Mini Chips Bars

These chocolate chip bars swap out butter entirely for nonfat yogurt and use egg whites instead of whole eggs. The result is a chewy, dense bar that’s noticeably lower in fat but doesn’t taste like a compromise.

The yogurt does double duty. It adds moisture to the batter (replacing the liquid that melted butter would normally provide) and its slight acidity activates the baking soda, giving the bars a bit of lift. Brown sugar is the star here. A cup and a half of it delivers that intense caramel chewiness that makes these bars hard to cut and even harder to stop eating.

Mini chocolate chips are the right choice for bars this chewy. Standard-size chips are too heavy and sink to the bottom. Minis distribute evenly throughout the batter and melt into small pockets of chocolate in every bite.

Kitchen Tips

• Spray the pan and dust with sugar, not flour. The sugar creates a thin, sweet crust on the bottom and sides. Flour would add a raw, pasty taste.
• Don’t overbake. Test with a toothpick at 22 minutes. These should come out slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool and the chewiness depends on not drying them out.
• Let them cool completely in the pan before attempting to cut. Warm, they’re too gooey to handle. A sharp knife run under hot water makes cleaner cuts.

Variations

• Peanut butter chip bars: Replace the mini chocolate chips with peanut butter chips for a butterscotch-like twist.
• Add oats: Swap ½ cup of the flour for rolled oats for a chewier, more textured bar with a slight nuttiness.