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.
Servings: 24 bars
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.
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.