Candy Bar Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

One Year: Chewy Toffee Cookies
Two Years: Pumpkin Spice Drop Cookies with Marshmallow Icing

Candy Bar Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Adapted from Joy the Baker
Makes 12-16

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups coarsely chopped Halloween candy (favorites for this recipe: Milky Way, Snickers, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, and M&Ms)
coarse sea salt for topping

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving two flaps hanging over the edges of the pan. Grease and flour the parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a separate small bowl use your fingers to work together sugar and molasses until no molasses clumps remain and the sugar is tinted a light brown. Add the sugar to the dry ingredients and stir. In a separate medium bowl whisk together melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine. Mixture will be thick and glossy. Stir in chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups of coarsely chopped candy. Use your fingers to evenly press the dough into the pan. Top with the remaining chopped candy. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pan before slicing into bars. Wrap individually and store at room temperature for up to three days.