This is a new recipe for chocolate chip cookie bars, and they are so so, so good! I created them for our latest Everyday Dish video, and loosely based it off of a couple other chocolate chip cookie recipes of mine. They are really easy to make and you simply press the dough into a 9 x 13-inch pan. I will be sharing more flavor variations of this recipe too.
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Before I get to the cookies though, I really want to share a bit about the amazing Ankarsrum mixer. It’s from Sweden and has been around since the 1940’s. What I really love though is the power and engineering of the machine. It’s unlike the stand mixers that we’re all so accustomed too.
First off is the engineering. It kneads smooth and silky doughs, due to its roller and scraper design. This method mimics kneading by hand, without the time and effort. It has a 7 1/2 quart stainless bowl that revolves as the mixer runs, and the fluted roller acts as your fingers, with the scraper mimicking the palm of your hand. The scraper folds the dough with a rhythmic motion while the roller turns. Not only does this perform magic with bread doughs (and yes, even gluten-free doughs!), but it’s magic with cookie and other doughs too. It also comes with a special bowl and whisks for making fluffy meringues and whipped toppings (I’m looking at you aquafaba and whipped coconut cream!).
Needless to say that I am head-over-heels for my Ankarsrum mixer (which I have named Astrid thanks to my friends Matthew and Per in Sweden). She’s also a looker, thanks to the gorgeous retro colors and design, but like they say “the proof is in the pudding.” Astrid continues to blow me away every time I bake. You can check out the Ankarsrum mixers here on Amazon and also on the Ankarsrum website here.
To make the bars I use my favorite gluten-free flour blend recipe here on the site. I make sure to use the half amount of xanthan gum in the flour blend, which I suggest in the recipe for cookies and cakes. I also use a little melted virgin coconut oil, oat milk (or soy or almond), a really good vanilla (like Nielsen-Massey for a punch of vanilla flavor), baking powder, brown and white sugar, and Maldon sea salt.
A couple quick tips before I get to the recipe. The first is that I’ve made the cookie bars a number of times since filming the video, and you want to make sure that the dough is thick like a cookie batter, but still soft enough to spread in the pan. I found that if you mix the milk into the oil and sugar mixture, the batter comes out a little less thick and softer. This resulted in soft and slightly underbaked bars that were incredible (especially once frozen!). I also found that the bars come out a bit crisper when baked in a metal pan and a bit softer when baked in a ceramic one. I haven’t tried using a glass pan. Do with that info as you like, but if you like softer and slightly underbaked cookies than use a ceramic 9 x 13-inch baking dish/pan. I think mine is a Le Creuset pan, which I’ve had forever.
I know you’re going to want to make these cookies stat! Let me know what you think, and what flavors you’d like me to make next.
xoxo Julie
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