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CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS RECIPE
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are a classic treat! I love making these bars because you just dump the dough into one pan and bake it. No more doing several batches of cookies on a cookie sheet.
These bars are thick, chewy, soft-baked and basically just the perfect cookie bar. Add some M&M’s (our favorite!), add chopped up candy bar pieces, use only chocolate chips, use a mixture of different chips, or even add some chopped pecans for a salty crunch. You can really add anything you want!
HOW TO MAKE THICK, CHEWY, SOFT-BAKED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
All-Purpose Flour
Baking Soda & Salt
Cornstarch – This is the “secret ingredient” that makes these cookie bars so thick, chewy, and soft-baked all at once. Don’t leave it out. It’s a small amount but definitely noticeable if you don’t add it.
Add all the dry ingredients into a small bowl and stir together with a wire whisk. Stirring with a whisk helps to break up any clumps from the flour. It’s like sifting, but you don’t have to buy or get out a special sifter, just use a whisk.
Melted Butter
Brown Sugar – I always use light brown sugar but if you like the stronger molasses taste of dark brown sugar then go ahead and use it.
Granulated Sugar
Large Eggs
Vanilla Extract
Mini Chocolate Chips – You can really use whatever you want for this recipe. I normally do half semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips + half mini m&m’s. You can add in chopped up candy bars, a mix of milk chocolate chips + white chocolate chips (or peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips). The point is that these bars are versatile and you can make them different each time by adding what you have. I’ve added some chopped pecans before and it’s delicious that way too!
HELPFUL TIPS FOR THIS RECIPE
- Can I freeze chocolate chip cookie bars? Yes you can. I like to place a few into a Ziploc freezer bag and then pull them out as we need them. Let them thaw at room temperature or pop it in the microwave to thaw it.
- Can I make this chocolate chip cookie bar recipe as cookies? I have never tried making this recipe into cookies. With that said, this bar recipe has all the ingredients needed for cookies so I would imagine making this recipe into cookies would work just fine. If you want my favorite recipe for cookies then be sure and try these amazing chocolate chip cookies.
- Can I half this recipe? Yes! That is a great option if you are not feeding a family or if you just don’t want all the cookie bars around. Half all the ingredients and then bake it in an 8×8 baking dish.
- Can I add other mix-ins? Yes you totally can! I have used all kind of things but mostly stick to half chocolate chips and half mini m&m’s. Another good combo is milk chocolate chips + chopped pecans. Or you can add some chopped up candy bar pieces.
TRY THESE OTHER BAR RECIPES
- peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal bars
- no flour monster cookie bars
- disneyland chocolate peanut butter sandwich bars
- easy funfetti cake batter cookie bars
- s’mores cookie bars
- monster cookie bars
- sweet n’ salty rocky road bars
- chewy butterscotch peanut butter cookie bars
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter melted & slightly cooled (see notes)
- 1½ cups light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups miniature chocolate chips (or whatever mix-ins you want)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with foil, parchment paper, or just spray it with cooking spray.*If I use foil I still like to spray it lightly with cooking spray just to be sure. Parchment paper is just fine as is. No need to spray that.
- In a small mixing bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a wire whisk to break up any clumps.
- In a larger mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, or use the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the melted butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat for 1-2 minutes until lighter in color and creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Blend together just until combined. Add the flour mixture, half at a time, beating on low speed after each addition.
- Add the chocolate chips and mix just until combined. *I like to reserve some of the chocolate chips to sprinkle on top of the bars before baking. This is optional. It just makes the bars look prettier when they're done baking.
- Dump the dough into prepared pan and spread it out. The dough is really soft and not sticky so it should be fairly easy to work with and spread. *Sprinkle reserved chocolate chips (or candy pieces) on top.
- Bake for 23-28 minutes. Edges should be slightly pulled away from the pan, bars should be lightly golden brown and puffy looking, and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out dry or with moist crumbs on it. *Mine are perfectly cooked and soft baked right at 23 minutes. But all ovens differ so watch closely. Remember that the bars will continue to cook slightly while cooling.
- Let cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes before cutting into bars. *This is also the reason I prefer parchment paper because then you can just grab the bars out of the pan (with the overhang of the parchment paper) and slice them nicely.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Sooooo good. Wondering if i could use this recipe for regular cookies too instead of bars. Hmmmmm…
This is our new favorite cookie bar recipe! They are just SO GOOD. We make them and then serve hot with ice cream and caramel drizzle. I also made a “cake batter” version- i just used white chocolate chips, sprinkles and butter extract in addition to the vanilla. We like ours thin so I bake a half recipe on a cookie sheet so it’s super thin!
I love everything you wrote so much! The ice cream and caramel sounds so good and I love the changes you make to have a ‘cake batter’ version.
I have made these five times in the last couple months for different events. They are always the first dessert to go. Simple but oh so yummy! I sprinkle M&Ms on top!