Cowboy Cookie Bars

When my new Food and Wine magazine came, I was immediately drawn to the Chocolate Chip-Pecan Cookie Bars. It took exactly when day between when the magazine darkened my door to when the bars came out of the oven. I transformed them though, into my favorite kind of chocolate chip cookies--Cowboy Cookies.

These have the taste of cookies, but the ease of bar cookies---just one pan to bake and then cut. Simple. Do I need to tell you that everyone loved these and M was thrilled to get these in her lunch?

Cowboy Cookie Bars

adapted from Food and Wine

1 c pecans

4 T butter, at room temperautre

2 T oil

1/4 c plus 2 T sugar

1/4 c plus 2 T brown sugar

1 egg

1 t vanilla

3/4 c whole wheat flour

3/4 c oatmeal

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 c chocolate chips (I like bittersweet, but you can use whatever is your favorite)

Spread the pecans on a sheet pan and toast in a 350 degrees oven for 8 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Cool and then chop.

Beat the sugar and oil until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. In a separate, small bowl, whisk together the flour, oatmeal, baking soda and salt. Add to the sugar mixture and combine at low speed, just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and pecans and mix by hand until the mixture is blended.

Press dough into an even layer in a 9 x 13" pan that has been lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil (I used foil). Bake in preheated 350 degrees oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and nearly set in the center. Let cool, then remove from pan and cut into squares.