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
395 Comments on “Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars”
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!
These cookie bars are SO good!! I’ve made them several times and people always rave about them! I like to add m&m’s to them too! 🙂
Love this recipe and will try it out on 75 people on Wednesday! It is just what I was looking for. Question: can I use a mixer to mix this as I have a bad shoulder? Thanks!
Yes!
These bar cookies were a big hit at our staff “end zone” BBQ at homecoming. So easy to make last minute. Love the single-bowl, melted butter, no-chilling, no scooping tray after tray of cookies ease of the recipe.
Quick question…can this be made into a cookie cake? I’ve never made one, but truly trust your recipe, and we love your cc cookie recipe, and this one looks similar. I live overseas and only have an 11×17 pan. Should I double the batch or not? I was going to add a little icing decor on top since it’ll be for a birthday.
Yes, it works great made into a larger batch (in a sheet pan!). If you want it super thin, I’d only 1 1/2 the recipe (or maybe try a single batch), if you want it the thickness shown in the pictures, I’d double for that size of pan.
I made these with half bread flour just to experiment and made them dairy free with dairy free chocolate chunks and substituted the butter for shortening and added a tiny bit of water to compensate for the water in the butter. Also added some chopped pecans and they came out amazing.
I used self rising flour instead of regular flour. I added a 1/2 teaspoon extra of baking soda per cup of regular flour asked for. They came out great!
Could you use self rising flour in place of the all purpose and the baking soda?
I haven’t tried that but you could experiment!
Made these with my 5 year old daughter today. We called them Candy Jar Bars. We chopped up a bunch of Easter candy from our candy jar and threw it all in – Kit Kats, M & M’s, Snickers, Reese’s Pieces, Trix and some chocolate chips too. Had to add a few extra minutes to the baking time to compensate. SO good!
Mel, what are your suggestions for high elevation baking (I live in Montana)? I’m going to try these for a Cub Scout Pack Meeting but cookies and bars usually turn out flatter and greasier for me.
Try adding 2 tablespoons more flour – sometimes just a touch more flour does the trick!
Our family and small group loved these! I need to make bar cookies more often because it was so nice not to have to scoop out cookie balls! Your directions are always spot on, thanks Mel!
Trying these out today. Used two cups of smashed up Hersey chocolate bars (milk chocolate and cookies and cream). Used an 11×14 cookie sheet. Can’t wait to try them!
These were delisious! I use a lot of your recipes for all of our familes meals and deserts and these were one of our all time favorite!
Easy and delicious! Definitely a keeper recipe!
Pre-made the batter tonight. Sticking it in the fridge and going to make tomorrow. Have to bake 100 cookies so was prepping. Didn’t see any comments of anyone else refrigerating. Hope they turn out okay!!
Thank you for your wonderful recipe. I added the 2 cups of chocolate chips and half cup walnuts . Before baking I added half green and red glazed cherries on top. (lots). Wow, they look and taste wonderful it, just brings the squares alive for Christmas.
Your recipes are the best. I use a scale to weigh all ingredients and find baking seems to turn out better.
Donna.
i don’t see the size of the pan to use
9X13-inch pan.
If I were to make these in the morning and sever them at night would they still be good by the event that night? The only time I have available the day of to make it is around 10AM and the event isn’t until 6PM.
Yes! They’ll be great.
Mine turned out greasy and most chocolate chips settled to bottom :(. Can you give me an idea why? Not enough flour? Or should’ve cooked longer? Over mixed? My pan was glass too. I want to try it again. Great taste and top was soft crisp. Please let me know what I can try differently.
If using a glass pan, you might want to decrease the oven temperature by 25 degrees. Do you live at high elevation by any chance?
Utah!:)
I’ve been using this recipe for several years now. It never fails to please everyone. Thanks Mel.
Absolutely love these! They’re a hit every single time and so easy to throw together. You, Mel, are the recipe queen. I can’t even begin to count how many of your recipes are now regular fare at our house!
Thank you so much, Sheri!
Perfect every time!!
Hey, I would love to make these for a family reunion, if I double the recipe in a rimmed 11×17 jellyroll pan how long do I bake for? And same temp? Thanks Mel. Love your recipes.
Same temp, and check around the same time. It would only need a few extra minutes, if any. Have fun at your family reunion :).
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.
These are truly my very favorite cookie bars EVER. I discovered your recipe a couple years ago and I’ve probably made them 25+ times . They are super easy and always turn out perfect. I’m about to make another batch right now to bring to some friends tonight!
Glad you love ’em, Madison!
Mel, would you double the recipe for 30 people? Triple? Thanks!
I would probably just double and cut each pan into 15 squares.
Mine turned out a lot thinner than the photos, so it was not what I was hoping for! 🙁
I’ve tried many different recipes, but I’ve used this one three times and I think it’s the best. I was worried when I couldn’t find it this time, but on closer inspection, I realized that the website has been updated, so I didn’t recognize it at first.
I like a pan cookie that is a little more cookie than chocolate, so I only use 1/2 cup of chips, but it’s a delicious cookie with great edges and a nice, chewy texture.
These are now my go to cookies!! So easy and delicious, many complements whenever I make them. Last night I tried to make them and realized I didn’t have any chocolate chips. I tried adding some toffee bits instead.. YUMM! They were amazing, highly recommend !
These are SO good! Super moist and everyone loved them. Thanks! I wanted to make it for Fathers Day but using a jelly roll pan. Would I just double the recipe??
Are you talking a rimmed baking sheet (like 11X17-inches or so)? If so, then yes, you can double the recipe.
