Chocolate Chip Pecan Buttermilk Cookie Bars

 

All right, now who doesn't love dessert bars?!  Especially when they're chocolate chip, amiright?  Let's up that ante here though with Chocolate Chip Pecan Buttermilk Cookie Bars.

Yeah.  I said it.

It's everything you love about chocolate chip cookies but with toasted pecans, a tiny hint of buttermilk, and smeared in a pan for time-saving ease.  Ta-freakin'-da.

What you end up with is a slightly chewy, a bit crunchy, a hair gooey yet totally over-the-moon yummy cookie bar, sweet but not too sweet, a hint of salt to balance it out....just tasty dessert bar.

Drooled myself.  Ew, sorry.

Yum.

These are great for a crowd if you can handle cutting them up small or I dunno, just scoop the whole thing out of the pan and chow down on one giant bar.  Ehh, maybe the latter isn't the best idea, or for one sitting anyway, heh.

One of Mike's absolute favorite favorites, "in the top five," he says, is a classic chocolate chip cookie.  And who can blame him, they're perfect.  So, sometimes, it's tough to get him to try a variation.

I know that sounds bizarre.  He claims he'll eat anything I bake but in reality, that's not true.

These though, he definitely likes these, and that's a good thing because mmm, I sure do too.

So Chocolate Chip Pecan Buttermilk Cookie Bars.  What can I tell you? 

Don't use metal utensils in these pans, fyi.  It's a prop here, heh.

Here are some tips:

These are best baked in metal, as many things are.  A 9x13 pan* is what you need.  My favorite, still, is the USA Pan* as you don't need to grease it or if you opt to, you can get away with very little.

You can make these in a 9x13 rimmed baking sheet,* aka quarter sheet pan, and I have.  My vote is the pan though, they bake up much nicer.

Glass, sure, you can use that though I have not tested these in a glass pan.  Drop the temp and extend the baking time; you'll see in the recipe card note.  Metal is optimal here for sure.

Toast the pecans.  It's worth it.  And really, the easiest way to do that is dump 'em on a pan and toss them in the oven while it's preheating.  Sure, that might change the usual timing but as soon as you smell them, take them out.

Chips?  Use good ones.  And by that I mean don't think "settling" for Nestlé is bad because it's not.  You can use chunks or chopped chocolate if you like, even mix it up with semi-sweet and bittersweet, or all bittersweet.  Milk, I haven't tried, but if you prefer that, go for it.

Last key is to let these puppies cool in the pan completely.  Seriously.  Don't start slicing into them until they're completely cool and set.  I know.  It's hard.  You can do it.

Ok, so after everything is room temp'ed, it's go time.

Dump the butter and sugars in the mixer,* cream them up.  They won't be as fluffy as when you're making cookies, so just go by time.  You can use an electric mixer* instead or if you're tougher than me, by hand too.

Add the wets, mixing that gently and slowly, just until baarrely mixed.

Then, start dumping in the flour stuff.  Add it in in four dumps with the mixer running and add the next dump after only about fifteen seconds or so, don't mix in each all the way.

Shut that mixer off right quick, when there's still flour to be seen unmixed in there.  Toss in the chips and the pecans, spin the mixer on low for maybe three or four twirls of the bowl as you don't want to over-mix.

Scoop out that thick sticky batter and spread it evenly in the baking pan.  You can use a silicone spatula* for this or an offset spatula* makes very quick and easy work of it too.

Bam, into the oven and wait.

You'll definitely start to smell these so hover in the kitchen.  Mine, like clockwork, are done at thirty minutes but ovens vary.  You'll see the edges be a nice almost deep golden, the entire top golden and puffy.

Fresh right outta the oven!

Ok! 

Pop the pan on a cooling rack to cool completely.  Seriously, again, completely, then slice and serve.

Mm.  Mm mm mm.  Chocolate Chip Pecan Buttermilk Cookie Bars.  Mmm.

OoooOooh, gild the lily and top with ice cream.  Aw dammit, I just passed out.

Be sure to drop by my Virtual Bake Sale page as I've coordinated a fundraiser for #bakeforukraine.  Even if you're not in Chicago, you can win so get your entries squared away right away, until March 21, 2022.

All right, happy baking my friends!

*All the baking pans, stand mixers, electric mixers, silicone spatulas, and offset spatulas are Amazon affiliate links.  Happy baking, thanks!  Please see the "info" tab for more, well, info.