Sunshine Bars (Orange Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies)

An old favorite, posted for safekeeping. This is basically an orange version of chocolate chip cookies baked in a pan and cut into squares. It can also be baked as drop cookies (see note below).

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  soft butter
• 3⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1  egg
• 1  teaspoon  orange extract
• 1  cup flour
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6  ounces chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped  nuts
• 2  teaspoons  orange rind, grated

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
3. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and orange extract; mix well.
4. Combine dry ingredients; stir.
5. Add dry ingredients to batter a little at a time, mixing to incorporate.
6. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and rind.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes (or at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes) until golden brown.
9. Cut into bars while still warm.
10. NOTES:
11. Can double recipe and bake in a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
12. Can bake as drop cookies: chill dough, place rounds on ungreased cookie sheets and flatten each cookie slightly, bake at 375 degrees about 10 minutes.