Amazing! This has become my go-to recipe for chocolate chip bars.
Made these twice in the last week. They were a hit with the family and again at a potluck gathering. I used dark chocolate and caramel chips–yum! The texture is really soft and good, but they still hold together well to cut and serve on a platter.
Ok…that was dangerous. They were way too easy to throw together. They’re in the oven now but based on the small “quality control” taste of dough, these are going to be amazing. And you’re right–thank goodness I threw them all in otherwise I’d be sneaking bites of cookie dough while waiting for the batches to bake! Thanks for including the both measurements in the ingredients I must be European at heart–I think it’s so much easier to just weigh everything out!
If I need a guaranteed recipe for something I’ve never made before, your blog is the first place I hit. Keep up the good work!
Edit: My husband took one bite and said “Yep. Go ahead and make these again anytime you want.” If anyone comes within 30′ of our house the first thing he does is say “You’ve got to try these cookie bars!” 🙂
Haha, that’s awesome!
These cookies were just as good as you said they were!! And so easy to make! Thank you for another winner!!
These are simply ZA BES . Quick and divine.
These were great! I usually hesitate with cookie bars because often they turn dry the next day. Not these! They stayed nice and moist, chewy. Took some to a friend and they loved them. I’m making them today and adding walnuts.
Delicious! But to be actually thick I used an 8 x 11 inch pan.
Amazing! So simple and so good. Between myself and my 3 kids we ate them all in a day. We used semi sweet chocolate chunks and they were perfect.
These were just perfect. I used salted caramel chips, and they were a hit. Thanks Mel for a great recipe.
made these yesterday and they were pretty much perfection. they mysteriously disappeared by the afternoon. 🙂
Mel, I baked these cc bars yesterday & Wow, I did not expect them to be Sooooooooo scrumptious. They are a real winner. LOL just as they were going in the oven, I noticed the vanilla sitting on the counter unused. So, without the vanilla they were still out if this world. I ate two before I finished slicing them. The whole family just loved them. Will be re-visiting this one many times. Thanks so much for a real keeper.
I do believe these cookie bars were the second recipe I had ever made from your blog, some 5 years ago when I started reading it. They have become a well loved staple treat. This recipe is even requested for birthday’s instead of cake in our house. (And if we are being honest with each other, the original photos are so warm and cozy and make my mouth water. They have a special place in my recipe book).
Glad you’ve been a fan of these bars (and the photos!) for so long!
HI Mel, Just printing off this recipe for family night treat tonight. Thanks, I print the ones I think are keepers as I still love paper. I just got my 12 year old a smart phone. I am trying to find a balance in our home, and felt it was the right time for her since she is a middle schooler, babysitter and out more with friends. My other two kids have Kindle’s. I bought and loaded Qustodio on all the devices. It blocks the yucky stuff, it monitors what they do and gives me a report, I can turn them off whenever I please and I have time limits, restrictions and can block whatever I want. I am very happy with it. It works well with android, not sure with apple. My 12 year old needed the connection to her friends since she is introverted and quiet and is a trustworthy kid. She is handling it well and hopefully she will not feel deprived and become rebellious. She actually uses it less than 30 minutes a day typically. All social media is banned at our house, parents included. Anyhow, hope that helps. I love being able to pick up my phone, check my Qustodio app and see who is doing what and when etc. I also love when they say “it turned off” and then go play with real toys and people!! Thanks for all the great recipes!!!!
Mel – this were fantastic! I browned my butter and that made them extra delicious! I read the many comments and some people mentioned a longer baking time. I felt the same way too. Maybe because I used a glass pan? When I make them again I’ll try a metal pan and see if I have a different experience. Thanks so much Mel for all you do.
Hey Andrea – I LOVE these with browned butter – glad you tried it that way! And yes, a glass pan will make a difference. I find it helps to lower the bake temp by 25 degrees when using a glass pan; they’ll take longer to bake but will bake more evenly.
I made these a long time ago and they turned out really greasy, like butter dripping from them. With all the positive comments I really wanted them to work so I tried again and fully mixed the butter in the early steps of the recipe and they turned out fabulous. So be sure you follow the directions exactly and it should work.
Just tried this with my kids. Super easy to make! I mixed whites chocolate chips with milk – probably way too sweet for my taste but kids loved it. Will definitely be making these again for events.
Thanks, Susan!
I just made these bars tonight, and they are awesome! It’s almost like eating a rich cookie dough bar, very delicious. Thanks for another great recipe! P.S. I did line my pan with parchment paper instead of aluminum foil, and it worked out great.
Thanks, Mia!
Can i use parachute paper instead of foiled?
Do you mean parchment paper? Yes, I think you could use that instead of foil
My husband’s ultimate favorite dessert is a chocolate chip cookie. We’ve made this same recipe for years (via allrecipes), but had never thought to make it in a 9×13. It’s perfection! Genius! We’ve made it twice in the last 24 hours because we were supposed to bring some to family dinner but ate too many…
That’s awesome!
I made these to bring to a friend that just had a baby. Of course, my hubby and son are the official taste testers at home. These bars were a hit with both crowds! I used a combination of chocolate chunks and peanut butter chips. Mel, do you have any tips on adding peanut butter to the dough itself? How much would you add, and would you make changes to any other ingredients? Thanks for all of your great recipes!
Hmmm, I’d probably throw a cup of peanut butter in the batter and see how that goes!
Made this with almond extract in place of vanilla. Divine. Easy Peasy. A simple perfect keeper of a recipe! I see these being made at middle school slumber parties forever more.
Haha, I don’t know why the middle school slumber party comment cracked me up, but it did.
