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    Home ยป Desserts ยป Cookies

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

    March 17, 2022 By Sam 277 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    collage of chocolate chip cookie bars, top image of single bar, bottom image of multiple bars

    Skip the scooping and make your chocolate chip cookies in a pan instead! These buttery, soft and chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars require no mixer, no chilling, and no fuss. Recipe includes a how to video.

    sliced chocolate chip cookie bars neatly arranged in rows

    Chocolate Chip Cookies, the Lazy Way

    These chocolate chip cookie bars are the dessert youโ€™re looking for when youโ€™re having a lazy day and are in need of a cookie fix. When youโ€™re craving all the goodness of a warm, chewy chocolate chip cookie, but canโ€™t muster the energy to whip out the electric mixer, let alone the patience to scoop and rotate baking sheets.

    With no mixer, no chilling, and no scooping, these chocolate chip cookie bars are your perfect lazy-day dessert. Theyโ€™re just as soft, chewy, buttery, and delicious as their cookie counterparts, but they take a fraction of the time to prepare.

    Whether youโ€™re in need a quick sugar fix, a last-minute party or potluck dish, or you just donโ€™t have the energy to scoop a single cookie, Iโ€™ve got you covered. Letโ€™s get right to it.

    What You Need

    ingredients for chocolate chip cookie bars

    As weโ€™ve already established, making perfectly chewy cookie bars isnโ€™t as simple as dropping a regular cookie dough recipe in a pan. Instead, you want a dough thatโ€™s designed to be enjoyed in bar form. Hereโ€™s how to make it:

    • Melted butter. Melted butter (rather than softened) coats every molecule of the cookie dough for the best, buttery taste. Just remember to let it cool for a few minutes before adding it!
    • Light brown sugar + granulated sugar. Weโ€™ll use more brown sugar than white for more moisture (softer cookie bars!) and better flavor.
    • Eggs + an extra yolk. I added an extra egg yolk for chewier, more tender cookie bars.
    • Flour. Use your average all-purpose flour here.
    • Cornstarch. This is my secret ingredient for soft baked goods! Cornstarch also prevents the cookie bars from being too cakeyโ€“after all, they are cookie bars, not cake bars.
    • Baking powder. This recipe uses less leaveners than your average chocolate chip cookie since the cookie bars are contained in a pan.
    • Vanilla + salt. Because you canโ€™t have flavorful chocolate chip cookies without these two!
    • Chocolate chips. My preference is to use semisweet chips, but if want to use another kind, feel free.

    If youโ€™re like me, you might also want to grab some vanilla ice cream to serve alongside these bars while theyโ€™re warm. Or, you can let them cool and eat them cookie-style too!

    SAMโ€™S TIP: I like to reserve a handful of chocolate chips for sprinkling on top of the bars just before baking. This ensures that the tops of the bars will have a perfectly studded surface!

    Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

    collage of four photos showing how to make chocolate chip cookie bars
    1. Combine the cooled butter and sugars. Add your eggs and vanilla and stir until everything is combined.
    2. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Then, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
    3. Stir in the chocolate chips.
    4. Spread the dough into a parchment lined baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F. Let the bars cool slightly before cutting and serving.

    SAMโ€™S TIP: This recipe can be made in a 9ร—13 or 9ร—9 pan. I prefer using a 9ร—9 because it results in thicker, chewier bars. If you make yours in a 9ร—13, the bars will need to bake about 5-10 minutes less.

    close-up view of sliced chocolate chip cookie bars neatly arranged in rows

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I make the dough ahead of time?

    Yes! This dough will keep in the refrigerator for several days. Just make sure to cover it tightly.

    Can I use this recipe to make chocolate chip cookies?

    This cookie dough is designed to be baked in a baking pan and is not ideal for making actual cookies. If you tried to scoop and bake this dough, you would end up with cookie pancakes that spread all over your cookie sheet! Try my popular chocolate chip cookies instead! ๐Ÿ˜Š

    Can I add nuts?

    Yes! Just add them in when you add the chocolate chips. Use approximately 1-1 ยฝ cups of coarsely chopped nuts. Pecans or walnuts are great options!

    three stacked chocolate chip cookie bars studded with chocolate chips

    Enjoy!

