I know you’re going to LOVE these easy and delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, along with 200,000+ others who have pinned this recipe. I’ve had a lot of questions regarding this recipe, so be sure to check out the FAQ at the end of this post, photo instructions + recipes for a few other crowd favorites, too!
And now…on to what you really came for– the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar recipe!
And yes, I mean the best. I don’t usually claim something to be the “best”, but in this case I will. Just look at these chocolate chip cookie bars.
I originally posted this Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar recipe for May 15th–National Chocolate Chip Day. Did you know such a holiday existed? It’s true. A day dedicated to chocolate chips calls for a delicious way to celebrate. But, if you don’t have time for individual chocolate chip cookies, then this recipe is just for you.
And hey, this recipe is great for any occasion, not just on May 15th.
I have never been a huge fan of chocolate chip cookie bars, until my aunt Sherol gave me her recipe. And ever since then, I’ve been hooked. The chocolate chip cookie bars have a delicious flavor, are just the right consistency, and look great when you cut them up.
I use this easy and quick recipe when I need a treat in a hurry. Need a treat to take to someone? Or a last minute party dessert? I promise you, you will not be disappointed!
You can have a few dozen cookies made in about 30 minutes!
How to Make the Cookie Bars
First, you’ll cream the butter and sugars for a few minutes until you get a mixture that looks like this:
Then you’ll add in the flour and dry ingredients.
Next, stir in the chocolate chips. This dough only takes about 5-7 minutes to make! Super fast and easy.
Then, you’ll want to spray your 9×13 pan with your favorite spray.
Firmly press your dough into the pan so that the dough is evenly distributed. Sprinkle a few more chocolate chips for good measure.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. *See the FAQ for more details about this temperature and time!
This recipe will make 24 (2 dozen) good-sized cookie bars. You can cut them smaller to make bite-sized portions that are cute for baby showers or gatherings.
You can serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top or store them for your party or gathering. Just pop the 9×13 pan lid on top and you’re set to go!
FAQ:
What kind of pan do you use?
Do yourself a favor and invest a good pan. You’re chocolate chip cookie bars will thank you. Here’s the pans I’m talking about! The larger cookie sheet is what I use for a double batch.
What if the dough is too crumbly? I have had a lot of readers telling me their dough is too crumbly. I have never had this problem. But, if you do, you can add an extra egg or reduce the flour. I live at high altitude, so if you are at a lower elevation, you may need to adjust how much flour you use.
What kind of Chocolate Chips do you use? I always have a big bag of Kirkland Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or Nestle on hand because they are affordable, but good quality. If I really want to splurge, I’ll buy these ones. Get creative and try an assortment of milk and semi-sweet chocolate. Or butterscotch and milk chocolate.
Tip: You can keep extra chocolate chips in the freezer and pull them out when you’re ready to use!
Craving more?
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Recipe
I’d love to see your amazing kitchen skills at work! Tag your chocolate chip cookie bars on social media with @sofestive and #celebratesimpler! Can’t wait to see them!
This is the best way to whip out a huge batch of chocolate chip cookies in a jiffy. This recipe will quickly become a go-to when you need to feed a crowd in a hurry.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup chocolate chips (or more if desired)
Instructions
- Cream butter, sugars, and vanilla together. Add in eggs.
- Stir in flour, salt and baking soda until combined.
- Gently fold in chocolate chips and nuts if desired.
- Spread on greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top.
Hello! These are GREAT! But I have a problem and I’ve done them 2 times, I have a industrial oven like the ones in bakeries, sometimes temperature may vary, and sometimes i bake recipes in 300, i tried with both temperatures 300 and 350 like the recipe says, both times they don’t rise like yours in the picture, they rise but when I take them out of the oven to cool of on the cooling rack they sink, and become very thin, I want them to be thick exactly like yours, what do you think is the problem here? Some tips please! Maybe the pan? I baked them in 9×13 maybe it’s to big?! Try them in 9×9? Or the baking soda, I don’t have the 3/4 tsp measurement, but I looked it up and it says that 3/4 tsp is 1/4 tsp 3 times! Let me know please! Thanks! 🙂
im sorry to hear they havent worked out for you! i use a 9×13. perhaps you need to add more flour? im at high altitude, so maybe thats why! and yes, 3/4 tsp is 1/4 three times.
