Posted Nov 17, 2019, Updated Aug 14, 2024 What do you do when the craving for chocolate chip cookies strikes, but you just don’t have the time (or energy) to scoop, roll and bake multiple batches of your favorite treat? Enter these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars! They have all the taste (and dare I say even more gooey, doughy perfection), with way less work! A total win! This chocolate chip cookie bar recipe is seriously the best. It is easy to make, taking only 5 minutes to whip up and 20 minutes to bake! And the results speak for themselves, gooey, chewy, doughy yet fully cooked chocolate chip cookie bars that are 100% irresistible. Serve the warm with a scoop of ice cream and you have achieved dessert nirvana!
Ingredients in Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
As you can see, there are only 10 ingredients in this chocolate chip cookie bar recipe, all of which you likely have on hand at all times! We’ll chat briefly about the ingredients and possible substitutions before we jump into the “how-to” make this cookie bar recipe!
All-purpose flour. I recommend using unbleached, all-purpose flour in these cookie bars. For a gluten-free version, use an all-purpose gluten-free baking flour. Brown sugar. I love the flavor of light brown sugar in this cookie bar recipe. If you like a deeper, molasses taste, use dark brown sugar. Granulated sugar. white or organic cane sugar are great choices. Salted Butter. unsalted butter, ghee or coconut oil are all good substitutes. Or, try using brown butter for a rich, caramel flavor. Sea salt. Sea salt is different than table salt (that is iodized), so if you use table salt I recommend using half the amount called for in the recipe. Chocolate chips. Choose your favorite chocolate chip variety to use in these cookie bars! I prefer dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips. If you have an excess of candy in your house (think, post-Halloween) try making this Candy-Stuffed Cookie Bar variety! Can I use chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips? Yes! You can use chopped chocolate in place of the chips.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ok, now that we’ve chatted about the ingredients in this cookie bar recipe, let’s dive in and get baking! Remember to watch the video for the step-by-step process! Start making these cookie bars by creaming together the butter and sugars until the ingredients are evenly combined Next, add vanilla and egg and beat again until the ingredients are mixed well and the sugar is dissolved! You can either mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl before you begin the rest of the recipe – which I recommend to ensure even distribution – or just toss them into the mixer on top of the beaten wet ingredients. Either way, beat them in until they are just combined and the dough is uniform throughout. Add in your favorite chocolate chips (or other mix-ins of your choice) and stir on low speed until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough!
Cookie Bar Mix-in Ideas
If you’d like to add different mix-ins to this cookie bar recipe, here are some suggestions:
Sprinkles. Choose your favorite sprinkles to make these cookie bars festive! Red and green for Christmas, black and orange for halloween! You can’t go wrong! White chocolate. Add some white chocolate chips or chunks! Peanut butter chips. LOVE this addition! Cinnamon chips. YUM!
Bake
Line and grease an 8×8″ baking dish. Transfer the cookie bar dough to the baking dish and use a spatula to press it into the pan until the top is even. If desired, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top! Bake these chocolate chip cookie bars for about 20 minutes. Please note: I use a convection oven (one that uses a fan to distribute heat evenly), so I don’t have to worry about the rack I bake on, hot pockets in the oven, etc.
Cool, Cut & Serve
Finally, let the cookie bars cool for at least 30 minutes. The longer they cool, the better they hold up to cutting. If you’re just going to serve them warm with vanilla ice cream, then I wouldn’t worry too much about their appearance, because the taste and warm gooey texture is most important in that situation!
Store/Freeze
Store these cookie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
