Chocolate chip cookie bars are a great alternative to scooped and dropped cookies. The bars take far less time to prepare, and they are moister then flatter cookies. The buttery brown sugar cookie dough takes just minutes to mix, and you can easily tailor it to include nuts, butterscotch or white chocolate chips, brickle pieces, or chopped dried fruit.
The bar cookie is made in a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan, but feel free to use a 9-by-13-inch baking pan if you don’t have a jelly roll pan—either one will work nicely. Thicker bars will take a few minutes longer in the oven, but will be just as delicious.
The cookie dough is quite thick, but a metal offset spatula made spreading easily. If you have trouble spreading the dough, try wetting the spatula or knife with a little water. These bars are a treat everyone will love, and they are made for sharing with friends and family.
Can you use chocolate bars or chunks instead of chocolate chips?
Sure! If you have a favorite chocolate bar, cut it into chunks and add the chunks to the batter.
Variations
- Add 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate chips.
- Use half chocolate chips and half brickle or Heath Bar bits.
- Use another type of chip, such as butterscotch, white chocolate, espresso, chocolate and peanut butter, or funfetti morsels.
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
This recipe for chocolate chip cookie bars is an easy and delicious way to make cookies! Mix, spread the dough in the pan, and bake!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 servings
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 48 servings 1x
- Category: Cookies and Bars, Chocolate Chips
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (284 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chips, semisweet, milk chocolate, or combination, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan.
- Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl; stir and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter for about 1 minute, until creamy. Add the brown and granulated sugars and continue beating on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well blended.
- Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips.
- Spread the dough in the prepared baking pan. A metal spatula works well for spreading the thick dough.
- Bake the chocolate chip cookie bars in the preheated oven for about 22 to 26 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool before slicing.
