Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are thick, chewy, soft-baked and bake up in one pan. Load them up with anything you want; chocolate chips, m&m's, chopped candy bar pieces, and even some pecans.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate chip cookie bars, cookie bar recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Servings bars

Calories 276kcal

Author Jessica

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

How do I melt & slightly cool butter? The best way is to place the unwrapped butter sticks into a microwave-safe bowl (I use a 2 cup glass measuring cup). Cook in the microwave for about 45 seconds. The butter will be half melted and then the other half will be soft chunks. Take a fork and stir it all together until all the butter is melted together. This way you end up with melted butter that is slightly cooled at the same time.

Salted Butter : If you use unsalted butter, which is fine, you may want to increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon (or more depending on taste preference).

Chocolate Chips : Use any kind you want. Miniature or regular work just fine. We just love the cute small size of the miniature chips so that's what I always use. We prefer the semi-sweet chips but again use whatever you prefer.

Nutrition