Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I love baking for potlucks or events.  What I don't love is remembering that day that I need to bring something.  Or being invited to something last-minute and needing to whip up a treat. I end up digging through the pantry to see what ingredients I have enough of so that I don't need to run to the store.  Fortunately, it doesn't happen that often.

Recently, I've dedicated a section of my recipe file box to recipes that I can count on having all the ingredients on hand.  That way, when a baking emergency pops up, I can pull one of those recipes without worrying if I have enough of whatever.  When I saw this recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars at One Ordinary Day, I knew they'd be perfect for those last-minute baking situations.     

The recipe starts with a yellow cake mix, which I always keep in the pantry.  The only other ingredients are eggs, brown sugar, butter, and chocolate chips.  I can count on those always being on hand. 

Another great thing about this recipe is that the batter comes together very quickly and only takes 20 minutes to bake.  Since they are bar cookies, there's no time spent shaping, dropping, or rolling cookies.  Just bake, cool, and slice.  

I added walnuts to the recipe since I had them on hand.  I imagine just about any nut, candy, or chip would be a fun addition to this recipe.   

 

Verdict: tasty, easy, and fast.  A definite keeper for my recipe file.