Almond Chocolate Chip Bars

I wanted to try this recipe for a very long time. Land O' Lakes (yes, the butter company) has a great recipe section on their website and I frequently browse through it when I don't have anything in particular in mind to make. Their pictures are tempting and since this is the very first entry in their Bars and Brownies section, it stared up at me every time I opened the page. This time, I finally made them.
The main reason why these look relatively almond-free for a bar cookie with "almond" in the name is that I left off the slivered almonds that were supposed to be sprinkled on top. By the time they came out of the oven and cooled, I discovered that I no longer felt like bothering with the icing, either. I love the almond flavor, but I generally prefer my cookies nut-free, so it didn't surprise me when I liked these cookies just as I (lazily) made them.
The entry describes them as "a cross between a cookie and a slice of coffeecake," though I would just say that they are fairly cakelike, but slightly dense, cookies. I thought that the texture went well with the almond flavoring (and a cup of coffee), which was strong and would have been far too overpowering in a fudgier sort of bar. The recipe was easy to make and the individual cookies look lovely, though they are on the small side and you might want to make a double batch if you're expecting to share.

Almond Chocolate Chip Bars
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 tsp almond extract
1 large egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
Cream together sugar, butter and almond extract in large bowl, then beat in egg. Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and gradually mix it into the butter mixture at low speed. Stir in chocolate chips.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Cool completely on a wire rack.

Once cooled, you can add a glase: Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp very soft butter and 1 tbsp milk and stir well. Spread over the bars and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Allow to set before slicing.