Food

Sea Salt and Chocolate Picnic Bars

Sea Salt Chocolate Picnic Bars
Bars. The most frequent-ed recipes on my blog are recipes for bars. I recently realized I’ve never shared one of my most coveted, tested bar recipes.

Silly.

Picnic Bars
I should have shared this with you long ago.

These bars are very basic, and I’m sure you’ve had something like them a million times. However, there are a few little changes to that old standard chocolate chip bar recipe that make a tasty difference. (*see the notes section in the recipe for details.) The extra sprinkling of sea salt on top of the bars prior to baking adds the perfect touch of salt, if you like sweet and salty desserts.
Show Pigs 1
This week is World Pork Expo and when there are pig shows…
Softball
softball games, or anything else for that matter: we bake bars. Less laborious than cookies, bars always win when it comes time to bring treats or haul a dessert to a picnic.
Show Pigs
I hope you find yourself in what you consider a ‘happy place’ this weekend.

And for a little chuckle…

We are potty training.
Sea Salt and Chocolate Picnic Bars

 

Sea Salt & Chocolate Picnic Bars

This simple combination results in bars that are loved by everyone and coveted by those who love sweet-and-salty desserts. Great recipe for beginners.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Author: Cristen

Ingredients

For the Bars

  • 1 cup Butter at room temperature (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp french grey sea salt or 1/2 tsp table salt
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2-2/3 bag (12 oz.) miniature chocolate chips use more chocolate chips if you desire

For the Sea Salt Sprinkle

  • 1 tsp french grey sea salt (fleur de sel) or other flaky mild sea salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and mix until combined. In a large mixing bowl, combine salt, soda and flour. Pour into wet ingredients. Mix slowly until combined. Don't overmix. Add chocolate chips, mix only until combined. Spread batter into greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle sea salt evenly over tops of bars. Bake bars in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 32-35 minutes until golden brown. Remove, let cool. Cut and serve. Makes 24 bars.

Notes

1. Instead of regular sized chocolate chips, I use mini chocolate chips. This move helps the bars to be stable and not overly-melty in the case of your picnic area being quite warm. I also like that the minis aren't overwhelmingly chocolaty.
2. Swap the salt in the recipe for French gray sea salt, and add a bit more. When swapping table salt for sea salt... up the ratio a bit. The table salt is more harsh, plus less sea salt fits in the measurement. Increase measure by 25% if using sea salt.
3. There is a touch more flour in this bar recipe than the standard recipe. I feel like the standard 'back-of-the-bag' chocolate chip cookie bar recipe is quite greasy. This eliminates that issue.
4. I sprinkle the tops of the unbaked bars with the same French gray sea salt. Need I say more? Sweet + SALTY? I'm all ears.
5. I bake these bars in a 9x13 pan, because that's what fits my LIFE, my KITCHEN and the thickness of the bars is perfect.
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3 Comments

  • Reply Beth Ann June 3, 2015 at 12:17 pm

    Loved the pics today and the recipe is printing out as I type this. Nothing like a little sea salt to make things tastier, right?? Thanks for sharing your special recipe!

  • Reply allybillhorn June 3, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    LOL! We’ve all been there as a mom! I have ONE MORE to potty train. Sometimes I think that is worse than giving birth! And these bars. I’m a bar fanatic. They are so much easier than cookies and everyone loves them!

  • Reply Aunt Colleen June 3, 2015 at 9:36 pm

    They look so good! Love the picture of little Buddy

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