If you have teenagers invading your house or your teenager needs to take something to someone else’s house to hang out…these are always a hit and I get “supermom” points from other teenagers (never mine) but I think mine is secretly proud.
Love that these are a hit with the teenagers!
Thanks for the quick and easy recipe. I made them yesterday for the family and they were a hit. Everyone loved them! One note: I had to bake them for 31 minutes in my oven in order for them to be done.
Thanks for the comment, Diane!
Mel, I’m sorry I can’t find where to leave a comment about favorite podcasts. Just thought I’d mention a couple. Decorating Tips and Tricks and James MacDonald from Harvest Bible Chapel in the Chicago area.
I appreciate your recipes so much! Thanks for making simple and delicious food!
~Melinda
Thanks so much, Melinda!
This is my new go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookie bars. So good! I undercooked them a little bit, but they were still delicious. And so easy. I’ll be making these over and over again! Thanks!
Thanks, Nicole!
Made these this evening with Salted carmel chips. OH SO GOOD!!!! Thanks! I’ll be keeping this recipe!
On another note, I dreamed about you last night. In it, I got to meet you. You were HUGELY pregnant. Like abnormally so, your belly hung down halfway to your knees. lol My Mom was with me when we met you and was completely starstruck. It was one of those dreams that you just want to keep going. 🙂
Hahahahaha. Oh my gosh, Jessica, I don’t quite know what to say about this! I’m not pregnant, so ease your mind about that. 🙂
These are one of my favorites! The first time I made them (a few years ago), I made them three times in three days! I seem to follow the same pattern ever since. Absolutely perfect! Thanks again for another delicious favorite!
I’m loving that pattern! 🙂 They are so easy, there really isn’t a reason NOT to make them three times in three days!
325 for 24 minutes? Won’t it be raw in the middle? Even when I bake regular cookie dough in a 9×13 pan at 350 for 30 min it’s still slightly gooey in the middle. And my oven temp is fine.
Or should it be a larger jelly roll pan so it’s thinner?
This is the timing that works best in my oven, but you can definitely adjust as needed.
Thx Mel!
Quick question – I only have a glass 9×13 pan. Will that be ok? Appreciate all the good recipes!
Hey Heather – for a glass pan, I’d suggest decreasing the temp by 25 degrees.
Great recipe, this was just what I was looking for. My hubby has a bunch of extra co-workers in town this week (usually it’s just him & one other) & he asked if I would make a treat to share. I needed something easy to send with him & this popped up. Quick, easy & oh so yummy! I prefer these to chocolate chip cookies I think, love the corners. Sadly tho, he took them all to work with him so I only got one. Guess I will have to break down & make another batch 🙂 Thanks again for all your work sharing such goodness!
Thanks, Kathy!
Just wondering if you tested this recipe with either 1 or 2 eggs? I’m not a huge fan of just using a yolk and having to think of something to use the white for (I usually stash them in the freezer but never get around to using them). Thanks!
I have used a full two eggs and they aren’t quite as chewy – more cakey. But you can experiment and see if you like them that way!
These were the perfect mid-week pick me up for my girls who are in the middle of state standardized testing. So quick and easy and amazing! This will be my new go-to recipe for chocolate chip bar cookies for sure. And in case anyone is wondering: 1/2 cup butterscotch chips with 1 and 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips was delicious! Since that’s all I had left of butterscotch chips. :o) Perfect recipe for little helpers in the kitchen too.
Yum, yum! Thanks for the report back, Emily!
This is my all time favorite quick cookie bar recipe! It is also a great recipe to hand off to the kids so they can make dessert for company 😉
Super easy to mix up and super easy to eat! I added some chopped walnuts, just because I love nuts in my cookies. Definitely a keeper!
Love that these are so adaptable – thanks for the review, Ellen!
I first saw this recipe at noon today. By 3:00 they were made, cooled and devoured. All the 14 year old boys I had to take to track practice gave them 2 thumbs up. Thanks for another great recipe!
Lucky teenagers! 🙂
I, too, make these all the time, I sometimes add in about 2 ounces of cocoa powder and remove the same amount of the flour for a chocolate variation. Thank you, for another fabulous recipe!
That sounds amazing!
I’m thinking you ought to give it a whirl, Mel
I made these last night. Not only are they easy (I had a 16-month old clinging to my legs for most of the process), they are fabulous!
For a variation, I added 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients because I love chocolate and cinnamon together…they were mind-blowing good. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us!
Oooh, fabulous idea with the cinnamon, Summer!
These have been a family tradition to make on Christmas Eve with Christmas colored M&M’s. I love how quick and easy they are to make, plus how delicious they taste.
How festive!
These are my absolute favorite–they have the perfect chew and sweet/salt balance. A favorite memory is that I made these 6 years ago when I was in labor with my second daughter (a home birth), and after I delivered, the midwife and our family sat around and ate them (the chocolate chips were still gooey–clearly it was a quick delivery). Now, I make them every year for my daughter’s birthday to commemorate the grand event.
These have been a family favorite since you posted them all those years ago. Thanks, Mel. You da best.
This is the best comment, Tristin! Seriously! Still melty chocolate chips? Good thing that was a home birth. 🙂
We LOVE these bars! They are a staple in our house. Also, the super soft cookie. Everyone know that recipe as “jessica’s Chocolate chip cookies”. I promise I always send them to your site when someone asks me for the recipe. 🙂 I haven’t made the other two cookie recipes (at least not recently). Pretty sure I may need to make all of them and we can have a taste test on which we love the most. 🙂
Funny you mention that because I’m going to have a chocolate chip cookie tasting party (and root beer tasting party) with some adult couple friends in the next couple weeks. I’m going to make several different kinds of chocolate chip cookies and have a blind taste test for everyone to vote on their favorites (root beer, too!). And then we’ll all go run a mile or two. 🙂
These are my go to when I am in the mood for cookies and don’t want to wait around for butter to soften.
