Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Posted Nov 17, 2019, Updated Aug 14, 2024
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These are the absolute best chocolate chip cookie bars. This cookie bar recipe is easy to make (5 minutes to mix, 20 minutes to bake) and results in a gooey, chewy, doughy yet fully cooked chocolate chip cookie bar that is 100% irresistible. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream!
What do you do when the craving for chocolate chip cookies strikes, but you just don’t have the time (or energy) to scoop, roll and bake multiple batches of your favorite treat? Enter these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars! They have all the taste (and dare I say even more gooey, doughy perfection), with way less work! A total win!
This chocolate chip cookie bar recipe is seriously the best. It is easy to make, taking only 5 minutes to whip up and 20 minutes to bake!
And the results speak for themselves, gooey, chewy, doughy yet fully cooked chocolate chip cookie bars that are 100% irresistible. Serve the warm with a scoop of ice cream and you have achieved dessert nirvana!
Ingredients in Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
As you can see, there are only 10 ingredients in this chocolate chip cookie bar recipe, all of which you likely have on hand at all times! We’ll chat briefly about the ingredients and possible substitutions before we jump into the “how-to” make this cookie bar recipe!
- All-purpose flour. I recommend using unbleached, all-purpose flour in these cookie bars. For a gluten-free version, use an all-purpose gluten-free baking flour.
- Brown sugar. I love the flavor of light brown sugar in this cookie bar recipe. If you like a deeper, molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar. white or organic cane sugar are great choices.
- Salted Butter. unsalted butter, ghee or coconut oil are all good substitutes. Or, try using brown butter for a rich, caramel flavor.
- Sea salt. Sea salt is different than table salt (that is iodized), so if you use table salt I recommend using half the amount called for in the recipe.
- Chocolate chips. Choose your favorite chocolate chip variety to use in these cookie bars! I prefer dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips. If you have an excess of candy in your house (think, post-Halloween) try making this Candy-Stuffed Cookie Bar variety!
- Can I use chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips? Yes! You can use chopped chocolate in place of the chips.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ok, now that we’ve chatted about the ingredients in this cookie bar recipe, let’s dive in and get baking! Remember to watch the video for the step-by-step process!
Start making these cookie bars by creaming together the butter and sugars until the ingredients are evenly combined
Next, add vanilla and egg and beat again until the ingredients are mixed well and the sugar is dissolved!
You can either mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl before you begin the rest of the recipe – which I recommend to ensure even distribution – or just toss them into the mixer on top of the beaten wet ingredients.
Either way, beat them in until they are just combined and the dough is uniform throughout.
Add in your favorite chocolate chips (or other mix-ins of your choice) and stir on low speed until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough!
Cookie Bar Mix-in Ideas
If you’d like to add different mix-ins to this cookie bar recipe, here are some suggestions:
- Sprinkles. Choose your favorite sprinkles to make these cookie bars festive! Red and green for Christmas, black and orange for halloween! You can’t go wrong!
- White chocolate. Add some white chocolate chips or chunks!
- Peanut butter chips. LOVE this addition!
- Cinnamon chips. YUM!
Bake
Line and grease an 8×8″ baking dish. Transfer the cookie bar dough to the baking dish and use a spatula to press it into the pan until the top is even. If desired, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top!
Bake these chocolate chip cookie bars for about 20 minutes. Please note: I use a convection oven (one that uses a fan to distribute heat evenly), so I don’t have to worry about the rack I bake on, hot pockets in the oven, etc.
All Ovens bake differently
Make sure you know your oven. Does it have hot pockets? Where do things tend to bake most evenly? Invest in an inexpensive oven thermometer to check the temperature and ensure the internal temperature is actually the temperature to which the oven is set. If your oven is baking too hot or too cold, then the cookie bars might burn on the top and still be gooey in the center
Cool, Cut & Serve
Finally, let the cookie bars cool for at least 30 minutes. The longer they cool, the better they hold up to cutting. If you’re just going to serve them warm with vanilla ice cream, then I wouldn’t worry too much about their appearance, because the taste and warm gooey texture is most important in that situation!
Store/Freeze
Store these cookie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe FAQS
Yes, double the ingredients and bake in a 9×13″ glass baking dish for 25-28 minutes.
