Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These are the best chocolate chip cookie bars because they're soft, chewy, and easy to make. They're rich and delicious no-chill bars.

Ingredients

To make chocolate chip cookie bars, you'll need the following ingredients. Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.

Butter: It gives the cookie bars flavor, tenderness, and pure goodness. I use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in the dough. If you only have salted butter, omit the extra salt. Also, use melted butter for a chewy, rather than cakey, texture. Melted butter also makes it easy to stir the ingredients together, so no mixer is needed.

Sugar: I use a mix of granulated and light brown sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness, while light brown sugar has molasses. It gives moisture and a note of caramel. For a deeper color, flavor, and chewier texture, use dark brown sugar.

Egg: It works as a binder, helping prevent the bar from falling apart. The egg also adds moisture, yielding a soft and chewy texture.

Flour: I use all-purpose flour, an essential ingredient for the cookie bar's structure. Be careful not to overpack the measuring cup. Too much flour creates a firm, dry, and tough bar.

Vanilla extract: Always use pure vanilla extract over vanilla flavoring. It gives the bars a richer flavor with its warm, aromatic notes. The best chocolate chip cookies have vanilla extract. It's a key flavor, so it's in these bars, too.

Baking soda: As a leavener, it's crucial for helping the bars rise. Aside from rising, it also helps them brown.

Chocolate chips: I use semi-sweet chocolate chips. Use any you prefer, including white chocolate or dark chocolate. You can also chop chocolate bars or mix them all together.

Salt: I recommend kosher salt for the dough and sea salt flakes on top. Salt is essential in the cookie bar dough. It balances sweetness and enhances the flavors. I love sprinkling the bars with flaky salt immediately after baking. It adds texture, crunch, and pairs well with chocolate.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

The following are the steps and process images to make chocolate chip cookie bars. Refer to the recipe card for the complete set of instructions.

1. Mix the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla extract. After setting the oven to 350°F and lining a baking pan with parchment paper, grab a large bowl. Then, whisk the melted butter and sugars together. Once combined, add the egg and vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed and continue whisking until well combined.

2. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Now that the wet ingredients are combined, it's time for the dry ones. Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Mix until it's just combined. Once the flour streaks have disappeared, you're ready for the next step.

3. Fold in chocolate chips. The dough is now thick and soft. It's ready for the star of the show, the chocolate chips. Fold them in gently. Make sure not to overmix the dough, as this can yield tough cookie bars due to too much gluten development.

4. Transfer to a prepared baking dish. I use a silicone spatula to move the dough into the baking pan. Then, I use an offset spatula to spread it evenly. I also use oven-safe clips to hold the parchment paper. It keeps it from flopping around and getting stuck on the dough while baking.

5. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. In my 8x8 baking pan, it takes 25 minutes for the cookie bars to be ready. The bars are done when the edges are golden brown, but the middle will be slightly soft. If you insert a toothpick in the center, it'll come out clean or with a few crumbs. If you're unsure, underbaking is better than overbaking. It ensures you avoid dry and crumbly bars.

6. Cool and cut. Sprinkle sea salt flakes as soon as they're out of the oven. Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack. Cooling is crucial for cutting clean bars. Then, transfer them to a cutting board by using the parchment paper sling. Now, you're ready to cut them into squares and enjoy.

Storage and Freezing

You might not get around to storing these chocolate chip cookie bars. They're quick to go.

If you have leftovers, learning how to store them is essential for delicious bars in the coming days. Make sure the bars are completely cool before storing. You don't want condensation because it'll make them soggy.

Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also keep them in the baking pan and tightly wrap the pan with foil and plastic wrap.

If you want a few more days, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze these bars. My favorite way to freeze them is to slice the bars into squares. Then, wrap each one in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer-safe bag or container. They'll last up to 3 months in the freezer.

Allow them to thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. It's not crucial, but it does give the bars a better texture.