Oh yes that might be! I will try adding more flour! How much extra flour do you think I should add?! And of course keeping the chewy and soft goey consistency (but thick bars), not cakey or dry! I’m making them again tomorrow, so let me know please! Thank you so much! 🙂
i would just add 1/4 cup extra at a time, until the dough is thick but soft. you don’t want it too dense.
Need to feed a big crowd so will be making two or three double recipes! When you double the recipe for a 17×12 pan, how long do you bake it?
I would add at least 3 extra minutes! It depends on your oven. Just keep watching until it’s light brown. You won’t want to burn them!
I was looking for a recipe for a chocolate chip bar, to make to say thank you to some people, had everything, they sounded good, made them, and my husband got a Lil jealous when he wasn’t really getting any and they turned out so good! They were Wonderful , I left hubby 4 bars, now I need to make him his own batch! Everyone loved them! Thanks now following you!
so GLAD you loved them!! 🙂
I would love to add oats and walnuts, is there an amount you would recommend? Or do you have a separate recipe?
Hmmm… I don’t have a specific amount, although now I’m curious to try it out. I’ll have to repost when I do. I’d say, reduce the amount of flour by the amount of oats you want to add as a starting place. For nuts, maybe 1/2-1 cup? Depends on how many nuts you want in there! Leave another comment if you try it out!
I used this recipe two weeks before Christmas for my son’s school treats. I followed the recipe, and added Christmas sprinkles on top. They came out perfect after baking 30 min. They were so simple and delicious I made six more batches throughout the holidays. Recently I noticed a bag of Oreo chips at my grocery store’s clearance rack. I was curious about using them, and immediately thought of these bars. They came out great. I love the texture of the bar itself, it can really take on any additions, doesn’ tjust have to be chocolate chips.
I’m so glad you loved them! They are a perfect, go-to treat, right? I’ve never tried oreo chips before, I’ll have to add that next time.
just want to let you know, that is probably the best dessert i have ever tasted, i can’t say anything more they were too good, thanks so much again
Thanks Lucy for your sweet commment! I’m so glad you LOVED them!
The cookies were sooo good. I’m going to make them for all my friends, they will love them! thanks so much
Followed recipe exactly as written. Bars came out very crumbly. Next time I will try to add extra egg and decrease flour.
Thanks for the tips!
So sorry to hear this! What altitude do you live at? It may be that!
If I live in a lower altitude how much flour would you recommend using ?
Good question! I’m not exactly sure. Try 1/2 cup less. If you try it, let us know!
Made one using a square aluminum cake mold, turns out great! I was able to make a perfect 500g of cookie bar/cake on 350F for 20 minutes. Question: If I want to make 1kg using the same cake mold, should I maintain the same temperature and minutes or increase? Please advice.
Yes, keep the same temperature. You may need a few extra minutes, maybe 25 minutes? Check after 22.
how many bars does this make?
24!
Can I cut this recipe in half and use an 8×8 inch pan?
Yes!!
I just made them today they really turned out perfect and delish… definitely going to make these again…thank you for sharing this recipe…love from Bahrain🇧🇭❤
I’ m so glad you loved them!
I just made these & they’re delicious! I started making them, thinking I had a bag of chocolate chips on hand. Well, I didn’t and did not feel like running to the store. Consequently, I added Heath toffee chips. and white chocolate chips– yum! Will make these again with semi-sweet chocolate chips! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Heath and white chocolate is a great idea! I’ll have to try that! I’m so glad you liked them!
