Chocolate Almond Dream Bars

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9×13 jelly roll pan and set aside.

In a small bowl (I use my 4 cup measuring cup), measure out flour, soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and cream cheese on high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides and add sugar, brown sugar, and extracts. Beat on high until light and fluffy again, scraping down sides as needed. Add the egg and beat on medium speed until well incorporated.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring well and scraping down between each addition. The final product should be rather sticky. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread dough into the prepared pan, spreading to even thickness with a knife or spatula. It will look like there’s not enough, but don’t worry. You’ll have a full pan of cookies when you’re done.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before consuming.

Makes 48 bar cookies.

Alterations: I’ve made these differently by omitting the extracts completely and adding 1-2 tablespoons of flavored liqueur. They are quite tasty made with Kahlua, Amaretto, and Rum. I plan on trying them with Grand Marnier at some point soon.