These new Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are going to be your new obsession. Buttery soft and with chocolate in each bite, this cookie bar recipe is amazing.
I have a beginning baker in my house. She absolutely loves to spend a Sunday afternoon with her bestie making cookie recipes. But…they are still teenagers, and a lot of the recipes they have been finding on the internet haven’t exactly turned out. (Doing my very best not to take it personally that she doesn’t run to her very own mother’s website, ahem.)
So recently, I suggested that she make a cookie bar recipe instead. They are perfect for beginning bakers. They are far more forgiving because you don’t have to worry about spread. I pointed her in the direction of my M&M Cookie Bar recipe, and told her she could put whatever she wanted in them, it didn’t have to be M&Ms. It was a wild success.
It made me remember all over again how much I love cookie bars and how my chocolate chip cookies really needed to be in your life as cookie bars.
These do not disappoint. They are buttery delicious and perfect in every way.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Here is a brief overview of how these chocolate chip bar cookies come together. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1: Prepare Your Pan
While the oven preheats, line your baking pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: Whisk Together Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Step 3: Cream The Butter and Sugar
In your stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about three to six minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time. Then beat in the vanilla until just combined.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Add all of the flour mixture to the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on low and beat until the flour begins to incorporate. Then turn the mixer up high for just a few seconds until the flour is fully incorporated.
Step 5: Fold in the Chocolate Chips
Use a spatula to fold the chocolate chips into the cookie dough. Milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips would be delicious.
Step 6: Bake the Bars
Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Press extra chocolate chips into the top of the bars if desired. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. Let cool before cutting. Enjoy!
The Best Baking Pan
Tips and Tricks
These tips and tricks work in this chewy chocolate chip cookie bars recipe, but also in most cookie and bar recipes!
- Use fresh baking powder: You can test if your baking powder is active by mixing a little bit with vinegar. It should bubble up right away. If it doesn’t, toss it and get new baking powder.
- Measure your flour correctly. Getting too much flour in any cookie or bar recipe is a quick way to ruin it. See my tips and tricks for measuring flour: How to Measure Flour.
- Room temperature butter is key. The butter should be soft enough to dent with your finger, but not push all the way through. To soften your butter quickly, cut it into one-inch pieces and let it sit on the counter. Do not soften your butter in the microwave.
- Thoroughly cream butter and sugars. This important step sets the stage for the perfect texture and structure. It introduces air into the mixture, which helps the cookie bars rise slightly in the oven and gives them a softer, lighter texture and chewiness rather than being overly dense. This process takes three to six minutes in your stand mixer.
Storing Bars
Once they have fully cooled, store these bars in an airtight container. They are best enjoyed within one week, but can be stored for up to two weeks.
These are a great recipe to freeze. Place them in a single layer in your freezer after they have cooled. Freeze for a few hours before transferring to an airtight container and return to the freezer. These will store well in the freezer for about three months. They will thaw in about 30 minutes at room temperature.
Other Great Bar Recipes
If you make this chocolate chip cookie bar recipe or any of my other recipes, be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 grams)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter room temperature, 12 tablespoons (169.5 grams)
- 1 cup brown sugar (213 grams)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (99 grams)
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips plus more to add to the top of the bars, both milk chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips will work here (170 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. I cut one piece of parchment paper that is the width of the pan, but is long enough that it will fall over both ends. I cut a second piece that is the length of the pan, but is wide enough to fall over both sides. This allows the bars to just be lifted out of the pan after baking and cooling. (See photos in the post.)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 6 minutes. Add in the egg and egg yolk, one at a time. Then beat in the vanilla until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and give it one final mix.3/4 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture. Turn on the mixer on low, and beat until the flour just begins to incorporate. Then turn the mixer up high for just a few seconds until the flour is fully incorporated. This will allow you to combine the flour all at once without overmixing the dough.
- Stir in the chocolate chips by hand with a spatula.1 cup chocolate chips
- Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. If desired, press extra chocolate chips into the top of the bars. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown.
- Allow the bars to fully cool before lifting them out of the baking dish and cutting into equal pieces. Transfer to an airtight container. These are best when eaten within the first week, but will last up to 2 weeks.
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