Red, Sweet & Blue

Happy Fourth of July All! What’s on your agenda? A little fun in the sun? Barbecues or picnics? Fireworks? We are hanging with friends and family on our driveway under the sprinkler with a slip & slide and water balloons. Old fashioned fun! We’ll be enjoying pina coladas, homemade salsa, and a very special sweet treat: Red, White, and Blue Chocolate Chip Bars. Enjoy your holiday!

INGREDIENTS 1x2x3x

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars:

1 cup butter flavored Crisco
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 cup dark choc chips
½ cup white chocolate chips

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray and set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, set aside
Using mixer, add crisco and sugars together in a mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy about 2 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined, about 1 minute.

Add in the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix together until combined.
Stir in chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
Press cookie dough evenly into pan. (I lightly spray my finger-tips with cooking spray to make it easier or you can do it with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 30-35 mins.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

While cooling, make the frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

Using mixer, mix all the ingredients together until creamy and frosting consistency you like. You can add more powdered sugar if you need it to be a little stiffer or add in more milk if you need it more creamier.
Frost cooled cookie dough bars with frosting and add decoratives immediately after frosting, because the top of the frosting will firm up, so they won’t stick.
Cut into small squares.

*recipe inspired by The Baking Chocolatetess