Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large (50g) egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp (3g) baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp (1.5g) salt
  • 1 cup (170g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup (150g) maraschino cherries, patted dry and coarsely chopped

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract, mixing on medium speed until the batter looks glossy and well-combined.
  3. Sift in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Use a spatula to fold the mixture together until just a few streaks of flour remain; avoid overmixing to keep the bars chewy.
  4. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and the dried, chopped cherries. Ensure the cherries are evenly distributed.
  5. Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan. Bake for 28–32 minutes until the edges pull away slightly from the sides and the top is a deep golden brown.
  6. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack to ensure they set before slicing.