Did you use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe?
I always use salted butter
I have been making this recipe for years and it is definitely one of my favorite treats to make. They are so yummy and easy to make.
We have a play date planned at our house this afternoon and last night I thought it would be fun to make a treat for the boys. My son couldn’t decide between cookies or bars. I thought I’d search your recipe index for bar cookies. LOL Thanks for putting the right recipe front and center!!!
Haha, great timing!! 🙂
These are some of our favorites for feeding a crowd! I double the recipe and press it in a cookie sheet! It’s quick, easy and delicious!
Bake time for half sheet pan?
Right about the same…
Hi Mel! Do you think it would work to sub m&ms in for the chocolate chips?
I think so! M&Ms tend to crack a little when baking, but if that’s not a big deal, they should sub just fine!
I just made your bars and they are delicious soft chewy, and I will make them again. I used milk chocolate and white Nestle morsels, pecan and chopped walnuts, and I baked it for 40 minutes at 325 in a deep 12 inch long 7 1/2 wise and 2 inch deep pan. Other than that I didn’t change the recipe at all. I wanted the bars to be thick. It made 12 bars total. Perfect. Thank you so much.
This is my go to recipe every time! So delicious!!
This is my new go to cookie recipe! I have made many variations, all delicious (add chopped peanut butter cups and peanuts, caramels and sea salt, etc.!!!)
Amazing recipe! One of my go tos for hosting last minute company
I love this recipe, thanks. I also use U.S.A bake pans and you do not have to grease or flour their bake pans, everything comes out without any problem.
Gordonna Bush
Wow!! These turned out perfectly. I subbed one cup of chocolate chips with crushed up Butterfinger and they were amazing. I froze them in advance of a cookie swap and then Bates them at 275 for 10 minutes and let them cool for about an hour before I put them in their bags and they tasted freshly baked
I have found my go-to, perfect cookie bar recipe! I make these at least once a week. I love to customize the chips. Favorites include dark chocolate/peanut butter chips, white chocolate/macadamia nut, semi sweet/butter scotch chips, and of course the tried and trued original good ole chocolate chips. I find that I need to keep them in a good half hour, but feel that it is due to the ridiculously high humidity. Just want to thank you, Mel…I also swear by your beef broccoli and sweet and sour chicken recipe.
Oh man- I made these three times in the last three days! My boys kept eating them all. Amazing! Thanks for sharing.
Love love LOVE these cookie bars! So good fresh out of the oven! And instead of chocolate chips you can always put in crushed up candy bars, peanut butter cups, or white chocolate chips & macadamia nuts! Yum!
Just made this. It was great! Thanks!
Just finished making this recipe, so yummy and easy to make. I’ve been looking for a bar recipe like this one for some time and so glad I found yours. I’m sure I’ll make this over and over again. Turned out perfect! Thanks for sharing.
These were amazing and so easy to whip up! I have so much faith in you that I ordered your favorite Calphalon 9 x 13 pan without even thinking twice. Made these bar cookies as soon as it arrived and they turned out great. The top was slightly browned and the texture was spot on and very easy to slice into squares. I have tried SO many of your recipes and have never been disappointed! Sometimes I feel a little guilty for taking credit for such yummy dishes. Everyone thinks that I’m such a good cook but it’s really your recipes that make me look so good in the kitchen. Thanks for all you do and we appreciate you more than you’ll ever know!
Thank you so much, Diane!
Made these this morning …turned out great! While mixing these up though I thought about the comments people have made about them being greasy and wonder if they followed the directions exactly specifically re: mixing in the egg and egg yolk with the melted butter and sugars before mixing in with the flour? The egg and egg yolk act as emulsifiers for the fat– so mixing those together well prevents the fat in the butter separating out and making the bars “greasy”. One thing I have learned about Mel’s recipes is that following the instructions exactly is very often the key to the good results they provide. Thank you Mel!
I have made these many, many times. They are so delicious! I got a food scale for Christmas and I just made these weighing the ingredients. Made me giddy! Thank you for including the ounce measurements.
have you ever made a big batch of these in a half-size cookie sheet? would you double the recipe?
Yes, that should work – if you want thinner bars (or the sides of your pan are low), you might 1 1/2 the recipe instead.
Did anyone else find these greasy? They are delicious, but the bottom is extremely greasy, as if they are oozing butter, to the point where they left marks on my cutting board. Would it be possible to cut back on the butter?
You could certainly try cutting back on butter, Nicole, but I wonder if it might be another issue? I’m not sure what…but I’ve made these dozens and dozens of times and they are never greasy to the point you are describing. What brand of butter did you use out of curiosity?
OMG!! I tried this recipe and added Nutella and caramel sauce to the batter. Then I put big chocolate chips, heath chips and mini marshmallows in the batter and baked it for 20 minutes. It was the biggest hit ever!!!!!!
T
hat sounds good. How much of the nutella and heath chips marshmellows etc did you put in
EVERYBODY got the best this or that. I was sure this was going to fall into that same category. Whew, I was wrong. These bars, lawd, these bars are fantastic! I am very picky and it is hard to please me and these bars, they did it. I did not completely melt butter (used half mardrine and half butter) I let it them get very close to melting where it was easy to stir with a spoon. I did everything else as stated. I will make these again and again. Thank you so much for posting.
