Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with a Surprise

*UPDATE:   I accidentally set the date wrong for this post to automatically post.  Oops!*

I’ll admit it, sometimes my food taste can be eclectic, but hey, it was worth a shot!

It may have not been the most well received on my culinary journey, unlike my clementine muffins or my feta cheese souffle, but I enjoyed it.

Why?  Because it was different and different can be refreshing, so, I searched online for a refreshing remix on a classic.

But seriously don’t skip over this recipe.  Give my chocolate chip cookie bars stuffed with York peppermint patties a shot!

It’s a peppermint sandwich within a cookie sandwich…Cookie-ception?

How do I describe this dish?  It’s pretty much what you would expect from a chocolate chip cookie and a peppermint patty, only it’s all at once:   a warm, soft cookie sandwich with lots of gooey chocolate chips and a minty surprise in every bite.

Jilli, Mom, and I love peppermint patties.  We buy a giant bag of the fun sized mints and snack on them during the day.  My dad, on the other hand, argues that it’s like having a toothpaste sandwich for a snack.  Oh well, more for us!

If you like chocolate, mint, and cookies, but are really skeptical about trying, trust me and try it.   As Eleanor Roosevelt said,

Do something every day that scares you.

I’ll leave it up to you, then!  I hope you have fun whipping this up.  Oh, and before I forget:  The dough was a little tough to work, so when it comes to spreading the cookie dough on the pan and on top of the patties,  I wold recommend getting messy and just using your hands.  It makes you feel like a little kid again!

It reminds me of geology. Too bad rocks aren’t this tasty.

Peppermint Patty Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Original recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Yields 24 bars or a single 11 x 7 cookie cake

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature (if using salted butter, omit added salt below)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 and 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
• 11 ounce bag York Peppermint Patties (about 24-26)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11×7 baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric or stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well combined.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients. By hand, fold in the chocolate chips until fully combined. Do not overmix.

Press down 1/2 of the cookie dough into prepared baking pan. Place unwrapped peppermint patties over the bottom dough layer. Top the remaining half of cookie dough over the peppermint patties, pressing to evenly flatten down. Bake for 38-40 minutes or until baked through and the edges are brown.

Allow the cookie bars to cool completely (about 1 hour) before cutting into squares.  Bars keep well in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

*Using an 8×8 pan will cause the bars to overflow. Using a 9×13 pan will create very thin layers – I do not recommend.

adapted from Picky Palate

Do you have a recipe that is a little on the crazy side?  Are there any interesting, unusual, or just about any ingredients do you want me to find a recipe for?  Share below!

Geek Fact of the Day

The Romans believed eating mint would increase intelligence. The scent of mint was also supposed to stop a person from losing his temper, and royal ambassadors carried mint sprigs in their pockets. (source:  Farm Flavor)

Don’t forget to just be you!

-Alli

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