Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars Recipe

Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars

Recipe provided by Mary Berg

• Level: Easy
• Yield: 12 servings
• Nutritional Information per Serving (1 of 12): Calories 494, Total Fat 27 g, Saturated Fat 15 g, Carbohydrates 64 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugar 41 g, Protein 5 g, Cholesterol 72 mg, Sodium 256 mg
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 min (includes cooling time)
• Active Time: 15 min

Dive into these irresistible Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars, loaded with your favorite pantry mix-ins for endless delicious customization. Perfect for a quick, chewy treat that sparks joy in every bite![1][2]

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray for greasing the pan
• 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups (293 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons (6 grams) cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (4 grams) baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
• 1 cup (200 grams) packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
• 2 cups (500 ml) assorted mix-ins, such as crushed mini pretzels, broken cookies, chopped chocolate bars, nuts, toffee bits, or chocolate chips
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Special Equipment

A 9-inch square baking pan

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325F. Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper hanging over the edges for easy lifting.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. For extra flavor, brown the butter by simmering and stirring frequently until golden flecks appear, about 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately pour the melted or brown butter into a large bowl and let it cool slightly.[2]
3. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and kosher salt in a separate bowl; set aside.
4. Once the butter has cooled, beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until nearly combined. Fold in most of the mix-ins just until evenly distributed.
5. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining mix-ins on top, along with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center is set. Let the bars cool slightly in the pan before removing them using the parchment "sling" and cutting into 12 equal squares.
6. Store the cookie bars covered at room temperature for up to five days.