My son hates cake so every year for his birthday i make him chocolate chip cookies. This year I made this recipe followed it exactly and baked it in my large round spring form pan. He said it was the best birthday cookie ever. Everyone loved it and ate it all. I am now making another one one week later.
Hi ladies, I have made these cookie bars 5 times now and only once have I gotten them to turn out. I follow the recipe and cook time to a t but no luck. When I take them out they aren’t done at all and/or seem like cookies with too much butter (greasy and thin etc). Please help I really want to make these work.
I would try chilling the dough for an hour before you bake them.
That should help.
I made these with two small additions….coconut and sprinkled pecans on top. YUM!!!
My sister and I made these- they are absolutely amazing and so easy to make!
http://www.thebaconharvest.com/best-choc-chip-cookies/
These are definitely a go-to in my house ! I follow the recipe almost to a T – I usually microwave my butter on auto defrost so it’s usually partially melted and partially solid (but slightly warmer than room temperature). They are so quick and easy to make!
I do have one question for Mel – Do you happen to have a version for these bars in which the base is a chocolate cookie? I think my husband might die of happiness if he could have double chocolate cookie bars 🙂
No, not yet but you have my brain working now – I think I might try that this afternoon!
YAY! Please let me know what you come up with!!! I’ve also thought about a chocolate version and maybe putting a few dabs of chocolate and/or caramel in it. (( drool ))
Just made these! Love this. It was a big hit with kids who are picky eaters.
I made these tonight, and they were amazing! Could not find a better recipe than this. But I did have to bake the bars for 16 minutes more, to actually cook it? Is there any reason why that may have happened?
Probably due to differences in oven temperatures and type of oven (electric, convection, gas). Glad they worked out!
Just pulled this recipe up again. Whipped it up just now in less than 20 minutes. I will serve them to my Girls On The Run team during our team party his afternoon. I love this recipe because I typically have all of the ingredients on hand. It’s a true hit with everyone! Thanks so much Mel .
Oh my goodness! Yum, Yum and Yum. No better bar cookies. I’ll cut back on the chips next time – maybe just a cup. My husband will protest but they’re a little too rich for me.
I’ve been looking for a recipe to make a giant chocolate chip cookie – the size of a 12-inch pizza pan – to decorate for a birthday. The “Mrs. So-and-So” version in the mall goes for about $40 and that’s just crazy. I tried a few recipes, but while they tasted good, they were flat/thin. I want the cookie-cake thick and substantial. Could I bake this in a 12-inch round pan? Should I double the recipe? Any changes on the temp or baking time? Thanks
I’ve never baked this recipe in a 12-inch pan but I think you might need more batter so consider halving the recipe again or doubling. Good luck!
Thanks for the quick reply. I will double the recipe and make regular cookies if there is any extra batter (not a problem with that!). I’ll hope for the best and let you know how it goes. Fingers crossed.
i just made these and they are absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe. Would it be ok if I shared it on my blog next time I make them? I will include the link to your site and give you all the credit. These are just to scrumptious not to share.
Sure!
these are fab-u-lous!my kids and i were craving something chocolate chippy today, and these bars nailed it:)i just love how you add a little tweak here and there in your recipes that really make such a huge difference in the taste.the extra brown sugar and egg yolk in these,for instance.thanks for this recipe!
Oh my! These are delicious and so easy. Thank you so much for sharing.
These are my absolute favorite go to bars. They are thick and chewy and delicious!! And I always have everything I need on hand in my kitchen. Thank you for yet one more of my favorites!
I used 50/50 milk chocolate and dark chocolate. The blondies were chewy and yummy. Will definitely make again!
Why does the recipe say 2 1/8 c flour and then you have (10 1/2 ounces ) . It doesn’t match .
The recipe assumes 5 ounces for each cup of flour (which is the standard I use for all my recipes that include a weight for flour) so the 2 1/8 cup would be right around 10.5 – 10.6 ounces.
Made exactly as directed and they turned out perfectly! So soft and chewy and delicious!
Oh my! These are so good we couldn’t stop eating them.
I used a 12-oz bag of chocolate chips (~1-2/3 cups) plus a cup of walnuts. It made it difficult to spread in the pan, but oh so good. Thanks for this.
I am a chocolate chip cookie monster. I am also lazy. This recipe meets my needs perfectly. I have made these 4 times since I discovered the recipe on pinterest. It is perfect for when you are making a meal for someone and need a dessert. Have a batch in the oven now. Thank you for sharing this.
These are delicious! Do you think they would freeze well?
Yes, they freeze great!
Hi. How do I get the top of the cookie bars to brown? I baked at the listed time and temp and they didn’t look cooked at all, even though they were. I would like to have that appealing golden brown look on the tops of the bars. Is that achievable with this recipe without compromising the chewiness/texture of the bars? Thank you!
The top of the cookies actually should not be overly brown. The edges might be a bit golden but if the top is overly brown it means they are overbaked and might be dry.
These are fabulous! I have made them several times, and they are consistently perfect. Always have rave reviews. Today, I made a batch as well as another batch to suit my friend’s daughter who has a dairy allergy. I swapped out the butter for oil, and used raisins instead of the chocolate chips. Even though the texture changed a bit, they were equally delicious. Might be worth a try for anyone else with a food allergy.
Thank you for all your yummy recipes. I consistently come to your website to see what’s for dinner! Always easy, and always yummy! Thank you!!
