Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These super soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie bars are easy (one bowl!) and so delicious! The perfect fix for that chocolate chip cookie craving.
This is one of those recipes where I think it would be best for me to probably zip my lips and let the pictures, simple recipe, and prior reputation do the talking.
But…since I have an inability to stay quiet when there are important things (ok, anything) to say, you won’t get off quite that easy.
Apparently I consider decadent, chewy, chocolate chip cookie bars to be firmly in the “important” category, because I can’t stop talking about these perfect little blondies.
And if you’ve made them, I think you’ll probably agree with me.
This recipe has lived on my site for a long time (since 2010!), and they continue to be a staple treat recipe for us. The only change I’ve made over the years is to streamline the recipe a bit to make them one-bowl and even easier.
I’m not going to sit here and say that there’s no place in the world for good, old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies. I’d be turning my back on some pretty fabulous recipes if I did so:
Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
But there’s definitely a time and a reason to go for the quick and easy bar cookie.
And with chocolate chip cookie bars this delicious, you may find that you’re making them way more often than even your most favorite go-to cookie recipe (no scooping! no multiple baking sheets! no risk of eating all the cookie dough before the last batch of cookies bakes!).
In the interest of full disclosure, my kids whip up these easy chocolate chip cookie bars more often than I do. Even my 9-year old can get them in the oven quickly and relatively painlessly (it’s the cleaning up that inspires lots of juvenile angst).
And bonus: a recipe this classic and this easy is open to some flavor swaps with the chocolate chips. And M&M’s on top? A really, really good decision.
Brian waxes poetic when I live on the edge and throw in some butterscotch chips. But if anyone dares swap out my beloved dark chocolate chips for milk chocolate chips or (gasp!) white chocolate chips, I tend to lose all sense of right and wrong and say things I’ll regret later.
I’ll let you make your own decisions about which chocolate chip feels eternally right, and I even promise to try and be an adult about it just as long as your white chocolate doesn’t get too close to my cookie bars. 🙂
Also, if you’re looking for a delicious oatmeal cookie bar variation, here are two I love:
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars
One Year Ago: Instant Pot Indian Vegetable Rice
Two Years Ago: Doubletree Hotel Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Three Years Ago: Sweet Molasses Bread {Restaurant Knock-off}
Four Years Ago: Baked Shrimp and Orzo with Feta Cheese
Five Years Ago: Italian Lasagna Rolls
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons (170 g) salted butter, 1 1/2 sticks, melted and cooled slightly
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (212 g) light brown sugar
- ½ (106 g) cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons (298 g) all purpose flour
- 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks, semisweet, bittersweet, milk, white, peanut butter…the options are endless!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position. Line a 9X13-inch baking pan with foil, letting the excess hang over the edges of the pan by about 1 inch so you can grab those edges and pull the brownies from the pan after they have baked. Spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, salt and baking soda together until well combined. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and stir until evenly combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well.
- Add the flour. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon start folding the flour into the wet ingredients. After a few stirs (with streaks of flour remaining), add the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks and mix until combined. Don’t overmix, just stir until no dry streaks remain (sometimes I use my hands as the dough gets thick).
- Press the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake until the bars are light golden brown on the edges, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from sides of pan, 24-28 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the foil overhang and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Cook’s Illustrated
I found this recipe a couple years ago, and it quickly became my easy go-to whenever I had to bring a dessert somewhere. I actually created a physical recipe card – original recipe on one side and doubled on the other – that I keep close to my oven for easy reference. That’s how often I make them. (I really don’t even need it anymore as I have it memorized by this point.)
In fact, a doubled recipe is in my oven right now for an event I have tonight.
I love the weighted measurements and wish more recipes would do this. It makes baking so much more of a science and they come out perfect every time. Thanks for this keeper!
So happy you love this recipe, Erica! And I agree about the weight measures!
Do adjustments need to be made if we want to brown the butter? I usually throw caution to the wind, but figured I’d ask this time.
Nope – this recipe works great with brown butter.
Very easy! My family loved them!
This is the best recipe I’ve found for choc chip cookie bars. Eas to make and very, very good. My new favorite!
