Chocolate is the star all this week, and today I am sharing with you the recipe for Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars that's so easy, you don't even need a mixer.ย
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Chocolate cookies are a universal favorite for people of all ages. So chocolate chip cookie bars are a guaranteed winner. Especially when served a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. In fact, my husband parked himself in front of the oven, waiting for them to finish baking.
Well, until I explained he'd be standing there for another 30 minutesโฆ
What is a bar cookie?
This just means the batter, including whatever you've added to the batter, gets poured into a rectangular or square pan, baked, and cut into squares. Sometimes the batter may be added in layers. Traditional examples include brownies or lemon bars.
This Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars recipe is a cookie dough you can use for individual cookies or baked all together and cut into squares. The square shape is what makes them chocolate chip cookie bars.
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
The ingredients for this recipe are very straightforward, and don't need a lot of explanation, with the exception of just a few pointers.
Kosher salt
If you use table salt, you will only need half the amount called for. That's because of the difference in their shapes. Table salt is fine and more regularly shaped so that it packs more closely together in a measuring spoon than kosher salt.
Brown Sugar
The inclusion of brown sugar, instead of using all white granulated sugar, increases a chocolate flavor. So when you have brown sugar in a cookie or bar that has chocolate chips, the chips will taste even more chocolate-y. I used Light Brown Sugar, but if you only have Dark Brown Sugar, it will work fine and just be a little more molasses-y. As a tip, if you don't have any on hand, and you need brown sugar, just make your own. It only calls for 2 ingredients, and about 10 minutes.
Chocolate Chips
Use your favorite kind of chips. Mine are Guittard Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips.ย I love the flavor of their chocolates, and like their commitment to Fair Trade practices.
Maldon Salt flakes
Maldon Salt Flakes product is typically used as a finishing salt on vegetables or desserts, like these chocolate chip cookie bars. This salt is made up of sea salt crystals that have a flakey texture. This salt can add a little crunch on a dish, and is considered less bitter and less salty than other salts.
High Altitude Baking Tips
Baking Soda: It is not necessary to adjust the amount called for.
Eggs: If you're baking these at over 5000 feet, use 2 whole large eggs.
Baking Time: Allow for up to 40 minutes to bake.
How Do You Know When They're are Done?
- The longer cookie bars bake, the crisper they will be. The shorter they bake, even when slightly under-baked, they chewier they'll be. It's generally best to intentionally under-bake these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars to achieve a moist fudge-y texture.
- A toothpick test towards the middle should produce some errant crumbs, not a smear of batter.
- There will be a slight indentation when you press on the surface lightly towards the middle with your finger for a cake-like bar, and a noticeable impression for a chewier bar. It will feel soft, and not spring back.
- When you press on the surface at the edges, it should feel firm.
- The surface will have a dull finish instead of shiny.
- The sides of the bars may begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
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Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 9 ounces plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, this equals 2 cups + 2 tablespoons
- ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt, OR ยผ teaspoon table salt
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ยพ cup packed light brown sugar
- ยฝ cup white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, see notes
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips, see notes
- 2 teaspoons Maldon salt flakes, see notes
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to a lower-middle position, and preheat the oven to 325หF.
- Line a 9" X 13" ceramic, metal or glass pan with foil. You want to create a sling for removing the cookie bars from the pan following baking, so it's best to use 2 sheets of foil. One should tuck into the pan going one direction, with the foil hanging over the edge of the baking pan. Arrange the second sheet of foil perpendicular to the first, hanging over the edge of the pan. Press the foil into the corners and bottom edge of the pan as best you can. Alternatively you can use parchment paper, but it will be difficult to tuck it neatly into the edges and corners. Lightly sprat the foil with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Whisk it together well in order to evenly disperse the salt and baking soda throughout the flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugars until the sugars are absorbed by the butter. Add the two eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk together until well mixed. If you're making this at sea-level up to 4500-5000 feet, use 1 whole large egg and 1 large egg yolk.
- Pro-Tip: If the butter - sugar mixture is very warm from the melted butter, allow it to cool to room temperature before adding the eggs
- Add half of the flour mixture to the melted butter and sugar, and whisk until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips using a rubber spatula. Add the remaining flour mixture, and fold it in using the rubber spatula. The dough willl be thick, like cookie dough.
- Pro-Tip: Be careful not to over-mix the dough, as this can make the cookie bars tougher.
- Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, and lightly press into the bottom edges and corners using your fingers and a spatula. Try to get the height of the dough in the pan as even as possible. Lightly sprinkle with Maldon's Salt Flakes.
- Bake for 23 minutes at sea level, and 40 minutes at 7100 feet. If you live around 5000 feet, check the cookie bars at 30 minutes. See the notes for ways to tell if they're done.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and allow to cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack before attempting to remove the bars from the pan.
- After 10 minutes, use the foil sling to carefully lift the cooked cookie bars from the baking pan onto the cooling rack. Wait at least 5 more minutes before cutting them into squares using a sharp knife. At that point the foil should easily come away from the bars.
- Serve as individual pieces, or serve a la mode wtih vanilla ice cream.
Wendy Klik
That is pure comfort on a plate right there!!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
It really is!! Thanks so much!!