Is there a reason you are using foil instead of parchment to line the pan?? Planning to make these this afternoon 🙂
okay, these are absolutely delicious and dangerously fast and easy to whip up…i was feeling rebelious (and lazy?) and decided not to line the pan…baked them in a disposable foil pan, didn’t even grease it (have i mentioned i’m rebellious??) and they came out perfect…the bars came out of the pan with ease, no sticking at all…thanks for an awesome recipe, Mel =)
Cyndi – Sorry for the late response. I am glad they turned out well for you! As for your question, it is mostly just personal preference since foil presses into the corners of the baking pan easier than parchment but either could be used.
Really good and easy! I am saving this recipe.
Made these over the weekend and they are fantastic. A chewy chocolate chip cookie without the work. Thanks for sharing!
This is a great recipe! Easy, quick, they cut perfectly, and taste delish! It’s my go-to for cookie bars. Thanks for posting it!
I was searching for a good chocolate chip cookie bar, and was so excited when one of my favorite food bloggers was in the top three of the search results! These were delicious, as is pretty much always the case with everything you post. We were short on chocolate chips so we sprinkled some coconut on top as well and they were delightful. Thanks for sharing!
Hey mel, I was wondering how the bars would turn out if I added a bit of milk(not too much though)- they always seem kind of dry,so I keep adding butter, but I was wondering about milk instead as its healthier…will they still be chewy?
Angie – Instead of adding milk, I’d start by adding a few tablespoons less flour to see if that helps the dryness – otherwise, I don’t see that a few tablespoons of milk would cause a major problem.
I’d go with less flour. For my flour, 10.5 ounces of flour is more than 2-1/8 cups.
P.S. … Also on our second batch of the cinnamon sugar breadsticks … Since yesterday 🙂 Love treats & that you help make them possible … In my defense, I do have the have the Ham, sweet potato, and white bean soup cooking in the crockpot … Trying to maintain some balance 🙂
I’m going to admit to you Mel…. I’m making these ( or the oatmeal version) doubled batch for the 4th time in 10 days… Ok 9 people live at my house … Nearly half of them are teens/Tweens … We love them … Great solution to cookies on these wintery days 🙂
Helen – I’ll keep your little secret. 🙂 Totally justified with all those tweenagers needing treats!
Do you use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe?
Alli – I always use salted butter.
Melanie, It’s time that I thank you for this lifesaving (ok that is semi dramatic but it gets the point across 🙂 recipe! This was the first recipe I tried upon discovering your blog. Not only has this here blog been amazing for my menu planning, but it’s helped pull me through some recent late night nursing sessions 🙂 As I said lifesaving recipe, I have used it to whip up for spontaneous play dates, the sweet treat in a meal I recently delivered to a friend in need, the occasional potluck, and when I just HAVE to have something sweet. I always have ingredients on hand and I’ve tried different mix-ins too. (chocolate chips is the best tho). Thank, thank you, thank you!!!
Hi Jess!
I was just looking thru the comments of this recipe to see if I could pick up any “tips” and saw your name. It just struck me as funny because I’m making cookies to ship to my son in California for his birthday and his name just happens to be Jesse Meyers!
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Thanks for the recipe! I love the ease of it. I am baking for my family (big one) for Christmas and was looking for a good recipe.
Dear Mel,
I was wondering if you use 2 1/8 cups or 10 1/2 oz of flour. I can’t remember which one I did the first time I made these (which turned out great, by the way). Do you know which measurement is correct?
Sincerely,
Laurie
Hi Laurie – both measurements are actually correct, it just depends on if you have a scale to weigh the ingredients or if you are going to use a cup measure. I have a scale so I always weigh out the 10 1/2 ounces of flour.
I love these. They are so delicious! I was able to get 25 bars out of my batch. I gave a few to my neighbor. These are so easy!! Better than chocolate chip cookies.
Oh no Amy…how did your batch come out with two eggs? I just baked these….they are literally cooling right now. I can’t wait to taste them! They look phenomenal.
I messed around and put 2 whole eggs. Will that mess up the recipe? I sure hope not. 🙁
Okay… It took literally ALL of my willpower to put the dough in the oven — it was so good!! I’m glad I did, though. I have never really thought of chocolate chip cookie bars as Blondie’s before, and I think that is a long-running mistake. I LOVE that the tops of these bars flake like chocolate brownies. I LOVE their texture and flavor. I don’t think I can bring myself to completely replace my chocolate chip cookie recipe, but I am DEFINITELY bookmarking this for the next time I specifically want bars. SO good!!
These are the exact cookies my Mom always made us as kids. That was in the ’50’s so you know they must be great! My grandchildren make them now. I love that kind of family history.
How many umpteen years have I made the Toll House recipe as my standby cookie… These are definitely the new go-to!!!
I was committed to making these and realized I only had 1 stick of butter. I made a few unsuccessful calls to some neighbors and had to get creative. I used the 1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce. I definitely had to bake longer, but there were just as good as we remember!
Best choc. chip bar cookie recipe hands down. Instead of 2 cups, I reduce the chocolate chips to 1 or 1 1/4 cup and there are plenty.
i’m just finding this recipe. sounds good and i am wondering if you all decided on a “best time” to bake them so they won’t be gooey, but not dry either.
thanks
These are amazing! Made them today…kids are working their way through them. Just needed a little extra time, since I’m at a higher altitude. Thank you!!
I made these last night. I doubled the recipe and cooked it in a 12×18 rimmed baking sheet for about the same baking time. They were delicious!
