This Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe is everything you love about the classic cookies in an even easier-to-make recipe! Baked in a pan until crisp and golden around the edges, the bars are soft in the center and bursting with gooey chocolate flavor and notes of caramel in every decadent bite.
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Just when you thought chocolate chip cookies couldn’t get any better, I’m giving you this chocolate chip cookie bar recipe! It starts with the classic batter you know and love.
However, instead of just stopping at chocolate chips, we include chopped semi-sweet chocolate, too. Chopped up and sprinkled on top, it melts into the dough, ensuring you’re never left without a mouthful of chocolate.
Then, we add a touch of molasses and use dark sugar as the sugar base to deepen the flavor with sweet, rich, caramel-like notes. The moisture also contributes to the moist, chewy texture for cookie bars that stay soft and just begging for you to take a bite.
Slice up a big batch to share with family and friends, and you may never go back to classic cookies again!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Flour: We are using all-purpose flour, but if you are gluten-free, I have included information about a gluten-free option in the FAQ. I also included tips on measuring flour, which will help ensure your bars come out perfect and aren’t too dry or crumbly.
Baking Soda and Powder: Baking soda and baking powder help with leveling the cookie bars and aid in their texture. The combination of these two compounds ensures a chewy texture with a tender crumb.
Salt: Yes, salt. Really. We infuse it into the batter and sprinkle flaky salt on top after the cookie bars bake. The saltiness balances the sweet flavors. Trust me. You do not want to skip it!
Softened Unsalted Butter: This contributes to the rich flavor and helps the bars rise in the oven.
Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar helps spread the dough and promotes a tender texture and crisp edges.
Dark Brown Sugar: This plays an important role in this recipe. Dark brown sugar contributes to the rich, complex flavor of the bars and provides additional moisture, which aids in getting the perfect chewy texture for these cookies. It also has more molasses than light brown sugar, which means these bars are extra flavorful.
Eggs: We’re using a whole egg and an egg yolk to hold the bars together and contribute to the chewy consistency. Let them come to room temperature before you begin to allow for easy mixing!
Vanilla Extract: Any good cookie contains vanilla! Use pure vanilla extract to enhance the taste of the rest of the ingredients.
Chocolate: Use your favorite chocolate chips and chopped semi-sweet chocolate for a truly indulgent dessert. I’m partial to dark chocolate chips, but semi-sweet chocolate chips also taste great.
Molasses: Not found in your standard chocolate chip cookie, this takes the chewy texture and complex flavor to a whole new level of incredible!
How to Make This Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe
Step 1: Before you begin, preheat your oven to 350°F. Then, line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper, and lightly grease it with cooking oil spray. Pro tip: if you prefer thinner, slightly crisper bars, use a 9×9 baking pan instead.
Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3: In a separate large mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. Use a hand mixer to beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Then, add the egg and egg yolk, and beat on medium speed until well combined.
Step 4: Next, add your “sifted flour mixture” to your wet batter, and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, or your bars will turn out dense and crumbly!
Step 5: Fold in your 1 cup of chocolate chips. Pro tip: Transfer the cookie dough to the fridge, and let it chill for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate and absorb that delicious vanilla flavor.
Step 6: Transfer the chilled dough to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out into a flat, even layer. Next, sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly over the dough.
Step 7: Bake the chocolate chip cookie bars for 18-25 minutes or until the edges are set. Top them with flaky sea salt as soon as you take the bars out of the oven. Then, let them cool for at least 30 minutes or until set.
Step 8: Slice the slab into bars, and enjoy!
How do I get an accurate flour measurement with a measuring cup?
Can I add other ingredients to customize this recipe?
How should I store leftover cookie bars?
Can I freeze this recipe?
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Can I use light brown sugar?
More Delicious Brownie & Bar Recipes
- Banana Bars with Chocolate Chips
- The Best Fudge Brownies Recipe
- S’mores Bars Recipe (Soft and Gooey)
- The Best 7 Layer Bars
- Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Pumpkin Bars with Chocolate Chips
I hope you love this Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe a try! It’s easy to make and always a hit. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup of unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 2 tsp molasses
- flaky salt to top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 8X8 baking dish (or 9×9 if you are looking for thinner bars) with parchment paper and lightly grease. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses, butter and vanilla and beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes. Next, add the egg and egg yolk. Beat on medium until combined.
- Next, add your “sifted flour mixture” into your wet batter and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. Be sure not to over mix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Pro Tip: Transfer the cookie dough to a fridge and let chill for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate and absorb that vanilla flavor.
- Remove your chilled dough from the refrigerator and transfer the dough to the greased baking dish. Press the cookie dough until flat and even. Next, add the chopped chocolate to the top of the dough.
- Bake the bars for 18-25 minutes or until the edges are set. Top with flaky sea salt as soon as you take the bars out of the oven. Let cool for at least 30 minutes or until set.
- Once cooled, let them through the parchment, cut, and enjoy! Also, feel free to add a comment on my blog! Also, be sure to share your photo on instagram and tag @butterloveandsalt! We would love to see how your chocolate chip cookie bars come out!
Nutritional Information
Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Eat Love Eat
Made this for my daughter’s birthday and it did not disappoint! So decadent. The perfect texture and flavor! Highly recommend!
So glad you liked this recipe, Brooke!