Chewy Oatmeal-Spelt Chocolate Chip Bars

Here they are...oh so yummy!  I spied the recipe in my binder a few days ago and I realised that I hadn't made it in a while (butter, sugar and white flour, I wonder why).  When I say "awhile" I mean like probably not in the past two years.  So, I pulled it out and set it aside, with the thought that I would "fix" it when I had time.

Yesterday, my 10 year old pointed out, "Hey Mum, you haven't made chocolate chip cookies in a really long time."  Never mind that he enjoyed a whole lot of his grandmother's chocolate chip cookies over the holidays, which I pointed out.  "Yeah, but those have walnuts in them.  I really don't like the walnuts."
The mention of chocolate chips brought me back to the recipe I was going to fix.  I dug it out and decided that tomorrow (so today!) I would give it a try.

First off, all white flour.  Well, I was pretty sure that something with 3/4 cup of butter in it could handle some whole wheat or even spelt.  I decided on 1 cup of whole spelt flour to 1 1/8 cup of all purpose.  Next I increased the egg from 1 egg + 1 egg yolk to 2 eggs.  The final change, I added 1 cup of quick cooking rolled oats.  Now to give it a try.
Oh my goodness!  These are wonderful!  (there is whole grain flour in here?  Really?).  I also know that a little bit of the sugar can go next time we make them.  Kids liked them too ("A keeper, Mum")

Chewy Oatmeal Spelt Chocolate Chip Bars

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil (enough so that the foil creeps over the edges by about 1 inch to enable you to lift them out easily).  Spray foil lined pan.

1 cup whole spelt flour (or other whole grain flour)

1 1/8 cup all purpose flour

1 cup rolled oats (quick cooking)

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled some

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs (or one egg and two egg whites)

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup unsweetened, dried cranberries (optional)

Sift flour, salt, baking soda and rolled oats in medium bowl and set aside.  Combine butter and sugars in large bowl and whisk until well combined.  Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.  Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula fold dry into wet, being careful not to over mix (think like you would for making muffins).  Add chocolate chips and fold into mixture until just combined.  Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread out evenly.

Bake for 25 minutes until beginning to brown on top, and just starting to pull away from sides.

Cool in pan on rack until room temperature.  Then using foil to lift out of the pan, tranfer to cutting board and cool for another 5 minutes.  Cut into 2 inch squares and serve (with ice cream!).  Very much like a chocolate chip blondie/brownie type square.

I am thinking these will be great in lunch boxes this week...If there are any left of course!

Happy Packing!

Kim

Adapted from "Back Packing Snacks" (source unavailable) recipe for Chewy chocolate chip squares.