I made these a while ago and liked them, but recently I have been loving them. I think I’ve made them 5 times in the last month. Anytime we are asked to bring a treat to something, I can whip these up in way less time than it takes to make most cookie recipes. I often double the recipe and bake it in one big jelly-roll style pan lined with parchment; they are perfect after 26 minutes and with just a little less than 4 cups of milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips. ~50 squares of deliciousness ready in a little over a half hour? Does it get any better?
These are so wonderful. This is probably the fourth time I’ve made these. This time, I’ve chopped up the chocolate Easter bunnies in lieu of chips 🙂
I only had a stick and a half of butter and needed a dessert for a family potluck today that would go a long way, be awesome, and use only things I had on hand. These were outstanding! They were just right at 28 minutes. Super good and awesomely easy! I’m so happy/sad I know how to make them…these are gonna spell trouble for me in moments of weakness! 😀
Just tried these last night. They are delicious! I added M & M’s for some extra fun and cut them in big squares and served them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Yum!
I can’t stop making these! They are so easy and so good! We’ve tried M&M’s and semi sweet chips (for valentines day!) and white chocolate chips plus butterscotch chips, and I’m thinking that I need a new variation today. Thanks for a great, easy recipe. You’re always my go-to food blog! 🙂
Thank you – I will keep a close eye on these….there will be very hungry actors and actresses and I would hate to disappoint 🙂
These look divine. I need to make a 12×18 pan full of these for my son’s musical rehearsal buffet. If I double the recipe do you know how long I should bake them? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Kathy – I’ve doubled these before and you should probably cut about 5 minutes off the baking time. Check them early because these definitely shouldn’t be overbaked.
Is the baking time doubled if I make a double batch?
Actually when I double them and put the dough in a large, rimmed baking sheet, I usually take them out a couple minutes before the baking time in the recipe. The larger surface area bakes faster in my experience.
I doubled these today and used a bag of chocolate chips and a bag of Valentine’s M&M’s! They are really good, and very cute too! I love the texture! Good thing I made them to share or else I would be in big trouble!
This is a “print and keep” recipe. Excellent and I’d never used the tinfoil trick before. So enlightening! Thanks for a delicious recipe that I’ll keep making for years to come. 🙂
Mel, I have been meaning to comment on these for months. This is my favorite simple dessert recipe. I have made them for my family dozens of times and I appreciate the simplicity. 4 months ago, as I whipped up a batch, I went into labor with my second daughter. By the time they came out of the oven, my midwife was over for our planned home birth. Long story short, about 2 hours later, I had the baby and then we all ate these cookie bars. Now, I love them even more for the sentimentality… My labor story always starts with.. “Well, I was in the kitchen, 2 weeks overdue, making cookie bars…” Just wanted to share that with you. Thanks for this and all of your wonderful recipes! You truly have one of the best food blogs around!!
Just made these are they absolutely DELICIOUS!!! The BEST I’ve ever had! This recipe is now bookmarked! 🙂
Thank you Mels Kitchen!
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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.
Made these last night for a weekly community group we do in our neighborhood. I was told I had to bring these next week, and to please double the batch. So easy to make and turned out exactly as pictured above. Gotta love a recipe like that! Thanks!!
Sarah – glad these were such a hit…sounds like you’ve made yourself a reputation to always have these in hand!
I just got done baking these — my 17 yr. old daughter and 11 year old son both love these! (and I am also enjoying them with a glass of milk!)
When I tried making these in the past the middles always tasted undercooked….I don’t have that problem with this recipe. Maybe it has something to do with baking them on the lower middle oven rack. Thanks!
Bobbi – glad your kids loved these bars! Thanks for letting me know.
I came across your blog from another yesterday & found this recipe. What a coincidence that I have all the ingredients in my house 🙂 Made them as soon as I got home & they are outstanding!!!!
Thanks SO much for sharing!!!
Heather – welcome! And I’m thrilled that your first recipe try was one you loved. Thanks for letting me know!
I just cut a batch of these and OH MY are they good..the BEST bars ever..I have tried a LOT of them, including the ones on the bag, and THESE, for some reason, are the best… :o) YUM!
Diana – so glad you’ve found the best bar recipe! Thanks for letting me know.
These are amazing! I made them with M&M’s and I can’t stop making them over and over again! I’ll never bother with regular cookies again. These are so darn easy to whip together! Thanks for the fantastic recipe.
Lizzy – so glad you liked these, thanks for checking in to let me know!
Thanks for this recipe. I hate making individual cookies. They make you a slave to the oven and timer. Also like this because i always have all the ingredients in house. I buy butter,eggs, brown sugar and chocolate chips in large quantities from Costco or Sam’s .
Made these and took them to a gathering. Good thing I took them somewhere because I would’ve ended up eating them all by myself. They were delicious. Thanks for the great recipe.
Carmen – thanks for letting me know you liked these bars! They are perfect for gatherings/potlucks.
Made these and loved them, thanks! I too struggle with blondies and these were easy peesy! I just did 1 cup of dark choc chips and loved them – though I think my hubby would have liked a few more chips. These are my new go to blondies – been searching for this kind of recipe so feeling very happy you shared it with us!
Thanks, Jenny!
Fantastic! They’re buttery and a perfect chewy bar!
Danielle – I’m excited to know the white wheat flour worked so well. I use it a lot, also. And I agree, ice cream on these babies would be heavenly!
I almost forgot, a little vanilla ice cream and these bars while they are still warm would be absolute heaven!
I made these Sunday when we needed a little something sweet. I also used white wheat flour, which I love to use in baking. They were just wonderful. I spent most of Monday “evening-out” the edges.
i made these and took them still warm to our new neighbours! fabby – thanks!
scrappysue – so glad these were a perfect hit with the neighbors. Still warm = big yum, in my book!
