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
After a week of cruise ship food, I really needed something homemade. I made these tonight and they were SO good! Just as you say, they are thick, soft, and delicious. Totally filled my homemade dessert craving! Another great recipe, as usual.
Bought my 4 year old son a skeleton/skull spatula at the William Sonoma Outlet today. We picked this recipe to use it with. Perfect, especially the part where you “fold with a spatula”. 😉 The bars are super delicious too! Thanks for sharing all of your amazing recipes. I’ve loved every single one that I’ve made.
Debbie – yes, the batter is pretty thick.
I just made these and the batter seemed too thick so I cooked them as cookies, should the batter be too thick to pour. They are delicious as cookies though
OMG! I have type II diabetes and thought my downfall was carbs with fat and salt until I met these babies! Oh, and my hubbie and adult son love them too!
Yum! I love chocolate chip bars!
Made these yesterday and they were absolutely delicious!!!
Amy – I never really keep these on hand longer than a day so I haven’t had to store them any special way but the bread tip may be worth a try. Good luck!
This is TRULY my FAVORITE chocolate chip cookie bar recipe. The one issue I always have with my chocolate chip cookies and bars is them staying moist. I read somewhere to use bread, any thoughts or other tips?
Stephanie – I’ve never frozen these so I can’t attest to how well they keep but I’d definitely either freeze them tonight or make them fresh on Thursday morning…they will be a bit too dry if they stay at room temperature for a couple of days. Good luck!
Hi Mel! I assume these keep well? I want to make these tonight (Tuesday) for Thursday night, but I am attempted to freeze them. I love fresh desserts. The recipe seems like it would freeze well, but I never know. Any one have any thoughts? I guess I can always get up early Thursday…. 🙂
Chelsey – I’ve never tried that so I don’t know. Sorry!
Can you use olive oil instead of butter?
I made these this week…they are THE BEST BAR cookies…EVER!!
These are the only blondies that have ever come out incredible for me. Thank you!
Made these today. They were SUPER easy, ended up cooking longer than suggested, but my oven was running cooler I think. Despite the messed up oven, these were FANTASTIC! Thanks for sharing, a new favorite!
We made this yesterday for the first time. They are fantastic! Of course, with enough butter, sugar, & chocolate, anything would be 😉
My 2 boys (5 and 7) made these completely by themselves. I supervised, and took them out of the oven, but that was it! They enjoyed it so much!
I absolutely love this recipe! Turns out perfectly every time. I love a good chocolate chip cookie, but don’t make them as often because of the time it takes. My little boys tell me I’m the best maker in the world when I make these 🙂 Thanks!
Just made these last night. So easy! I only had 1 cup of chocolate chips, so I added 1 cup of butterscotch chips. Oh. My. Goodness! So good – especially while still a bit warm. Thanks Mel!
I have to say these are the best Chocolate Chip Bars that I have found and I have tried litterally about 50 different recipes and techniques. Thank You Mel Great Job!
Y-U-M! …….and I quote my husband after having a bar, “You finally got it right!” I can’t get over the crispy layer on top! Just YUM!
Since discovering this recipe, I have made these several times substituting whole wheat pastry flour and they are delicious!
I’m not really into baking, but I felt the need to make something the other night so I tried out this recipe and they’re GREAT! I made a pan and brought them to work and everyone was raving how awesome they were, so needless to say I’m sharing the recipe with a bunch of people! Thanks for making a super easy recipe that is a total people pleaser.
I made these today and they are the bomb! I will definitely be making them again.
Just pulled out my first tray from the oven and I can tell that I will be making these again and again. Such an easy easy recipe and it smells great! I’ve used a mix of peanut M&M’s and milk choc chips. Can’t wait to try them 😀
Second time in a week for us too 🙂 First time with all milk chocolate, second time with white chocolate chips. LOVE these! 🙂
Just popped these in the oven with white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips… I’m sure the end product will be amazing cause the batter sure was!!! Second time in a week for these babies!!!
I am completely addicted to your site. It is always one of 3 sites that I go to first when I need a new recipe. I just made these today and brought them to a friend’s baby shower. I’ve never really had good luck with blondies in the past. The middle always sinks like crazy and is gooey while the outside is way overcooked. These turned out flawlessly. Yipee! Your recipes never disappoint. Thanks for another great one!
My goodness, Mel. You have never let me down! These are wonderful and I even had my 7 year old help me make them. Chewy and the perfect texture. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ve got a delicious pizookie!
Do you know of a peanut butter variation? Not with peanut butter chips, but with peanut butter in the batter?
Hi Laura – I don’t know of a peanut butter variation. Sorry!
Yummy!! So chewey, we couldn’t stay away from them either. I tried butter scotch chips and a few chocolate, it was a good combo. Love all your recipes.
I may or may not have made these babies twice in four days this past week. . . worst part is my husband and I downed each pan by ourselves! 🙂
The Toll House recipe has nothing on these babies! I loved how quickly these came together-my six year old did most of the work! My new go-to for a last minute neighbor treat!
I made these the other day as a practice run for a family gathering. They are perfect! They were just right at 27 minutes. They freeze well, and are very good with vanilla ice cream. This recipe is going in my “favorites” file!