Serving Suggestions

These chocolate chip cookie bars can hold their own. They're full of melty chocolate and topped with crunchy sea salt flakes. If you want to do more with them, the following are different ways to serve the bars:

• Milk or coffee. A glass of milk for dunking the bars or a cup of coffee goes well with these bars.
• Ice cream. You can use any ice cream you prefer. I love warming up the bars and topping them with vanilla ice cream. It reminds me of my gooey chocolate chip skillet cookie.
• Chocolate glaze. Drizzle chocolate glaze for a rich, decadent cookie bar. You can also use chocolate sauce.
• Frosting. Spread a smooth buttercream or cream cheese frosting on top to make it more indulgent. You can use vanilla, chocolate, or any other flavor you love.

Variations

A classic chocolate chip cookie bar is perfection. While you can't go wrong with it, sometimes, you want to jazz it up. The following are the best variations to try by mixing different add-ins.

Brown butter. For a deeper flavor with a nutty and toasty taste, use brown butter. You can do this by adding butter to a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. It'll foam and bubble around the edges. Then, it'll turn golden brown. Transfer the browned butter into a heatproof bowl so it doesn't burn. The process takes 5-10 minutes.

Warm spices. Change the flavor profile with warm spices, which complement chocolate well. The best for these bars include cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, or chai spices.

Chopped nuts. Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts are my favorite options. Toast and chop them. Then, mix them into the dough with the chocolate chips.

Dried fruit. Cranberries, cherries, apricots, dates, and blueberries are excellent pairings. I recommend chopping the dried fruit into small and consistent pieces throughout the bars. It also tastes delicious with chopped nuts.

Candy. Mix in peanut butter cups, toffee bits, M&Ms, or crushed candy canes. It's an excellent way to enhance the texture and make it sweeter or festive.

Nut butter. My favorite options are peanut butter, almond butter, or hazelnut butter. Melt your choice of nut butter and whisk it with the wet ingredients. You can add it directly into the dough, but the best results come from mixing it with the melted butter.

Potato chips. The saltiness of potato chips pairs so well with the sweetness of the bars. They also add a crunchy texture, making them irresistible. You can play around with different flavors and types. My favorite is a thick sea salt kettle chip.

Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These chocolate chip cookie bars are incredibly soft, chewy, rich, and delicious. They're thick, but not overwhelmingly dense. To ensure your bars are a crowd-pleaser, use the following tips:

• Use the right amount of flour. Overpacking the flour yields dry and crumbly bars. I recommend using a food scale for precision. You can also use a spoon to scoop flour into a measuring cup. Then, level it off with a knife.
• Make sure the baking soda's not expired. While baking soda is still safe past its best-by date, it loses its leavening power. It loses potency, which means the bars won't rise as much.
• Don't overbake the bars. It'll make the soft, chewy bars dry and crumbly.
• Be careful not to overmix after adding flour. After adding flour, mix until just combined. Overmixing results in tough and dense bars. Before adding flour, you don't have to worry about it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are common chocolate chip cookie bar mistakes?

Common mistakes when making chocolate chip cookie bars include overpacking the flour, overbaking, and overmixing the dough. Too much flour causes the bars to lose their sweetness and become dry. Overbaking will yield hard and brittle bars, rather than the chewy texture they should have. Overmixing the dough creates tough and dense bars instead of tender ones.

How do you cleanly cut chocolate chip cookie bars to look neat?

Clean and perfect squares come from fully cooled chocolate chip cookie bars. They'll cut even better if you refrigerate them for 30 minutes before cutting. Once cooled, move the bars to a cutting board while keeping them on the parchment paper or foil. Run a chef's knife under hot water before slicing the bars. Cut down and pull up. Between slices, wipe the knife and run it under hot water.

Can you make chocolate chip cookie bars with cake mix?

A box of yellow or white cake mix is an easy way to make delicious chocolate chip cookie bars. Mix 2 eggs with ⅓ cup of melted butter. Add the cake mix. Fold in 1 ⅓ cups of chocolate chips. Transfer to a prepared baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Once it's done, let it cool on a wire rack before cutting.

More Delicious Bars Everyone Will Love

• Banana Chocolate Chip Bars: An ooey-gooey bar that perfectly combines banana and chocolate.
• Raspberry Crumble Bars: Simple, delicious bars that are a treat any time of the day.
• Cherry Breakfast Bars: A sweet oatmeal crust and a tart cherry filling.

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