Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are my go to time-saver dessert recipe. These chewy bars filled with chocolate chips get rave reviews from everyone who tries them. If you’re craving chocolate chip cookies, but are short on time, or just love a good bar cookie, then put this Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar recipe on your baking list, stat!
In this house we love all kinds of chocolate chip cookies. From Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies to Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, and everything in between, we love them all.
There are few desserts easier to make than chocolate chip cookies–but these chocolate chip cookie bars win the prize for the easiest cookie ever. When you don’t have time to scoop dough into individual cookies, cookie bars are a lifesaver.
Just spread the dough in a pan, bake, slice and go! And if you are a bar and brownie lover like I am, you’ll go crazy for the thick, chewy texture these bars have.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Making cookie bars isn’t as straightforward as just using your favorite Nestle Toll House Cookie recipe and putting it in a brownie pan. Because the dough bakes all in one square, slightly different proportions are necessary to achieve the chewy texture you want in chocolate chip cookie bars.
Like my Sugar Cookie Bars, these bars turned out perfectly. And they’re so easy to make!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Recipe
Melted butter is the secret to a moist and chewy cookie bar!
To make these bars, you start by melting butter in a sauce pan, then stir in brown sugar, vanilla and salt.
After the butter mixture has cooled slightly, beat in the eggs followed by the flour and baking powder. The butter doesn’t need to be completely cooled–it just shouldn’t feel scalding hot.
Mix well to combine then fold in the chocolate chips. Scoop the batter into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan.
Bake the cookie bars for about 30 minutes or until they’ve risen and the outside edges look shiny and fully baked.
Note: Unlike other bars, you can’t test these for done-ness with a toothpick inserted into the center. The middle will be soft and doughy when you take these out of the oven so a toothpick won’t come out clean. Just like with cookies, the middle will solidify more as the cookies cool.
Do not over bake!
When the bars are done baking, remove them from the oven immediately. Before cutting the bars, be sure they’ve cooled completely. Mine take at least a full hour to cool, but I find the texture is even better when you let them rest for several hours (up to overnight) before slicing in.
After cutting the cookie bars into the desired shape, wrap them tightly to store.
Tips and Tricks for Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Line your baking pan with foil to make it easier to remove the bars.
- Dark brown sugar, with it’s higher molasses content, helps make these bars wonderfully chewy.
- The bars will look very ooey gooey when you take them out of the oven. Trust me, they don’t need more time in the oven! The bars will continue baking as they cool and, the longer they rest, the more chewy and moist the texture becomes.
- Store these bars wrapped tightly to prevent them from drying out. For an extra delicious treat, rewarm leftover bars in the microwave before serving. A few seconds is all it takes to get the chocolate chips slightly melty and bring back that fresh-from-the-oven taste.
Answers To Common Questions
- Can chocolate chip cookie bars be frozen? Absolutely, these are a great dessert item to freeze. I would suggest wrapping each bar tightly in plastic wrap, then placing them in a freezer container or freezer bag. Bars can then be individually thawed as needed.
- Can these bars be made dairy free? Yes, I would recommend using Earth Balance sticks in place of the butter.
- Can these cookie bars be made gluten free? If you have a 1:1 gluten free flour you use for baking, it could definitely be used in this recipe. Baking time may need to be extended slightly.
- Do I have to use dark brown sugar? No, you can also use light brown sugar, the dark brown sugar just give a bit more of a warm molasses flavor.
Need more cookie bars? Check out these other delicious and easy cookie bar recipes!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 11 tbsp unslated butter (salted will also work)
- 2 cups plus 2 tbsp firmly packed dark brown sugar (light brown can be used as well)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs* room temperature
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chocolate chips semi-sweet or dark work well
- 1 cup chopped nuts if desired optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Melt butter, the combine in a large bowl with brown sugar and stir very well to combine. Add in salt and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix until well combined.
- Add flour, baking powder and chocolate chips. Stir until combined, but do not overmix.
- Spread batter into prepared pan and smooth to cover the entire bottom of pan. Bake for 28-33 minutes, until they have risen and their tops are shiny and golden. They may not seem as if they are completely baked through, and a toothpick inserted into the center will NOT come out clean - if it does they are over baked. Remove from oven and allow to cool, in pan, on a wire rack for at least an hour prior to slicing. Wrap tightly to maintain chewy texture.
dani c says
11 tablespoons butter????????????????????????????? is that a typo or what??????????
please check your recipe before you post it and people waste time and money
who says 11 tablespoons of butter?? why can’t you just say the amount in grams or “1/2 cup” or something?
i can’t make these now because of your lack of clarity
Christi Johnstone says
Wow, Dani, sounds like you really could use a cookie! 🙂 Well I’m afraid you’ll need to go yell at the world renowned baking experts over at King Arthur’s Flour, because as mentioned in this post, this recipe was adapted from their recipe… with 11 tablespoons of butter. Boy they are delicious, you really should try them!
P.S. Tablespoons are conveniently marked on the side of the butter wrapper, if that helps make it easier for you. Enjoy.
Mike says
I’ve tried many, these are definitely the best!!
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Christi Johnstone says
So glad you like them!
Jdjej says
These are not for me or my family.
They are almost like Carmel/taffy. Not like a bar or cookie at all.
So sorry I wasted my ingredients on them. They will go in the trash.
Christi Johnstone says
I would definitely double check your ingredients and amounts as this is a *very* standard bar cookie, as you can see in the pictures. Definitely should not be like caramel or taffy, not even sure how that would happen. I’d be happy to troubleshoot if you’d like.
Lezlee Williams says
Could you add peanut butter to this recipe?
Donna says
I have made these from the King Arthur Flour recipe for years. I am glad you give them credit as I have seen a lot of recipes over the years (like those submitted to Taste of Home magazine) that came straight out a cookbook like the original Betty Crocker. I think recipes are written down and shared and their origin is lost.
I also leave out all the ‘extras’ in KA’s recipe. My husband loves these, but I have started substituting 1/2 cup brown sugar with white which is more to my liking and he never noticed the difference.
Leyla says
Hi there can I make this with almond flour and stevia sugar?
Thank you
Christi Johnstone says
I have no idea, I don’t bake with stevia and have a child with an allergy to almonds, so definitely not something I can speak on.
RJ says
So yummy and super moist!