Everyone loved these bars! Thank you, thank you! And so easy and quick. Another great recipe!
good
I love these and they are my “go to” recipe when a last minute dessert is needed. I do sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top for a sweet crunch. A definite family/friends favorite!
Amazing! Definitely don’t overbake. I chopped two 4oz bars of semisweet baking chocolate because that’s what I had, sprinkled the top with a bit of kosher salt, and it was incredible.
These were so easy and SO good. Our neighbor has been in the hospital and I wanted to take some treats for he and his wife. I was short on time and this recipe looked easy so thought I would try it. I am SO glad I did. Don’t let the one bowl or the easiness of the recipe fool you. They are delicious. Be sure and don’t over mix the batter and don’t over bake. Chocolatey goodness!!
I wanted to let you know that this recipe is still going strong in my house! So easy and always what people want at a picnic or large gathering. Simple, super delicious and easy to grab!
Thanks for truly offering the best tried and true recipes!
Love this recipe! Dessert go to in oírle house!
This recipe is very tasty and quick to make. My 7 year old son loves it.
I’m not sure how I haven’t made these before, but they will become a regular! Easy to assemble and it even spreads well in the pan, which isn’t the case with all bar recipes!
These are pretty much a regular dessert option in our house. They’re so quick to whip up, and they freeze well (in fact, I think they’re better frozen!). They’re great with butter, but I sometimes use 2/3 cup butter-flavored Crisco. Thanks for another fantastic recipe, Mel!
Mel,
Love this recipe! Do these freeze well?
Yes, they freeze very well!
Everyone loves these! I actually put them in an 8×10 pan, so they are thicker. The inside is slightly chewy and amazing!
I have a question…how should I adjust for high altitude?
Hi Sherry, you can google “baking adjustments for high altitude” – I don’t currently live at high altitude so I don’t have a go-to method, but I have heard adding a couple tablespoons more flour can help.
These are my go to cookie for every potluck or event where I need a dessert. People go crazy for them and they are so easy! I have made so many cookies in past and these are by far the best!
PerfectLu chocolately and chewy. I should’ve baked them longer than the max time recommended. They did not get done in the middle on the pan. The edges were perfect, though!
I adore these! They doubled great into a cookie sheet. I made them festive by adding mint extract with crushed candy canes and m&ms on top.
Omg delish! So I tripled the recipe to use 2 rimmed jelly roll pans. I needed to make a large quantity for 50 kids!
It easily tripled, i use a swedish dough whisk and mixed it all by hand with zero issues. I used the scale to measure.
I did not triple the chocolate chips, in fact I halved them and used 1 cup per batch. I used milk, semi sweet, and dark. It was perfect!
The looked perfect. When I tasted the cookie edge I was brought back to high school! We had a Food Pantry called Panda’s Pantry and it was run by the special education program- the kids prepared food, baked, and ran the register- like a real cafe. And there were these AMAZING giant chocolate chip cookies. I have been trying to find a similar recipe for years. THANK YOU!! I have found it! Definitely plan on using a 1/4 cup scoop and recreating them!!
Amazing! So quick and easy! My kids and husband loved them! Thanks for sharing!
Yes! Simply and quick, not to mention delicious!
Thank you for sharing.
One of our favorite go to recipes! Love how chewy they turn out and love not having to scoop and bake multiple batches.
This is my son’s favorite recipe. In fact, the last two birthdays he has requested cookie bar cake, which is basically a pan of these with your vanilla buttercream on top!!
These came out okay – I don’t know why I adjusted the oven rack – it slowed cooking time considerably. To get them done in the center, I had to let them cook for a lot longer, and while they weren’t burnt or really too crispy, it’s like they are chewy but dry. Plus, way too many chocolate chips – made it so dense. And I used a large pan! Not sure about the egg yolk either- maybe added to the dense and over-chewiness? Still, good enough to eat – not going to throw it away!
I cannot even count the number of times I have made these. My family loves them for dessert, warm out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and drizzled with caramel sauce. I make the batter in the morning and bake it straight from the fridge while we are eating dinner.
Awesome! They look great I can’t wait to make them, how many calories are in a serving?
I don’t have that info calculated yet, but I’ll be adding it very soon.
