Chocolate Chip Bars

These chocolate chip bars are chewy, chocolatey, buttery, and make delicious afternoon snacks!

We love snacks in my house. And anything with chocolate chips is almost always at the top of the requests from family members.

From chocolate chip banana bread to chocolate chip cupcakes to a s'mores skillet chocolate chip cookie, we love all things chocolate chip!

So it's no surprise that we have an affinity for chocolate chip bars, too.

What do I need to make Chocolate Chip Bars?

If you have ingredients for chocolate chip cookies, then you have the ingredients you need for these bars, too:

• flour
• baking soda
• butter
• brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• semi-sweet chocolate chips

How do I make chocolate chip bars?

Making these decadent desserts is so easy!

• Simply mix the dry ingredients in one bowl.
• Mix the wet ingredients in another.
• Combine them and add the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
• Pour into the prepared baking pan lined with parchment paper, and smooth out the top.
• Bake at 325°F for 20-25 minutes, cool, then slice!

Tips for making the best chocolate chip cookie bars

Some baking tips that I have found helpful in making these the best bars ever:

• Use room temperature eggs when baking. Egg yolks break more easily at room temperature, allowing them to mix more evenly with the egg whites and other ingredients. Eggs also whip up to a much greater volume when at room temperature. I usually take the eggs out first when I am gathering my ingredients, and allow them to sit on the kitchen counter until I am ready to incorporate them.
• For chewier bars, remove them from the oven earlier. I take mine out at 20 minutes and they're just perfect for our personal tastes at that time. Everyone's oven is different, so be sure to watch them carefully the first time you make the recipe to learn when your bars are ready to your liking. I like ooey gooey chocolatey bars, but not too ooey gooey, ya know what I mean?
• Allow the bars to cool slightly to room temperature before slicing. I know you're going to want to slice these babies hot out of the oven because they smell SO AMAZING, but you must resist! If you try to slice these right out of the oven, you're gonna get a hot mess. Patience is your friend, and in just a few minutes, you'll be able to make clean slices to get gorgeous bars.

More Easy Dessert Bar & Cookie Recipes

• Butterscotch Cookies
• Apple Pie Bars
• Giant Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies
• Chewy Chocolate Fudge Cookies
• Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies with Orange and Lime

Chocolate Chip Bars

5 from 10 votes

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Recipe by Marlynn Schotland

These chocolate chip bars are chewy, chocolatey, and buttery yummy snacks!

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ tsp kosher salt
• ▢ ½ tsp baking soda
• ▢ 12 (1-½ sticks) unsalted butter melted and then cooled to room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 large egg yolk
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare a 9" x 13" baking pan by lining the bottom and sides with parchment paper. This will allow you to lift the bars out of the pan easily.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add chocolate chips and fold into the mixture until just combined. Be careful not over-mix the batter.
• Use a spatula or wooden spoon to bring the dough into the prepared pan covered with parchment paper, then even out the dough and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Bake at 325°F for 20-25 minutes. You'll know it's done when the top is a light golden brown and the edges will start to slightly pull away from the sides. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature on a wire rack before slicing into bars into 2" squares with either a knife or a pastry cutter.

Notes

You can use foil instead of parchment paper to line the pan, just be sure to grease the foil with cooking/baking spray. My preference is parchment paper; I find it makes removing and slicing through the bars, and clean up, so much easier. 

When baking, try to avoid using cold eggs. I usually take them out of the fridge as soon as I start gathering my ingredients and let them sit on the countertop for a few minutes before incorporating them. Read this article for more on why you should use room temperature eggs when baking.

For chewier bars: remove from the oven before the bars are slightly firm to the touch, around 20 minutes. 

For crispier bars: remove closer to the 25 minute mark. 

You can substitute dark chocolate, white chocolate, or milk chocolate chips or chunks, if you prefer.

DAIRY-FREE OPTIONS: I make this dairy-free by using my fave vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate chips.

 

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Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

This recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated, May 2006.

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