If you double this recipe and make it in a 9×13″ pan, you can make up to 36 bars depending on size.
Yes, these cookie bars become firm as they cool. When they are fresh from the oven they are soft and gooey. But they do harden as they come to room temperature.
A bar cookie is simply a cookie baked in a bar form. You can take almost all of your favorite cookie dough recipes and turn them into bar cookies! They are gooier and easier to make!
Here are my tips on getting clean, even squares:
Let the cookie bars cool all completely to room temperature before cutting.
Use a very sharp, long knife.
Dip the knife in warm water and quickly dry it off before the first cut. Then wipe it clean, dip it in warm water, then dry again before each subsequent cut.
Use a ruler to measure equal pieces. If cutting these cookie bars into 16 squares, you’d want each bar to be 2″ x 2.”
These chocolate chip cookie bars are done when the edges are lightly golden brown and the top is set. They will jiggle slightly when removed from the oven.
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Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 egg, large
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a 9×9” square baking pan (or 8×8" for thicker bars) with parchment paper and lightly grease. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined.
- Add egg and vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until combined.
- Add dry ingredients and beat until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Add chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.
- Press the cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Top with extra chocolate chips (if desired).
- Bake for 18-25 minutes, or until the edges are set, and the top is just barely browned.
- Place baking pan on a wire cooling rack and let the bars cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes (preferably longer, they hold up better as they cool).
- Use the parchment paper to lift the cookie bars out of the pan, then cut into squares and serve.
Video
Notes
- All-purpose flour. I recommend using unbleached, all-purpose flour in these cookie bars. For a gluten-free version, use an all-purpose gluten-free baking flour.
- Brown sugar. I love the flavor of light brown sugar in this cookie bar recipe. If you like a deeper, molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar. white or organic cane sugar are great choices.
- Salted Butter. unsalted butter, ghee or coconut oil are all good substitutes. Or, use browned butter.
- Sea salt. Sea salt is different than table salt (that is iodized), so if you use table salt I recommend using half the amount called for in the recipe.
- Chocolate chips. Choose your favorite chocolate chip variety to use in these cookie bars! I prefer dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips. If you have an excess of candy in your house (think, post-Halloween) try making this Candy-Stuffed Cookie Bar variety!
-
- Can I use chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips? Yes! You can use chopped chocolate in place of the chips.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the third time I’ve used your recipe. I did add coco power.
this is the first recipe I tried for cookie bars and its so good I will probably never try another recipe! Easy enough for my 3YO daughter to make them with me, and she agrees they are “soooo yummy! mmm!” …this will definitely be a staple in our house.
Just hot out of the oven and omg delicious 😋. Made with whole wheat flour 1/2 choc chips abs 1/2 pb chips. Will definitely be making these again.
I LOVE this recipe, I make it so often lol ask my husband he’s probably getting sick of them but I just can’t get enough! Very moist and perfectly chewy. They also are a really easy make, quick to just mix up and throw into the oven.
I’m SO glad you love them, Grey!
I bake this at least once a week now. I found this recipe a month or two ago, and I’ve been addicted to it. It’s very easy, quick, and it doesn’t take too much ingredients. I plan to but vanilla ice cream and maybe drizzle sauce over it next time.
I’m so glad you love it as much as we do, John!
I have made these bars at least 5 times since I found your recipe. They are delicious, easy and always a hit!! Thank you so much!
This chocolate chip cookie bar recipe is amazing! I typically don’t leave reviews and I thought is this really different than any other, but they were delicious and everyone said so! I added white chocolate morsels as well.
Made these for a family gathering. Every single person said they were the best cookies they have ever eaten. I didn’t even get one! They were all gone by the time I got to the dessert table! Ihave another family gathering this afternoon and I’m doing a double batch this time.
Can I use this to make Brookies, using this and a brownie mix? Or do you think it’s better for an actual chocolate chip cookie recipe and not a bar recipe? Thank you and God Bless
I have tried numerous chocolate chip cookie bar recipes in my life and I have to say that yours is by far the best I have ever made. Thank you for a fantastic recipe. You have put happy smiles on my family’s faces. Yummy !!! Bless you for sharing.