Did this recipe used to have ingredient weight measurements? I am a science nerd and it’s the only way I can bake without freaking out that I’m screwing up. 🙂
It still has weight measures for the dry ingredients – can you see those?
No, they aren’t showing up in the recipe itself.
Can you let me know what device you are using? Desktop? Mobile device? Tablet?
This is a winner. Have made this recipe twice and it always comes out perfect. Highly recommend it!
These are the absolute best! Can I make ahead and freeze or wrap in plastic
Yes, they freeze great.
These were fantastic and easy! I doubled and put them into a cookie sheet with no problems. Added 2 cups of semi sweet and 1 cup white chocolate chips and I thought that was plenty of chips. Mine were done at 25 minutes. Thank you!!
these were so good! my children loved them! thank you!
I’ve been making these about every other week for at least two years. My kids, their friends, my co-workers, neighbors, and I all think these are amazing. One of the three best desserts on this site and that’s saying something because Mel’s desserts are all badass. (The other two are these brownies https://www.melskitchencafe.com/deep-dark-chocolate-brownies/ and this carrot cake https://www.melskitchencafe.com/unbelievable-carrot-cake/). I’d give all three 10 stars if I could.
Took me way too long to discover this recipe and now I make it all the time. Thanks, Mel!
Hi, is 325f for a convection or fan oven? I have a fan oven and was wondering what to cook this at?
For a convection/fan oven, I’d bake these around 300 or 310 degrees.
These are addicting! Fairly simple to make too. Thick, gooey, and soft. Now I’m just trying to decide if I like these or your Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars better
Thank you Mel! I know I can always count on you for an awesome and delicious recipe.
I make these repeatedly and they always get rave reviews. Thank you!
I made these to take to work and they were a huge hit! Bonus points for being super easy! Thanks so much for the recipe!
I’m making these right now. They smell delicious but they’ve been in the oven at 325 for 30 minutes now and they’re still jiggling in the middle… I’ve never had a problem with oven temp before and we’re not at a high elevation. I just turned up the oven to 350 and will give a little more time…
I always add a teaspoon of cornstarch it just makes its extra chewy and good. Love this recipe. Second time making it so far!
How many bars does this recipe make?
It depends on how big or small you cut them, but it makes a 9X13-inch pan for about 12-15 bars.
I was craving a cookie tonight and am currently in the middle of a kitchen remodel. So I made these one bowl wonders and baked them in my traeger in a disposable pan. They are so simple and delicious! Added coconut and pecans. Thanks for another winner Mel!
If I was too lazy to separate the second egg and use the whole thing instead of just the yolk, what would happen? Would they still turn out good? What would the difference be?
The texture might be more cakey.
I also am lazy and just use two eggs. Still tastes delish!
Do you have amounts for 8×8?
You should be able to halve the recipe for an 8X8.
Hi! I make these almost weekly. They are so good. Curious how they do at high altitude? I want to give this recipe to my sister but she lives at high altitude. Do you think it would be fine or it should be changed or just skip it? Sorry for all the questions! lol
It’s really hard to know without knowing her exact altitude. Worth a try, though!
These were great, but not very thick. I tried another time in an 8×11 pan for about 30 minutes, and they were perfect.
These were perfectly amazing! I followed recipe as written, except since I only had 1 cup of chocolate chips I supplemented with a handful of butterscotch chips and M&ms. I baked for 24 minutes and they were golden and crisp at the edge but soft and held together perfectly when slicing. Saving this recipe to “tried it, loved it” for sure!
I tried these and they were fantastic! Maybe even better than chocolate chip cookies!
Hi, I would like to make these in 9 by 9 pan? How much would I need to reduce the recipe?
If you cut the recipe in half, that should work!
So yummy! Where did you get this recipe?
The recipe source is listed under the recipe. 🙂 I adapted it from Cook’s Illustrated.
I have made these a dozen times I’m sure! A family favorite, we really enjoy them with salted caramel chips. Yum!
I forgot the 2 tablespoons of flour! Let’s see what happens.
Made these for the first time on NYE. Everyone loved them so I made them again for another gathering tonight so easy and soooooo yummy!