Mrs. Fields Best Ever Cookie Book, Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Bars.