These Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are easy to make in a 9x13 pan! No stand mixer, creaming, or rolling required- simply press the dough into a pan and bake. They come out beautifully soft and chewy in the middle, and slightly crisp on the edges.
Looking for more easy baking recipes? Try my Oatmeal Cookies or Cheesecake next!
About This Recipe
My wife asked me why anyone would make chocolate chip cookie bars instead of regular chocolate chip cookies. There are actually plenty of reasons!
First, cookie bars are more foolproof- you don't have to worry as much about underbaking, overbaking, or cookies spreading too much. Second, they're faster!! For chocolate chip cookies, typically, you have to bake 2-3 trays of cookies in a row, but for bars, you bake them all at once.
Cookie bars also have a slightly different texture. The perfect cookie bar is slightly chewier and fudgier in the middle. This is achieved by slightly underbaking the bars. If you overbake them, they'll end up more crumbly like regular cookies- which isn't a problem if that's what you're going for!
What I'm saying is...you can decide what texture you want the cookies to be by adjusting the baking time. Shorter = fudgier and chewier in the middle, Longer = crumblier, like a regular cookie.
Key Ingredients
Flour: I used all-purpose flour in this recipe. Make sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife- this will guarantee you measure the flour accurately.
Baking soda + powder: Provides a bit of leavening, which makes the bars less dense.
Melted butter: Allow the butter to cool slightly so it doesn't cook the eggs.
Brown sugar + granulated sugar: This combination gives the bars a great flavor and texture.
Salt: To enhance all the flavors.
Eggs: For binding the ingredients together.
Vanilla extract: For warm vanilla flavor
Chocolate chips: I used dark chocolate chips. You can use any type you want.
Instructions
STEP 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugars, and salt until combined. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.
STEP 3: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
STEP 4: Fold in the chocolate chips.
STEP 5: Spread the dough into the baking dish and smooth the top (you can use your hands to spread the dough). Sprinkle with some extra chocolate chips.
STEP 6: Cook for 20-22 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown. It's better to underbake these, as overbaking will make them cakey.
📋 Recipe
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup melted butter (slightly cooled)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips (plus more for sprinkling on top)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Line the dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for lifting the cookie bars out.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugars, and salt until combined. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the dough into the baking dish and smooth the top (you can use your hands to spread the dough). Sprinkle with some extra chocolate chips.
- Cook for 20-22 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown. It's better to underbake these, as overbaking will make them cakey.
- Allow the cookie bars to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing and slicing.
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