    Letโ€™s bake together! Iโ€™ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

    chocolate chip cookie bar studded with chocolate chips

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

    Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie bars. Recipe includes a how-to video!
    4.91 from 108 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: cookie
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 16 bars
    Calories: 395kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt
    v

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter melted and then cooled for at least 5 minutes
    • 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
    • ยพ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk room temperature preferred
    • 1 ยฝ teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2 ยผ cups (285 g) all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK)
    • ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips

    Recommended Equipment

    • 9ร—9 baking pan
    • Mixing bowls
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a 9ร—9" (23x23cm) pan (see note) by lining with parchment paper (or lightly grease and flour).
    • Combine melted (cooled) butter and sugars in a large bowl, stir well.
      1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, ยพ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
    • Add eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.
      2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk, 1 ยฝ teaspoons vanilla extract
    • In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
      2 ยผ cups (285 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, ยฝ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
    • Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until completely combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
      2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips
    • Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake on 350F (175C) for 35 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden brown.
    • Allow to cool before cutting and serving (donโ€™t cool too long, though โ€” these are amazing when served still slightly warm!)

    Notes

    This recipe can also be baked in a 9ร—13 pan for about 24-30 minutes. Note that recipe times given are for metal pans, if you use a ceramic or glass pan the cookie bars will likely take longer to bake through, so always use the toothpick test to check for doneness.

    Storing

    Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. These cookie bars may also be frozen.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bar | Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 172mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Rikookie

        March 01, 2024 at 1:09 pm

        5 stars
        These cookie bars are absolutely delicious! I used oil instead of melted butter, a little less than a cup. They exceeded my expectations! I canโ€™t wait to make more of your recipes! ๐Ÿ™‚
        โ€“

        Reply
      2. Paula

        January 24, 2024 at 10:51 pm

        5 stars
        Ohhhh, these are so good!!!! Baked exactly as the recipe was written. I just added an extra 2 minutes to make sure the center was baked through. Next time, Iโ€™ll put maybe 3/4 the amount of chocolate chips (although I love the amount of chocolate), or maybe I wonโ€™t change anything! The cookie part has a great buttery brown flavor. Iโ€™ll definitely make again!

        Reply
      3. Jess

        January 11, 2024 at 3:28 pm

        3 stars
        Followed the recipe exactly and I donโ€™t know what happened. I cooked them for over an hour and the middle is still runny like soft cookie dough. It never set, even after cooling. Disappointed.

        Reply
        • Sam

          January 16, 2024 at 9:16 pm

          Hmmm thatโ€™s really odd. Did you make any substitutions? Did you weigh your dry ingredients? Was your butter cooled before adding the sugars?

          Reply
      4. Mariel

        December 05, 2023 at 12:15 pm

        5 stars
        I made these and brought them to work. My coworkers are all asking me for the recipe. Iโ€™m hearing they turned out wonderfully. I used the 9ร—9 pan and I love how thick they turned out. Thank you!

        Reply
        • Sam

          December 05, 2023 at 3:49 pm

          So happy to hear this, Mariel! Thank you so much for trying my recipe!

          Reply
      5. Moqui

        November 04, 2023 at 9:08 pm

        5 stars
        I followed the recipe exactly (weighing the flour but measuring the rest) and they were soooo good! I made mine in a 9ร—9 nonstick and they needed about 3 more minutes. Gooey and amazing! The serving size is perfect, too!

        Reply
        • Jessie

          December 08, 2023 at 11:01 am

          Hello! I want thicker bars, but mote of them in one pan. If I increase the recipe by 1.5x and use a 9ร—13 pan, do you think the baking time/temp will be the same?

          Reply
          • Sam

            December 08, 2023 at 9:32 pm

            Hi Jessie! The temperature will remain the same, but the bake time would likely be longer. ๐Ÿ™‚

      6. Marlo Michaelson

        July 05, 2023 at 5:44 am

        5 stars
        Is there a reason you changed the name from Congo Square? But that name doesnโ€™t inspire me as much as the Worst. I love the recipe and it is my go-to. I only have 1 other go-to and itโ€™s family. So that said. Done chilling gotta bake. Thank you.

