Soft and chewy, these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars take just 10 minutes to make! They offer the soft, chewy texture of cookies, without any of the fuss of scooping the dough or waiting for batches to bake.
Chocolate chip cookies have always been a favorite with everyone in our house and they are requested often. But, sometimes life is just a little crazy, and I don’t have the time to stand in the kitchen and cook multiple batches of a dessert, no matter how easy that actual dessert may be to prepare.
But these chocolate chip cookie bars? They turn those chocolate chip cookies everyone is begging for into thick, chewy cookie bars that take a whopping 10 minutes to prepare and get in the oven. Plus, it keeps us from eating all of the cookie dough while waiting for batches to bake.
This recipe has been a hit since the first time I made it, so I’ve recreated it in a few different variations, like chocolate chip cheesecake bars and oatmeal chocolate chip bars. This original chocolate chip cookie bar recipe remains the favorite, hands-down.
Why These Are The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- SUPER easy. In fact, this recipe is so easy that we like to call these cookies “lazy bars.” No scooping or chilling required! These are perfect for when you need to make a quick dessert, and everyone always raves over these bars! Shh…we won’t tell them how little time and effort these are to make.
- Soft, chewy texture. The end result of this recipe is cookie bars that are perfectly buttery, soft, and chewy – just the way a good chocolate chip cookie should be, without any of the work.
- Made with pantry staples. The ingredients in these chocolate chip cookie bars are very basic and exactly what you’d expect in a cookie recipe. Think butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. If you keep basic baking ingredients in the pantry, you probably won’t even need to go to the store to make these!
What You’ll Need
These cookie bars are made with almost the same ingredients as a regular chocolate chip cookie. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the exact measurements.
- Butter – The butter is melted, so there’s no need to remember to soften it ahead of time. I do recommend unsalted butter for these cookies, since there’s a whole cup of butter, and some brands of salted butter can be quite salty.
- Sugar – These cookie bars are made with brown sugar and a small amount of granulated sugar. The brown sugar adds richness, thanks to the molasses, and also contributes to the chewy texture. The granulated sugar helps the tops get crisp.
- Eggs – Add structure and chewiness to the cookie bars.
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure the flour accurately using the spoon and level technique. Too much flour = dense, dry, and crumbly cookie bars.
- Baking soda – Ensures that the bars rise in the oven.
- Salt – A bit of salt helps balance the sweetness.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Or your favorite chocolate chips. I like to add extra on top before baking to get that bakery-style appearance.
Mix-Ins & Variation Ideas
Want to try something new? Here are some ideas for mix-ins to these chocolate chip bars, either in addition to or in place of the chocolate chips.
- Other types of chips. White chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or even butterscotch chips work.
- Candy, like M&Ms, Reese’s pieces, toffee bits or crushed Reese’s cups.
- Sprinkles
- Chocolate chunks or a chopped chocolate bar for bigger pieces of chocolate throughout
- A sprinkle of cinnamon for warmth
- Sea salt flakes for a sweet & salty finish (added on top just after baking).
How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
I’m not joking when I say these cookie bars are insanely easy to make! Here’s the process. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the pan with parchment paper.
- Make the batter. Whisk or beat (with a hand mixer) the melted butter and sugars together. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then carefully mix in the dry ingredients until everything is fully combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer to the pan. Spoon the batter into the pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula and sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.
- Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the top looks set.
How Do You Know When Cookie Bars Are Done?
Unlike baking cookies, where you might actually want to underbake them a bit, you do want these chocolate chip bars to be set before you remove them from the oven. The edges should be slightly golden brown, and the center should appear set, not gooey, when you remove them from the oven.
As long as the center itself isn’t already browning, you should end up with cookie bars that are firm and sturdy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
For the best chocolate chip cookie bars, consider these few things.
- Line the pan with parchment paper. To achieve clean cuts to bars, I like to line pan with parchment paper. Let the foil overhang on the long sides of the pan so you can easily pull the bars out of the pan and cut easily.
- Use melted, not softened, butter. While cookies are typically made with softened butter, these bars use melted butter. This gives the bars the extra chewiness and flavor that makes them so special.
- Cookie bars only – not regular cookies! This recipe is better left in bar form, so do not try to make traditional cookies with this recipe.
- Properly measure the brown sugar. We use more brown sugar than regular sugar for a chewy cookie bar. Make sure you pack the brown sugar in your measuring cup.
- Use whatever chocolate chips you prefer. I usually use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I have made them with milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. Chocolate chunks or even butterscotch would be delicious as well!
- Cool before slicing. Let the chocolate chip cookie bars cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before you remove them to slice. Enjoying them slightly warm or at room temperature is ideal.
How to Store & Freeze
- Counter: To keep your chocolate chip cookie bars from drying out, transfer them to an airtight container as soon as they cool. They’ll last for about 4 days on the countertop and should stay nice and soft during that time.
- Freezer: Once the cookie bars cool completely, wrap them in plastic, then in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the countertop and enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Lightly grease or line with parchment paper a 9×13 inch pan.
- In a large bowl whisk or beat (using a hand mixer) together the butter, brown sugar & white sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract. Carefully add in the flour, baking soda and salt and combine until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the top looks set.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares.
Last Step:
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2 comments on “Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars”
My whole family loved these. I’ll definitely make these again.
So glad to hear that the family loved these Phyllis! Thanks!