Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are quick, deliciously rich, soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate.
These bars are so much faster than cookies to make yet are just as delicious!
Why We Love These Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Quick and Easy: They’re faster to make than traditional cookies, saving time and effort.
- Delicious Texture: Rich, soft, and chewy with the perfect amount of chocolate.
- Simple Recipe: Requires just a bowl, a spoon.
- Maple Syrup: Adds a unique softness, chewiness, and subtle maple flavor.
- Versatile: Easily customizable with different chocolates, add-ins, or frostings.
Ingredients
- Butter: Adds moisture and chewiness.
- Brown & White Sugar: Adds sweetness; brown sugar enhances chewiness.
- Egg & Yolk: Binds and enriches for softness.
- Vanilla & Maple Syrup: Boosts flavor and moisture.
- Flour: Provides structure.
- Baking Soda: Leavens for soft texture.
- Salt: Enhances flavor.
- Chocolate Chips: Adds chocolatey sweetness.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Preheat oven to 325°F; line and spray a 9×13-inch pan.
- Cool melted butter; blend with sugars, egg, yolk, vanilla, maple syrup.
- Gently mix in flour, baking soda, salt; fold in chocolate chips.
- Spread dough in pan; bake 23-28 minutes until lightly golden.
- Cool, cut into bars, and serve.
Variation Ideas
- Customize Chocolate: Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate for less sweetness, or mix chocolate types for varied flavors.
- Add-ins: Swap some chocolate for M&M’s or mix in sprinkles.
- Frosting: Top chocolate chip cookie bars with chocolate buttercream, peanut butter, or cream cheese frosting for extra flavor.
- Nuts Addition: Mix in chopped walnuts or pecans for a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store bars in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: Wrap bars individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Cookie Recipes
- Salted Caramel Cookies
- Cookies and Cream Muddy Buddies
- Avalanche Cookies
- Cornmeal Cookies
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are simple, irresistibly rich, soft, chewy, and packed with chocolate.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk see note 1
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup optional, see note 2
- 2-1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/4 cups chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper and leave an overhang for easy removal. Melt butter in microwave and set aside to cool to room temperature. Hot butter will melt the sugars and cause greasy bars.
- Whisk melted butter and sugars until smooth. Add egg, yolk, vanilla, and syrup. Whisk until smooth and emulsified.
- Use a wooden spoon to stir in baking soda, salt, and flour until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. If needed, switch to a hand mixer, but don’t overmix. Press dough evenly into pan. If desired, press a few more chocolate chips into the top.
- Bake for 23–28 minutes until top isn’t glossy and edges are lightly golden. Be careful not to overbake. Optionally top with sea salt right out of the oven. Fully cool in pan, lift out, cut, and serve.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: You can discard egg white or save and add it to breakfast the next morning. I love this Egg Skillet and this Egg Wrap.
Note 2: Maple syrup is the secret ingredient in these bars. In a pinch, you can leave it out, but the bars do lack a bit of tenderness and a certain level of sweetness. I use pure maple syrup, not to be confused with pancake syrup.
Storage: Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Wrap bars individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 206IU | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These were delicious. I added cinnamon and did a mix of choc chips, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries.
Is there a way I could sub some of the flour with rolled oats or oat flour?
Sorry Rachel I haven’t tested oats or oat flour in this recipe!
Totally awesome!! I only had 8 out of the 12 tablespoons of butter required so I added 4 tablespoons of coconut oil instead. I took the idea from your coconut oil chocolate chip cookies recipe. Just fantastic, my 18 year old son and his friends hardly let me get the pan out of the oven. All of a sudden they were 6 years old again!🤣💖
Way to make it work! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Maria! 🙂
So can you make these into a peanut butter cookie bar?
I haven’t tested a peanut butter version yet, sorry!
Made these, and they were delicious. Just like the photo. Soft and chewy, and easier than chocolate chip cookies. Will write this one down. Thank you for all the protips on measuring the flour. I think that’s where I’ve gone wrong in baking in the past. I’ll be back to your site for more recipes. Thank you! 🥰
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! 🙂 So thrilled you enjoyed this recipe and I hope you love whatever you try next!
Made these, and they were delicious. Just like the photo. Soft and chewy, and easier than chocolate chip cookies. Will write this one down. Thank you! 🥰
I can’t believe there are no comments on this recipe!! I don’t know what the magic is but these are amazing. I’m about to make them for the second time in 2 weeks 😍
Awe yay!! So thrilled you enjoyed these bars, thanks for the comment and review!