Marie – I'm loving all these recent comments with people using white wheat flour. Yay! Thanks for your comment, it means a lot that you like my blog. Thanks for letting me know!
Wow, these are AWESOME! I used white wheat flour instead, lowered the sugar by 1/4 cup for each, used 1 cup chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup walnuts and it was still yummy! We loved it; definitely a keeper. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! I can’t wait to try more recipes from your site! It’s my favorite out of all the food blogs I visit.
Kara – thanks for letting me know!
Lori – thank you for your nice comment! I’m so glad that you have enjoyed the recipes…if you ever start a food blog, be sure to let me know…I’ll be a follower for sure!
I had to run and make these over the weekend and boy, were they delish! and it was easy! I have seriously lost count of all the recipes I’ve tried from your blog. Sometimes, I consider creating a food blog, but all I would have is a link to your blog! 🙂
Thank you!
I made the bars, and everyone loved them!
Kara
Jschmalle – how did they turn out??
Sweet Baker Babes – so glad you liked these and that they helped with the unmotivation to bake – they certainly help with mine!
Thanks for a fantastic recipe!! I think they tasted better than most regular chocolate chip cookies, and so much easier!! I too just returned from a trip less than a week ago and was feeling so unmotivated, this was the perfect recipe to get me out of my baking funk!
Ooooo, these are in the oven right now! I can’t wait to eat em.
Ann – yum, I think the butterscotch chips would be delightful in these!
SBShell – glad you liked these – thanks for letting me know!
Jessanna – I had my fourth baby when my oldest was only five, too, so I know how you are probably feeling and I’m glad you commented! Thank you!
Made these last night. They are AWESOME. So much easier than making individual cookies (yes I am that lazy LOL!)
Thanks and awesome blog.
these look very familiar to me, melanie. they also look like they have the perfect texture for a hearty snack. lovely execution, and hey–good luck in getting things back into ship-shape!
I made these tonight. Mine did take a little longer to bake, but only about 30 minutes total.
I used half chocolate chips and half butterscotch chips. Amazing.
Perfect recipe for tonight. Thanks!
I’ve made something similar to this, too! I know these bars are really good.
EBPitcher – thanks for checking in to let me know that these came out ok. Also, thanks for weighing on the time in case someone else has a question about it (not sure why they took so much longer).
Erin – I’m glad to have a comment so quickly from someone who has made these! Thanks for letting me know they hit the spot on your cloudy day!
Oh man those look fantastic!!! Good luck with getting back in gear with life, I know how that goes!
I saw this post and since I was in need of making something for a school function, I whipped them up today. I just wasn’t sure when they were done, though. 28 minutes ahd past and they still seemed jiggly in the middle. So I ended up baking them for a total of 38 minutes. They are very good!
So glad you said that! I’m making these for a work lunch and just checked them and they seemed a bit on the squishy side. Going to try the 38 minutes
I love, love, love chocolate chip cookie bars. These look delicious.
Thanks for the great recipe! My family loves bar cookies.
I have a question–how do you do a link for printable versions? My mom does a recipe blog and wants to know how to do that. 🙂 Thank you!
(You don’t know me, but I’ve been following your blog forever; I hope that’s okay! My sisters kept recommending your recipes!)
I have been looking for a recipe for cookies bars like this. I can’t wait to try it.
hey girl, I just recently found your blog (actually a friend who lives across country sent me the link to your amaaazing baked past with chicken sausage recipe:) Any ways I’m a recent mother of 4- ages almost 5 to 2 months- and just had to share how your blog-and ultimately YOU inspire me!! Thanks for sharing the goods!!
Jessanna
YUM! I may have to go to the store yet tonight to pick up some chocolate chips. These look perfect! Thanks!
Ok, right after I hit the “publish your comment” button I saw someone had already suggested that. Oops, I guess I should have read the comments first. Maybe that means it is an extra good idea. 🙂 -Liz K.
These would make a fun and easy dessert for Valentines day. They would be so yummy cut out into a heart shape. My kids would love a heart shaped chocolate chip cookie with a scoop of ice cream on top! Yep, I just decided these are going on the menu for Valentines day. Now I just have to think of the perfect dinner to serve that day. Thanks for the easy idea.
this looks like the perfect pick-me-up! good luck my friend!
this is my kind of cookie… EASY! =)
I just made these because they looked so good. (For some reason they just called my name and I happened to have everything I needed on hand.) Really easy (didn’t even need to get my mixer out,) and really, REALLY good! Hit the spot on a cold cloudy day! Thanks Melanie!!
These are totally Delish! I strongly recomend these!!
Ahhh yes…all hell breaks loose when us Moms leave the house. Makes me wonder if they would ever survive without us!!
Sometimes I get home from a trip and think, “was that really worth it?”. It’s so much work for the mom!
I think I’ll hurry and make these up so they are warm when the kiddos get home from school.
I just fainted. Cookie bars are my serious weakness!
I struggle with blondies–they fall and are gooey in the middle. But I will keep trying, these look great.
These look great! But honestly, I really think you need to try the ones from my blog – Bugs Bunny Bars. They beat out any other chocolate chip cookie bar in my mind. 🙂
http://whatmegansmaking.blogspot.com/2009/02/bugs-bunny-bars.html
With Valentine’s coming up, one could use a heart shaped cookie cutter on this bar.
Whatever your troubles are, I’m praying they will be short lived. Keep this in your mind: This To Shall Pass
I have a very similar recipe that came off the bag of the choc chips. I love them. Will definitely try out this recipe.