Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

This recipe for chocolate chip cookie bars makes a soft, chewy cookie baked in bar form and bursting with plenty of decadent chocolate.

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Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Servings

Enjoy these soft, gooey, delicious chocolate chip cookie bars with a glass of milk or a mug of hot chocolate for an easy-to-make sweet treat. Try topping the warm bars with vanilla bean ice cream, caramel sauce, hot fudge, and chopped walnuts for an incredible dessert!

Vertical image of chocolate chip cookie bars stacked with text overlay that reads “Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars” on a white background.

Flat lay of chocolate chip cookie bar ingredients labeled with text, including flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

These chocolate chip cookie bars offer a combination of rich, buttery sweetness and generous amounts of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

The recipe features a handful of pantry staples, resulting in a chewy-crispy texture.

The highlight is the abundant chocolate chips both inside and on top, delivering gooey, melty chocolate pockets in every bite.

You’ll need:

1½ cups of salted butter, softened
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3½ cups of all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons of baking soda
¾ teaspoons of salt
3 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for the top of the cookie bars

Substitutions And Additions

CHOCOLATE: Semi-sweet is the type of chocolate to use for that familiar chocolate chip cookie flavor.

But if you want to try something different, you can use dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chunks.

Be careful with white chocolate or milk chocolate as they tend to burn really easily and will probably not handle the amount of time required to bake these cookie bars.

SPRINKLES: For a festive twist, add colorful sprinkles to the top of the cookie bars right before baking.

NUTS: If you love nuts in your chocolate chip cookies, try adding them to these cookie bars.

All you need to do is mix in three-quarters of a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans when you add the chocolate chips.

Easier than making cookies, these cookie bars will come together in no time with our easy instructions.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9×13 metal baking pan with square edges with parchment paper.

STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat together until creamy.

STEP THREE: Add eggs and vanilla to the sugar mixture, then continue beating until light and fluffy.

STEP FOUR: In a separate mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together.

STEP FIVE: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use the hand mixer to incorporate them.

STEP SIX: Stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

STEP SEVEN: Gently press the chocolate chip cookie mixture into the prepared 9×13 baking pan.

Sprinkle additional chocolate chips over the top of the cookie bars.

Side-by-side images showing chocolate chip cookie dough spread in a baking pan and topped with chocolate chips.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your bars as the suggested baking time approaches.

STEP EIGHT: Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until almost fully set.

You want these cookie bars to be a bit undercooked. They will continue to set as they cool.

PRO TIP:

Check the cookie bars halfway through the baking time and if the top is browning too quickly, tent with a piece of foil to prevent them from over browning.

STEP NINE: Let cool completely, then lift bars out of the baking dish and cut into squares.

How To Serve

Serve these cookie bars just as they are, with a cold glass of milk.

The buttery, chocolate goodness of the bars, combined with the creamy coolness of milk, creates a timeless combination that’s hard to beat.

Take your cookie bars to the next level by turning them into a decadent ice cream sundae.

Warm up a square of the bar, top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle hot fudge sauce over the top, and finish with a dollop of whipped cream.

Everyone loves a great chocolate chip cookie! They really are one of the most satisfying snacks.

Make sure you also try our DoubleTree copycat cookie recipe. chocolate chip cheesecake bars are also a real winner!

If you’re wondering how to make the perfect chewy chocolate chip cookie bars, this is the recipe for you (I love these chocolate chip pudding cookies, too!).

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Storing Chocolate Chip Bars

To help you savor the goodness over time, here are some handy tips on how to store these scrumptious treats.

MAKE AHEAD: If you’re looking to plan ahead or want to have freshly baked cookie bars at your fingertips, you’re in luck!

You can prepare the cookie dough, press it into the baking dish, and cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Refrigerate the dough for up to 48 hours before baking. When you’re ready, simply preheat the oven and bake them according to the original recipe instructions.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store the cookie bars in an airtight food storage container or zip-top bags in the refrigerator for up to one week.

IN THE FREEZER: To freeze the cookie bars for later, place them in an airtight food storage container or zip-top freezer bag and freeze them for up to three months.

Why We Love This Recipe

CLASSIC FLAVOR: These bars capture the timeless and beloved taste of traditional chocolate chip cookies, delivering a perfect balance of sweet, buttery, and chocolaty goodness in every bite.

SIMPLICITY: With clear step-by-step instructions, you can whip up a batch of these delectable bars with confidence.

CONVENIENCE: Unlike individual cookies that require multiple batches, these cookie bars are baked in a single dish, saving you time and effort.

Close-up of thick chocolate chip cookie bars stacked on top of each other, loaded with melted chocolate.

Super soft cookie bars filled with rich, sweet chocolate and baked to golden perfection. This chocolate chip cookie bars recipe is a great way to make a pan of cookies to have on hand for snacks, lunchbox treats, weeknight dessert, or to turn into cookie bar sundaes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different size of baking pan?

Using a larger pan will result in thinner bars, while a smaller pan will yield thicker ones. Adjust the baking time accordingly to ensure they’re fully cooked.

My cookie bars are too soft in the center. How do I fix this?

Soft centers might mean the bars needed a bit more time in the oven. Tent them with aluminum foil and bake for a few extra minutes until the center is set.

My bars turned out too crumbly. What could have gone wrong?

Crumbly bars could be a result of overbaking or using too much flour. Next time, try baking for a slightly shorter time or measuring your flour accurately using the spoon-and-level method.

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5 from 4 votes

This recipe for chocolate chip cookie bars makes a soft, chewy cookie baked in bar form and bursting with plenty of decadent chocolate.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe

Ingredients

1½ cups salted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3½ cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for the top of the cookie bars

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9×13 metal baking pan (with square edges) with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Use a hand mixer to beat together until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla extract then continue beating until light and fluffy.
In a separate mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and use the hand mixer to incorporate.
Add semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir with a large spoon to mix.
Add chocolate chip cookie mixture to the 9×13 baking pan. Flatten evenly into the pan. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips over the top of the cookie bars.
Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until almost fully set. You want these cookie bars to be a bit undercooked. They will set as they cool.
Let cool completely, then lift bars out of the baking dish and cut into squares.

Video

Notes

If the top of your cookie bars are turning too brown, tent with a piece of foil to prevent them from over-browning.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your bars as the suggested baking time approaches.

Nutrition

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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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