Hetal Vasavada’s Cookie Bars

A resident of San Francisco, California named Hetal Vasavada, shared her love for creating cookie bars that can be personalized with various mix-ins depending on the available ingredients. The recipe for her cookie bars is currently gaining popularity.

To make Hetal Vasavada’s Cookie Bars, you will need the following ingredients:
– 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
– 1/4 cup sugar
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
– 1 large egg at room temperature
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
– 1 cup all-purpose flour

Optional mix-ins to choose from include:
– 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
– 1/2 cup pistachios and zest of 1 lemon
– 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs, and 1/4 cup miniature marshmallows
– 1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts, 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter, and grape jelly

Directions for preparing the cookie bars:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and egg; mix for about a minute.
3. Add melted butter and mix well.
4. Incorporate the flour and mix thoroughly.
5. Add your preferred mix-ins and mix thoroughly.
6. Spread the cookie mixture in an 8×8-inch square pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
7. Allow the bars to cool for 10 minutes before gently transferring them to a rack to cool further and cut into pieces.