Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Name: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 31 min
Ingredients: 2 cups Flour; ½ tsp Salt; ½ tsp Baking soda; 12 tbsp Butter (melted); 1 cup Light brown sugar; ½ cup Sugar; 1 Large egg; 1 Large egg yolk; 3 tsp vanilla; 2 ½ cups Chocolate chips

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With such a big crew over here, making large amounts of baking go more quickly is always a win in my book. And when it makes it easier AND so delicious, it’s going to be a keeper for sure! My crew loves chocolate chip cookies, chewy chocolate chip cookie bars, and really anything you can consider a cookie!

When we get a cookie craving, we love to make these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars instead! They’re so easy and take a fraction of the time! And no need to scoop out individual cookies with these chewy cookie bars!

They are perfect for busy nights when you still want a yummy treat, or when you need to make something ahead. We can’t get enough of them, and we might even like these more than the original cookie!

Another reason I love these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Recipe is because of how perfect they are for potlucks and other events where I might need to bring a dessert. One baking pan and no mess, and they are such a hit!

You can never go wrong with such a classic desert choice when you are feeding a crowd, and these definitely do not disappoint. I love having such this easy recipe in my recipe box that is a go-to for times like these!

My personal favorite way to eat these is the next day, and paired with a warm cup of coffee. So delish!

If you love bar recipes as much as I do, be sure to check out my Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.

Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees.
Grab a 9×13 baking dish and line with parchment paper. This will make for easier cutting and cleanup, and helps the bars not stick to the pan!
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda until thoroughly mixed. Set aside the flour mixture.
In a saucepan, melt the butter, letting it simmer for just about a minute. This is a great way to add delicious brown butter flavor to the bars! It’s so yummy.
Add the melted butter, brown sugar, and sugar to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Then, add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and mix well until combined.
Stir the semi-sweet chocolate chips into dough and mix just until everything is combined. Be careful to not overmix! It will affect the texture of the bars.
Transfer dough out of the bowl and add it to your parchment-lined prepared pan. The dough will be fairly firm, so for best results you’ll want to use your fingertips to spread it out evenly over to the edges of the pan. You can also use a rubber spatula if you don’t want to use your fingers!
Bake time is 20 minutes.
At the 20 minute mark, make sure to start watching closely. You’ll want the top to turn a nice, lightly golden brown. It’s very important to NOT overbake!
Once the bars are a light golden brown (somewhere between the 20-25 minute mark), pull them out and let them cool.
After they have cooled, lift them out of the baking dish by grabbing the edges of the parchment paper onto a flat surface.
Using a sharp knife, cut the bars into squares.
Enjoy these delicious cookie bars! You can always add a scoop of vanilla ice cream with it for an extra sweet treat!

Flour – All purpose flour is a great option for baking and serves as the base for this recipe. To make this recipe gluten free, substitute your favorite 1 for 1 gluten free baking flour mix!
Salt – Salt is a small but mighty ingredient in baking recipes. You don’t use much but the effect on the overall flavor is so important! I like to use sea salt for this recipe.
Baking Soda – Baking soda is another important ingredient in baking. As an alkaline, it helps the dough to rise and become fluffy!
Butter – You can’t have Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars without butter! And the melted butter in this recipe really helps to elevate it. I recommend using high-quality salted butter. To make this recipe dairy free, sub with your favorite dairy-free butter.
Light Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar helps give these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars their classic cookie taste. It is refined sugar with a lower ratio of molasses added than dark brown sugar, so it has a smooth, almost caramel taste!
Sugar – Sugar is necessary in cookie bars, and for obvious reasons! I love using cane sugar because it has added health benefits and a more complex flavor.
Large egg – You can use white or brown large eggs. I love using our fresh eggs from our little farm for even more flavor!
Egg yolk – For this, you just separate the yolk from the white and discard the white!
Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract helps add to the complex flavor that makes these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars taste just like the real thing.
Chocolate Chips – You can’t have Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars without the chocolate chips! I like to use semi-sweet chips for this recipe, but you can always mix it up with dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips (though these will change the flavor a bit), or even chocolate chunks–any kind of chocolate chips work! To make this recipe dairy free, sub your favorite dairy-free or allergen-friendly chocolate chips.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Blondie and a Cookie Bar?

While blondies are technically considered a cookie bar, they are more similar to brownies, but without the chocolate. This Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars recipe is more true to its regular cookies, and include chocolate chips!

Why are my Cookie Bars Dry?

There are usually two reasons why cookie bars will come out dry–Not enough fat, or too long in the oven. This recipe has just enough fat to ensure they will be deliciously soft, so just be extra sure not to overbake them!

How long do Cookie Bars stay fresh?

Fully-cooked Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars can stay in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Though they never last that long around here. The best part is that you can also freeze the bars and they will stay fresh for up to six months in the freezer.

How do you know when the Cookie Bars are done?

These Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are done once the top turns a light, golden brown. You might also notice the edges starting to pull away from the edges of the baking dish. Just be sure not to overbake, you don’t want crips edges or a dry cookie bar! Take them out as soon as you start to see that light, golden brown across the top.

I hope you enjoy this delicious and easy dessert! They are also a great treat to pack in your child’s lunchboxes….and you might just get an extra squeeze from them when they come home from school!