        Sincerely
        Sunshine and Smiles
        Marlo Michaelson

        Reply
        • Sam

          July 16, 2023 at 9:52 pm

          Hi Marlo! A lot people just didnโ€™t know what Congo squares were so I rewrote it. ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
          • Binte Yaqoob

            November 23, 2023 at 2:33 pm

            Hi there!
            is it possible to reduce the amount of chocolate chips

          • Sam

            November 25, 2023 at 9:58 pm

            Sure thing. ๐Ÿ™‚

      7. elenagraziela

        April 03, 2023 at 6:56 pm

        5 stars
        Oh, I adore this recipe. I bake these bars and keep them stocked in my freezer โ€” perfect for when I need a sweet treat when thereโ€™s no time to bake. As soon as my freezer stash is low, this recipe is on the list for my next baking day. Thatโ€™s how good this recipe is.

        The differences between this and the blondie recipe are small, but they are crucial. This is truly a cookie in bar form, not a blondie. I modify the recipe slightly โ€” instead of just light brown sugar, I use a mix of light and dark brown sugars. I also reduce the amount of chocolate to 250g, and I use a mixture of chocolates. Iโ€™ve always baked this in a 9x13x1 pan and it fills it perfectly โ€” I reduce the baking time about 5 minutes or so. These bars are lovely warm from the oven, but personally, I think they taste better the next day. I generally bake this recipe the day before I need it, let it cool completely, wrap the entire bar tightly in aluminum foil and let set in a cool place or the refrigerator overnight before cutting and wrapping the bars. In my experience, this makes a distinct difference in the flavor and texture of these bars. Well-wrapped, they freeze like a dream.

        Thank you for such a lovely recipe. Itโ€™s permanently in my baking rotation.

        Reply
      8. Heidi Prime

        March 29, 2023 at 5:29 pm

        Sam,
        What happened to your Congo Square recipe? Is this the same?

        Reply
        • Sam

          March 29, 2023 at 9:12 pm

          This is the exact same recipe. Enjoy ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
      9. anna

        March 26, 2023 at 8:51 pm

        Have you tested both this recipe with hand weighing and with the scale? I work with HS and prefer to use the scale, but sometimes when it goes from hand weighing the recipe doesnโ€™t turn out the same. I havenโ€™t made yours with a scale, but just made my first my measuring it myself. Just curious more than anything. Thanks.

        Reply
        • Sam

          March 27, 2023 at 9:12 pm

          Hi Anna! I actually do my recipe development with weights and then convert it to cup measurements. ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
      10. Carrie

        February 18, 2023 at 6:22 pm

        5 stars
        Made in a 9ร—13. They were delicious and so much easier than balling up individual cookies but still had that cookie taste as opposed to a bar taste.

        Reply
      11. Ashly

        December 23, 2022 at 5:26 am

        4 stars
        The taste was great but I could not get the middle to set. It was a gloopy mess and I unable to cut them. What could I be doing wrong?

        Reply
        • Sam

          December 23, 2022 at 9:03 am

          Hi Ashly! It sounds like they were under-baked and just needed more time in the oven. Did you bake in a glass pan by chance? It will take a bit longer to bake if so.

          Reply
      12. tara

        December 21, 2022 at 1:04 pm

        Hi! I have a question. How do you think this would be if i added the confetti crumbs on top? I have made this without crumbs and it was so good! Would the crumbs be added before i bake the bar or after?

        Thank you in advance!

        Reply
        • Sam

          December 21, 2022 at 9:49 pm

          Hi Tara! This is something Iโ€™ve actually wanted to play with. Itโ€™s going to end up cooking like a crumb topping on the cookie bars. I would be a bit worried they would sink too far into the cookie bars. I think a good way around this would be to add a thin ganche topping to the cookie bars after cooking then add the crumble. Let me know how it goes if you try it. ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
      13. Misty

        December 06, 2022 at 10:51 am

        5 stars
        This is definitely the lazy (and best) way of making chocolate chip cookies!!! I think my pan was smaller than a 9ร—9 so it came out thicker & seemed to taste better the next day.

        Reply
        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          December 06, 2022 at 3:38 pm

          Weโ€™re so happy you liked them, Misty! Thanks for the review ๐Ÿฅฐ

          Reply
      14. Pam

        November 18, 2022 at 3:51 pm

        5 stars
        Made these today and I am sorry to say my old recipe of 20+ years is going to have to find a new home!! These are amazing!! Not sure why I never thought to use parchment paper, but it makes it so much easier to get out of the pan and cut This is probably the 30th recipe I have made from SSR and not ONE has failed me- thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      15. Jill

        November 03, 2022 at 11:09 am

        5 stars
        We love these chocolate chip cookie bars. Delicious!

        Reply
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      The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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