Hey Mel, I just stumbled upon your blog today and I am loving ALL of your recipes! Your photography is great too!! I am making this recipe as I type and the apple streusel cheesecake bars tomorrow after i run to the store!! Keep up the great cooking/baking!!
I found your blog a couple of weeks ago, and this is the first recipe that I’ve made. They smelled absolutely divine in the oven, so much so that my 3 year old came down from his nap sniffing, saying “Smells good mom!” 🙂 As far as taste, they are delicious! I wasn’t sure how they would taste as the dough was much thicker than I thought it would be, but they are great! Looking forward to trying more recipes!
I just made these and put them in the oven right before putting my little one down for a nap. When he was asleep, the cookies were done, and a square of these made the perfect afternoon snack, I can’t wait to share them! I used half all-purpose flour and half white wheat flour, and added some pecans, and am very satisfied with the result.
BTW, love this whole blog! I’m a friend of your sister Emily, and have been visiting for quite a while, but just subscribed the other day. I realized I needed regular updates after spending a few minutes for 3 days straight oogling over all the delicious options 🙂 I’m glad I finally picked one, and I’ll be back for dinner ideas next week too!
Just Heavenly really! My entire family loved these! My husband was mad at me when he came home and there weren’t any left…I’m like- next time you’ll remember to hide some away! I love the easy cleanup too with the tinfoil.
Guess I’m going to have to make another batch!
mine turned out very dry..maybe i mixed too much?
Chelsea – perhaps or depending on how you measure flour, the dough might have been overfloured. Sorry they didn’t work out for you!
Ummm. These were delicious! Thank you once again Mel.
Just perfect! Proud to serve them to guests tonight along with pork tenderloin recipes from this site. Thanks for all the great recipes.
I needed a last minute blondie recipe for something to bring in for a birthday at work today and always use recipes with pictures of the food so I can see how it looks and settled on yours. They are amazing! Very quick and easy to make and taste divine. I used mini M&M’s and chocolate chips adn they came out perfect and gorgeous. Definitely my go-to from now on too. Thank you so much for a great recipe!
Oh… one more thing I just remembered. I ran out of all-purpose flour and I substituted 2 cups of Duncan Hines Whole Wheat flour.
I made these bars yesterday night because I didn’t want to have to scoop and bake dozens of cookies. I needed a tasty thank you gift to give my neighbors for plowing our driveway not once, but twice while our snow thrower has been broken.
I doubled the recipe, had to substitute margarine for butter (because that’s what I had on hand) and realized that I had just a 1/2 tsp of vanilla. I used equal parts milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips. These bars are perfect. They baked evenly (normally my bars end up like hockey pucks or a gooey undercooked mess… salmonella anyone?)
We’ve already ate “our” share of the bars. I’ll be delivering the rest to our neighbors today. Hopefully, they’ll enjoy them as much as we have. I plan to make these next week for my daughter’s preschool class using mini M&M’s and chocolate chips.
I love your recipes. They’re fool-proof and have never let me down. Because of you… people think I can cook 🙂
Melanie,
I found your recipe for these delicious bars months ago, but never left a comment (sorry). I had to come back and say that these are the BEST!! I went through a phase of finding the perfect chocolate chip cookie bar, but never had much luck. They either turned out too hard or too gooey in the middle, but yours were perfect.
These are the bars I always turn to when I need a blondie fix. 🙂 I wanted to tell you that I posted these on my blog (giving credit to you): http://3sisterssharingideas.blogspot.com/2010/05/thick-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars.html
Everyone I have given the recipe to or shared these with have loved them. Thanks for the great recipe.
Sheena
Melanie, these are marvelous all the way through the process. The dough is easy to make (and tastes really good too) and the bars come out of the oven exactly like the picture with precisely the taste I was looking for….I may never make regular cookies again. YUM!
So I just made these last night and they were so wonderful! I have never tasted a better cookie bar than these. We have tried the regular cookies before and they were really good but I love these bars even more. This will seriously be my only chocolate chip cookie bar recipe. I think I may reduce the chocolate chips a tad but still so good. I already bookmarked this page for my sister who couldn’t stop raving about these. Thanks again.
Thanks, Jana! What rave reviews – I’m thrilled these have become your favorite bar cookies!
Not too gooey! They cooled completely and they are perfectly chewy! Good the next day too! Thanks again for a good recipe. I’m going to try the cookie variety next time!
Just made these tonight! Delicious! I had the same problem with not knowing if they were cooked or not. I think I cooked them for 32 minutes. We cut into them before they had a chance to cool completely and they were a bit gooey. My husband thinks they are perfect that way! I’m anxious to see what they look like cooled. I need try these with a scoop of ice cream!
BTW, I’m Danielle Peterson’s sister in law. She talks about you every time recipes are mentioned. I have finally browsed your blog myself and I’m hooked! I look forward to trying your recipes! 🙂
Thanks, Birgitta – sorry the bars were a little gooey but I’m glad they still won some fans despite that!
If I were to double the recipe could I just put them on a cookie sheet? (Jelly roll pan?)
Kim – I’ve never tried that but it should work ok. Just watch the amount of batter in your pan so it doesn’t overflow in the oven. I would probably use a 12X18-inch rimmed baking sheet if you double the recipe.