Skip the scooping and make your chocolate chip cookies in a pan instead! These buttery, soft and chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars require no mixer, no chilling, and no fuss. Recipe includes a how to video.
Chocolate Chip Cookies, the Lazy Way
These chocolate chip cookie bars are the dessert you’re looking for when you’re having a lazy day and are in need of a cookie fix. When you’re craving all the goodness of a warm, chewy chocolate chip cookie, but can’t muster the energy to whip out the electric mixer, let alone the patience to scoop and rotate baking sheets.
With no mixer, no chilling, and no scooping, these chocolate chip cookie bars are your perfect lazy-day dessert. They’re just as soft, chewy, buttery, and delicious as their cookie counterparts, but they take a fraction of the time to prepare.
Whether you’re in need a quick sugar fix, a last-minute party or potluck dish, or you just don’t have the energy to scoop a single cookie, I’ve got you covered. Let’s get right to it.
What You Need
As we’ve already established, making perfectly chewy cookie bars isn’t as simple as dropping a regular cookie dough recipe in a pan. Instead, you want a dough that’s designed to be enjoyed in bar form. Here’s how to make it:
- Melted butter. Melted butter (rather than softened) coats every molecule of the cookie dough for the best, buttery taste. Just remember to let it cool for a few minutes before adding it!
- Light brown sugar + granulated sugar. We’ll use more brown sugar than white for more moisture (softer cookie bars!) and better flavor.
- Eggs + an extra yolk. I added an extra egg yolk for chewier, more tender cookie bars.
- Flour. Use your average all-purpose flour here.
- Cornstarch. This is my secret ingredient for soft baked goods! Cornstarch also prevents the cookie bars from being too cakey–after all, they are cookie bars, not cake bars.
- Baking powder. This recipe uses less leaveners than your average chocolate chip cookie since the cookie bars are contained in a pan.
- Vanilla + salt. Because you can’t have flavorful chocolate chip cookies without these two!
- Chocolate chips. My preference is to use semisweet chips, but if want to use another kind, feel free.
If you’re like me, you might also want to grab some vanilla ice cream to serve alongside these bars while they’re warm. Or, you can let them cool and eat them cookie-style too!
SAM’S TIP: I like to reserve a handful of chocolate chips for sprinkling on top of the bars just before baking. This ensures that the tops of the bars will have a perfectly studded surface!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Combine the cooled butter and sugars. Add your eggs and vanilla and stir until everything is combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Then, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the dough into a parchment lined baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F. Let the bars cool slightly before cutting and serving.
SAM’S TIP: This recipe can be made in a 9×13 or 9×9 pan. I prefer using a 9×9 because it results in thicker, chewier bars. If you make yours in a 9×13, the bars will need to bake about 5-10 minutes less.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This dough will keep in the refrigerator for several days. Just make sure to cover it tightly.
This cookie dough is designed to be baked in a baking pan and is not ideal for making actual cookies. If you tried to scoop and bake this dough, you would end up with cookie pancakes that spread all over your cookie sheet! Try my popular chocolate chip cookies instead! 😊
Yes! Just add them in when you add the chocolate chips. Use approximately 1-1 ½ cups of coarsely chopped nuts. Pecans or walnuts are great options!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and then cooled for at least 5 minutes (226g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed (200g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (285g)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (340g)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a 9×9" (23x23cm) pan (see note) by lining with parchment paper (or lightly grease and flour).
- Combine melted (cooled) butter and sugars in a large bowl, stir well.
- Add eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until completely combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake on 350F (175C) for 35 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden brown.
- Allow to cool before cutting and serving (don’t cool too long, though — these are amazing when served still slightly warm!)
Notes
Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. These cookie bars may also be frozen.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Hansa
This is my second time making them and love em so much! It’s so gooey inside and crispy on the top and so so sweettt. And doesn’t take forever to make just my type! Thank you
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Amelia
Just made these and they are so delicious! My whole family loved them. 🙂
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Amelia! 🙂
Bri
So delicious, right?! 😍
Serh
Can I store the batter before baking? For how long?
Sam
This batter will keep in the refrigerator for several days. Just make sure to cover it tightly. 🙂
Riley
Hi!, I was just wondering whether I could bake this in an 8 inch cake pan, as well as your best brownie recipe, and layer them together to create a brownie cookie cake? Thanks so mush
Sam
Hi Riley! That should be fine, enjoy!
Janis
I just made these today and they are delicious! Great recipe, crispy and soft in all the right places. Thank you for making our Thursday evening extra special!
Jenessa
Can these be done in a 18×13″ pan? I have a big big crowd to serve. Thanks!
Sam
Hi Jenessa! It will work in a pan that large but you will probably need to increase the recipe and your baking time will be different. I hope everyone loves them! 🙂
Lori D
I made this today… DELICIOUS! Your recipes and directions are always perfection!
Sam
Thank you so much, Lori! I am so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Lin
Can I make these in a 8 or 9 inch round pan ?
Sam
As long as you don’t overfill the pan. Your baking time will be different. 🙂
Betty Martin
Why add cornstarch ?
Sam
Hi Betty! It makes the cookie bars softer, more tender, and more melt-in your mouth!
Bekah
So So good! I ended up baking them for about 20ish minutes, browned edges, but the inside was slightly underdone. They were delicious.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Bekah! 🙂
Steph
These are amazing. I have made them twice in the last week and a half. My family and coworkers love them. They are so much faster than cookies. The texture is amazing (soft and chewy).
I use a glass 9×13 pan and it takes approximately 34-35 minutes to bake.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Steph! Thank you for your feedback in the glass pan. 🙂
Mary
My family LOVES these!!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone loved them so much! 🙂
Jill
Hey Sam. These chocolate chip cookie bars are delicious. Thanks for another easy and delicious recipe.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Jill! 🙂
Amy
These cookie bars are phenomenal. I haven’t had a lot of time to bake recently, so I’ve been relying on quicker options, and these cookie bars are my go-to treat. Friends and family all rave about them. 🙂
I was wondering, would you be able to advise about how to alter this recipe to make Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookie bars by adding cocoa powder? Wasn’t sure if subtracting some flour and adding the cocoa powder would do it…? I’m a fairly novice baker, and all of your recipes have been no-fail for me, so I thought I’d ask!
Thank you!
Sam
Hi Amy! If you were to make this with cocoa powder you would need to reduce some of the flour or they would turn out too dry, but without having tried it I can’t be sure exactly how to alter it. If you do try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Susan
So good! This is one of the first cookie bars I’ve made that wasn’t dry!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Susan! 🙂
Yana
I made these last night and they’re so good! I didn’t have enough semisweet chocolate chips so I used 1/2 cup semi sweet, 1 cup mini kisses, and 1/2 cup m&m’s (those are all I could manage to find in my pantry!). Turned out really well. Will definitely make these again when craving for cookies but too lazy to roll and chill the dough.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Yana! 🙂
Ellen
These are amazingly good. Like so much better than regular congo cookie bars. Something about the texture is just divine. I cook mine about 22-23 min and they are perfect! And if you can believe it, I use fewer chips (270g).
My go to for bake sales, etc.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy them so much, Ellen! 🙂