Oatmeal Toffee Bar Cookies with Chocolate Chips

Bar cookies are my friends. For the basic mix style bar cookies, there is pretty much nothing faster to mix up and get in and out of the oven -- except for maybe a quick coffee cake. I went searching for a bar cookie last night and actually had a hard time coming up with something that didn't include a base dough, a filling, a topping and sometimes even a stint in the fridge to chill. Working the long shifts, I don't have time for that right now, so I was glad to run across this recipe on Nosh With Me.

It's a good recipe. Basically oatmeal toffee cookies baked in bar form, but it works. I added about 3/4 cup of mini chocolate chips, and I wish I had added some lightly toasted chopped walnuts as well. I love some crunch with my chew... but really, a winning recipe for very quick and very easy. Nobody is going to think you slaved all day working on them, but they won't care because they're good. :)

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups (8-ounce package) Heath Bits ‘O Brickle Toffee Bits, divided
3 cups quick-cooking or regular rolled oats

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 13X9X2-inch baking pan.
2. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Set aside 1/4 cup toffee bits. Stir remaining toffee bits and oats into batter (batter will be stiff). Spread batter into prepared pan, sprinkle reserved 1/4 cup toffee bits over surface.
3. Bake 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cook completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.