Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are a taste of nostalgia perfect for sharing with family and friends. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature, with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.

Why You’ll Love these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

• All the flavor, less fuss – They have the same classic flavor as chocolate chip cookies but require no scooping or batch baking.
• Perfectly chewy – Cookie bars often turn out chewier and softer than individual cookies due to their thicker structure.
• Great for a crowd – These cookie bars are easy to slice and serve, making them ideal for parties, potlucks, or bake sales.
• Endless variations – You can throw in nuts, caramel, sprinkles, or even swirl in peanut butter or Nutella.
• Customizable portions – Want a small square or a big slab? You decide.
• Kid-friendly baking – Simple steps and minimal mess make them perfect for baking with kids.
• They freeze beautifully – Make a batch, cut into bars, and freeze for later cookie cravings.
• That gooey center piece – The best part? That extra-gooey middle bar that’s basically cookie dough heaven.

Ingredients to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe

If you’re a fan of chewy chocolate chip cookies you’ll love these chewy chocolate chip cookie bars! I love turning pantry ingredients into a treat like these that kids of all ages love. I can vividly remember my Mother making these cookie bars and the only hard part was waiting for them to cool enough to slice and eat! Nostalgic sweets are the dessert equivalent of comfort food. Ingredients to make ooey gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars: (Scroll down for the full printable recipe card.)

• Flour – All purpose flour forms the base of the cookie dough.
• Leavening – Baking soda and salt give lift to the dough.
• Sugar – Both granulated sugar and light brown sugar give the cookie bars a soft and chewy texture.
• Butter – Melted unsalted butter adds richness to the cookie bars.
• Flavoring – Vanilla extract balances the flavor and adds creamy floral notes.
• Whole Eggs – Large eggs bind the batter and add stability.
• Chocolate Chips – Semisweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips for the dough and for pressing on top.

How to Make the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe

• Heat Oven and Prepare the Pan – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use two strips of parchment paper to line the bottom and sides of a 13×9-inch metal pan. Use one lengthwise and one crosswise leaving enough overhang to form handles for lifting the cookie bars from the pan. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. This will further assist with removing them from the pan.
• Sift Dry Ingredients – Use a whisk to sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
• Butter Sugar Mixture – In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until the sugar has dissolved.
• Stir in Eggs and Vanilla Extract – Add the eggs and vanilla, whisking to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the sifted flour mixture. Stir by hand with a large rubber spatula until fully moistened.
• Chocolate Chips – Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Transfer to Pan – Pour the cookie dough into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate chips.
• Oven – Bake per the cook time in the recipe until a toothpick inserted into the center shows moist crumbs.
• Serve – Cool in the pan on a wire rack, then slice and serve.

Tips for Making Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

• Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need: Large bowl, medium bowl, whisk, measuring cups and measuring spoons, 13×9-inch metal baking pan or similar size baking dish, rubber spatula and parchment paper.
• Line the Pan for Easy Removal: Lining the pan with parchment paper will give you handles to remove the cookie bars from the pan in one fell swoop. Remove them to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut them into desired size portions.
• Use a Sharp Knife or Slice and Serve Spatula: When cutting cookie bars, use a long sharp knife or a cut and serve spatula for the cleanest cuts.
• Eyeball the Chocolate Chips for the Top: It’s fine to use more chocolate chips for the topping. One half cup is a good starting point.
• When to Serve Cookie Bars: These bars are perfect for family desserts, summer picnics, Christmas, Thanksgiving, tailgating, birthday parties, and potluck gatherings.

Recipe Variations

• Chocolate Chips: You can use dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or a combination of chocolate chips in place of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Customize the Amount: When adding the chocolate chips to the top, don’t be shy. You can use more than 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top, after all, who’s counting? I guarantee you’ll never hear a complaint of “too many chocolate chips”.
• Peanut Butter Chips: You could swap out half of the chocolate chips with peanut butter chips.
• M&M: You could add full-size M&M’s or mini M&M’s to the cookie dough along with the chocolate chips
• Brown Sugar: You could use dark brown sugar in place of light brown sugar for a stronger molasses flavor and super chewy texture. I find the combination of sugar in the recipe is the perfect balance.
• Nuts: You could add 1 cup or chopped walnuts, peanuts or pecans.
• Flaky Sea Salt: You can sprinkle the top of the cookie bars with flaky sea salt to add a sweet and salty flavor.

Storage and Leftovers

• Storage: You can store these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature for up to 4 days.
• Serving: Enjoy these cookie bars warm with vanilla ice cream or at room temperature with a tall glass of milk.
• Freezer: You can bake, cool and freeze these bars for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and enjoy!

More Cookies and Cookie Bar Recipes to Make

• Rich and chewy Butterfinger Cookie Bars.
• Candy Bar Pretzel Cookies have that sweet and salty flavor profile we all love.
• Loaded Turtle Cookie Bars are a fan favorite.
• Homemade Almond Joy Cookies are the bedtime snack of champions!
• Ooey gooey Carmelitas!
• Treat the family to these White Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert.
• No campfire required to make these S’mores Bars.
• Sugar Cookie Bars from Recipe Girl.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• 13×9-inch Pan
• Cooling Racks
• Measuring Set
• Slice and Serve Spatula