Is it best to use salted or unsalted butter?
Thank you kindly.
Unsalted is better, since the recipe calls for salt. If you use salted, you may want to reduce the salt used. Does that make sense?
Does the butter need to be room temperature?
Yes, the butter should be a room temperature! I’ll update the recipe! Thanks!
Where is the recipe???
Emma,
I apologize. My site was undergoing some maintenance, but I will email you directly the recipe! Thanks for your patience!
Followed the directions exactly and they turned out perfectly! Cooked them a bit longer and possibly at a lower temp…I use an antique oven so I never know the exact temp. These will be my go-to bar pan recipe. For those that said they turned out crumbly, maybe they packed their flour too much? I can’t see how these could be messed up, they are so easy!
I’m so glad they turned out for you! They are our go-to bar as well because they are easy and everyone loves them. Have a great day!
These chocolate chip cookie bars are amazing!!! My family made me promise to make sure I make them exactly the same way as this time!!
Perfect, and so quick and easy too!!
not sure what I did wrong, but these didn’t work out for me. It made a ton of dough, which made the bars very thick. Therefore, the middle didn’t get done before the outside burnt.
I’m sorry to hear this, Sara! Are you at low altitude?
Just made these and they’re delicious!! I followed the recipe perfectly (except for my addition of cinnamon and nutmeg), and the dough consistency was perfect. But – they weren’t fully baked at the 20 minute mark. I needed to add another 6 minutes. I will be making these again!
I’m so happy they turned out for you! Our ovens may be difffernt, hence the additional time.
Some scoop their flour and level off. This packs the flour. I was taught to spoon the flour in the cup and level off. Now I weigh it out. Better results.
3 cups flour is 15 oz.
Thanks for the clarification!
These cookie bars are absolutely amazing!! I have never had problems with the dough being too crumbly, so just make sure you stick exactly to the recipe and it will be perfect. These are my go-to baked goods! My friends and family make me bake these all of the time… they are obsessed! The only thing I change is sometimes I add more chocolate chips since I have a love for chocolate. Otherwise, PERFECT and so so DELICIOUS
Cookie bars are the best! Love, love, LOVE it!
These are ON POINT! The dry/crumbly dough comments, I don’t understand. Mine wasn’t at all, and I followed the recipe exactly. I’m wondering if they used a full cup of butter? Anyway, this has been stashed in my recipe book and will be made again and again! Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you loved them!
Just made these! I loved them, check out my post here… http://www.goddessofbaking.com/2015/03/03/chocolate-chip-cookie-bars/
Made these and loved them. People were saying dough was crumbly and some said runny. Well I made them and they were the perfect consistency. I followed the instructions to the t and they were perfect. I will make them over and over again.
Made these tonight …cut down on chocolate chips and added butterscotch chips and walnuts. So GOOD!!
Do you ise semi sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips?
Not sure what happened to mine.. followed the directions exactly. My batter looked a little runny and I cooked it for almost an hour and it kept getting brown but still wasn’t done at all… :/
Manufacturers are putting a lot of water in margarine these days. Use butter or spend a little more and get a name brand margarine like imperial or blue bonnet. Make sure it is regular margarine and not light. The batter will be runny if you use light. Try this recipe again I think you’ll like it.
I’ve also tried both butter and margarine and butter always turns out better.
At first, I also found the dough to be dry and crumbly but rather than adding water I added an extra small egg. It really made a difference and they came out great!! Quick and easy to make.
I made these tonight for a party. I Followed the directions and yes the dough is a little dry but I crossed my fingers and threw them in the oven. They were DELICIOUS and very MOIST coming out of the oven. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
I made these a few weeks back while hosting friends and they all absolutely loved them! Thank you! 🙂 (found you through Pinterest!)
I found the dough to be too crumbly. I had to add some water to this recipe. They’re in the oven now and I am hoping for the best.
Mmmmm these look great!