These chewy chocolate chip cookie bars are unbelievably soft with brownie-like centres. Plus, they’re quicker and easier to make than normal cookies!
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So as my first new recipe of 2021, I wanted to make it a simple yet indulgent one! These chewy chocolate chip cookie bars are, as the name suggests, insanely soft and chewy in the centre with crunchy tops.
Plus, they’re much quicker to make than standard cookies!
Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie bars
Cookie bars have all the same ingredients as normal cookies but they’re baked in a pan instead of rolled into individual cookie dough balls!
This means you can save time measuring out individual cookie balls and batch baking cookies. Plus, as we don’t have to worry about cookies spreading too much in the oven here, I’ve used melted butter for extra chewy and indulgent thick cookie centres!
I developed this cookie bar recipe from my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. That recipe uses softened butter beaten with sugar to help maintain soft yet thick cookie centres. I increased the butter and amount of light brown sugar in this cookie bar recipe too to make these even more chewy and soft!
Chewy chocolate chip cookie bars ingredients
Full measurements can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but in summary, these easy chocolate chip cookie bars contain:
- Plain flour for the main structure
- Cornflour helps keep the cookie bars extra soft
- Bicarbonate of soda leavens the dough slightly, making them thicker
- Salt to enhance the flavours
- Melted butter for a rich buttery flavour and to make the cookie centres so soft and chewy!
- Light brown sugar adds sweetness and moisture, contributing to the overall chewiness
- Caster sugar for a little added sweetness and crunchy cookie bar tops
- Egg yolks to bind the dough and help make the bars even chewier
- Vanilla extract for added flavour
- Chocolate chips to complete these delicious chocolate chip cookie bars!
How to make chewy chocolate chip cookie bars
Full instructions with step-by-step photos can be found in the recipe card at the end of this blog post! In summary:
- Preheat your oven to 170°C/150°C fan. Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with baking/parchment paper or foil, leaving some overhang to make it easier to remove from the pan later!
- Add the plain flour, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda and salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside
- In a large bowl, whisk both sugars and melted butter until combined
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract to the sugar-butter mixture and whisk until combined
- Add half the dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula, then repeat with the final half of dry ingredients
- Finally, add the chocolate chips and fold until evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough
- Pour the cookie dough into your lined 8×8 inch square baking pan. Spread the dough with a rubber spatula and press down to even the top
- Bake for around 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean
- Leave to cool on a wire rack and then remove using the overhang of paper/foil as handles. Place onto a chopping board and cut into 16 squares. Done!
Top tips to make the best chewy chocolate chip cookie bars
- Leave some overhang of baking/parchment paper or foil when lining your baking pan – this makes it easier to lift out once baked to cut into neat squares on a chopping board
- If using foil to line your baking pan, spray with some non-stick cooking spray
- Be sure to measure out your ingredients correctly; too much flour, for example, will lead to drier, cakier cookie bars
- I like my cookie bar centres slightly underbaked to make them extra soft and chewy! If you prefer them more firm in the centre, bake them for around 35-40 minutes instead
- While the bars are warm straight from the oven, I like to press more chocolate chips onto the top – this makes them look nicer, plus bonus chocolate is never a bad thing!
Chewy chocolate chip cookie bars FAQs
How do I know when cookie bars are done?
Insert a cake skewer or cocktail stick into the centre; it should come out clean. Be careful not to overbake though if you want those slightly soft, underbaked centres! Mine usually take around 25-28 mins.
Can I make chewy chocolate chip cookie bars in a larger pan?
Yes! You can double the recipe and bake in a 12×8 inch brownie pan. Bake at the same temperature but they might take slightly longer to bake. Start checking that they’re baked around 30 minutes in! They might also be slightly less thick in this larger pan.
Can I bake chewy chocolate chip cookie bars in a glass pan?
I’ve not used glass dishes when baking before, as I’ve heard that they’re not great at conducting heat evenly, and things might take longer to bake. Therefore I wouldn’t recommend using a glass dish, or if that’s all you have, check they are baked through by inserting a skewer into several areas to be sure!
How long do chewy chocolate chip cookie bars last?
These bars keep well for around 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
How should I store cookie bars?
As above – store in an airtight container kept at room temperature!
Can I freeze cookie bars?
Absolutely – If freezing all of the bars, I recommend freezing it whole (uncut). Simply double wrap in film and freeze. If freezing individual bars, you can store them in an airtight container (with baking or parchment paper in between layers if stacking on top of each other to prevent them sticking together!). They will keep well for around 3-4 months in the freezer.
To summarise, these chewy chocolate chip cookie bars are:
- Thick, soft and chewy with brownie-like centres and crunchy edges
- Even easier and quicker to make than regular cookies as no rolling out individual cookie balls or batch baking required!
- Made with melted butter to make them unbelievably soft and chewy inside
- Full of sweet chocolate chips
- Ideal for freezing as make-ahead treats or a quick snack!
If you try this recipe I’d love to see! You can show me by tagging me @bakerjoblog or using #bakerjoblog!
Other cookie recipes to try:
- Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chewy Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats
- Strawberry White Chocolate Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Other traybake recipes to try:
- Chewy Homemade Brownies
- Peanut Butter Brownies
- Chewy Creme Egg Brownies
- White Chocolate Blondies
- Nutella Brownies
- Banoffee Brownies
- No-Bake Healthy Chewy Snack Bars
- Lemon Bars
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 8×8 inch square baking pan
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 290 g plain flour
- 2 tsp cornflour level
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda level
- 1/4 tsp salt level
- 210 g unsalted butter melted
- 160 g light brown sugar
- 70 g caster sugar
- 2 medium egg yolks room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 180 g milk or dark chocolate chips plus a few extra to press on top once baked
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170°C/150°C fan.
- Line your 8×8 inch baking pan with baking paper, parchment paper or foil. If using foil, spray it with some non-stick spray.Leave some overhang at the sides as this will make it easier to lift it out of the baking tray later, to cut into neat bars on a chopping board!
- To a medium bowl add the plain flour, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- To a large bowl add the light brown sugar, caster sugar and melted butter, and whisk until combined.
- Next, add the egg yolks and vanilla extract to the large bowl and whisk until combined.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the large bowl and fold through until combined.
- Repeat with the final half of dry ingredients.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold through with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
- Pour the cookie dough into your lined 8×8 square baking pan. Spread the mixture into all corners and then press down with the rubber spatula to level out the top.
- Bake for around 25-30 minutes. The cookie bars are done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.For slightly underbaked, soft centres as shown in my photos, my cookie bars took around 27 minutes to bake. If you'd prefer a more firm, baked centre bake for around 35-40 minutes.
- Place the baking pan on a wire rack to cool. To slice into 16 bars, carefully lift out of the pan using the overhang of paper or foil and place onto a chopping board. Use a large sharp knife for neat cookie bar slices.
- The cookie bars should keep well for around 3-4 days in an airtight container stored at room temperature.
Hi Jo. Could I ask what chocolate chips you used. Dark or milk? Bake stable? There is quite a choice out there!🤪
Author
Hi Rowena! I use whatever chips I find in the baking aisle so they are usually bake-stable, though I often chop up my favourite chocolate bars into small chunks too and they work well too!
Hi Jo- I just came across your website very recently and made these cookie bars last night. Oh my goodness- they are dangerously good! Too good! I don’t think they will last long in my house!
Author
Hi Paula,
Thank you so much for your feedback, I’m so happy you love them too! They are addictive, right? Enjoy! 😊