Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

This easy recipe makes chocolate chip cookie bars that are soft and rich with a nice brown sugar flavor. If you like salted chocolate chip cookies, sprinkle a little flaky salt on the dough before baking.

There’s so much to love about a pan of chocolate chip cookie bars! You get the flavor and texture of soft chocolate chip cookies without having to scoop dough. You simply make the dough, press it into a pan, and bake.

Before we talk about ingredients and other good stuff, let me answer a question you might have about this recipe: Are Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars the Same as Blondies?

Not but they’re pretty close! Chocolate chip cookies bars are basically chocolate chip cookies baked in a pan. 

Blondies are brown sugar brownies. Since blondies are usually made without cocoa or chocolate, the name blondies is a play on the term brownies. They’re blonde brownies! Fun name, right? 

The texture of the two bars differs too. Chocolate chip bars are cookie-like, where blondies are very soft and cakey. And while you can add chocolate chips to blondies, some recipes don’t include any chocolate.

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s make some cookie bars!

Ingredients You’ll Need.

This recipe uses ingredients you might already have in the kitchen. Here’s what you’ll need to make a batch.

• Flour. All-purpose flour holds the dough together and makes the bars nice and tender. 
• Butter. There’s no need to soften butter for this recipe. It uses melted butter! Just melt and you’re ready to mix the dough.
• Eggs. Two eggs bring the dough together, adds structure and flavor. 
• Brown Sugar. Use light or dark brown sugar. Both work. Dark brown sugar adds a bit more molasses flavor. 
• Granulated (White) Sugar. Adds sweetness. If you really love molasses, replace the granulated sugar with all brown sugar. 
• Baking Soda. Helps the bars to rise. 
• Salt. Brings out all the other flavors. 
• Vanilla. Two teaspoons of vanilla extracts adds such a nice flavor. 
• Chocolate Chips. Use your favorite chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.

Optional Ingredients and Variations 

• Chopped Nuts. Add your favorite chopped nuts. 
• Peanut Butter or Butterscotch Chips. This is such a yummy variation! Replace half the chocolate chips with either putter butter chips or butterscotch chips. 

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.

If you’re ready to make a pan of these cookies, here’s what to do. 

Make the Dough.

• This is a one bowl cookie recipe. First, mix together the melted butter and sugar. Then add the eggs and vanilla. Stir until the mixture is thick. It looks almost like caramel sauce at this point. It’s really lovely.
• Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until a dough forms. 
• Add the chocolate chips. And, if you’re using them, chopped nuts. 
• Stir until the chocolate chips are mixed throughout the dough.

Press into the pan and bake.

Spread the dough evenly into a greased 9×13-inch pan. The dough is thick. So this might take a minute. If you have one, use an offset spatula for this step. It makes it easy to get the dough into the corners of the pan. 

Tip: If you love salted chocolate chip cookies, sprinkle a little flaky salt over the top of the dough. 

Bake until the edges are golden brown and the center is set. A pan takes about 30 minutes. Let the bars cool in the pan, cut into pieces, and then, the best part, enjoy!

Storage Tips.

These bars last up to 5 days on the counter. Before wrapping, let them cool.

They also freeze beautifully. Place the cooled bars into a freeze container and freezer for up to three months. 

Print

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

This recipe makes chocolate chip cookie bars that are soft and rich bars with a nice brown sugar flavor. If you like salted chocolate chip cookies, sprinkle a little flaky salt on the dough before baking.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 24 Bars

Ingredients

• ¾ cup salted butter melted (6 ounces; 170 grams)
• ¾ cup brown sugar, light or dark (5 ¼ ounces; 150 grams
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (1 ¾ ounces; 50 grams)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (9 ounces; 250 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips or chunks (12 ounces; 340 grams)
• 1 cup chopped nuts, optional (4 ounces; 113 grams)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch pan.

2. Mix together melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

3. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until a thick dough forms. Add chocolate chips until blended.

4. Press dough into the prepared pan.

5. Bake until the edges are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

6. Cool and cut into bars. Store bars on the counter wrapped for up to five days. Or place in a freezer container and freeze for up to three months.