This foolproof recipe has everything you love about your favorite homemade chocolate chip cookies, but baked in a 9×13 pan and no mixer or chilling of the dough needed! An extra egg yolk and brown sugar leads to their soft and chewy texture, and each bite is full of rich butter flavor and loaded with chocolate chips. Whenever I show up with this treat at a potluck or family gathering, these bars are the first thing to disappear!
My Family’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dream-Come-True. In One pan!
There’s nothing like a warm-from-the-oven, soft and chewy homemade chocolate chip cookie. For me, just the thought of it brings a flood of memories — of baking cookies with Mom and my sisters on the farm, and sharing them with family and friends. Mom was never without some CCC’s stashed away in the big chest freezer. And my friends were well aware of that fact, with regular requests for “Barb’s chocolate chip cookies”.
Well, fast-forward a few decades and having a family of my own. Life got real full, real fast.
So my goal became this: a bars recipe that is quicker, easier, and 1000% reliable, with rich butter flavor and soft, chewy texture. Isn’t that just so “Midwest” of me? I adore bars recipes!
The secret to this recipe’s craveworthy success is in the combination of melted butter, an extra egg yolk, and more brown sugar than white sugar (I will never, ever make a chocolate chip cookie that does not include the moistness and deeper molasses flavor of brown sugar!).
Each one of these ingredients unlocks its own individual moist qualities, and when combined with the classic ingredients of a truly great chocolate chip cookie — to include really good chocolate (Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips are my favorite) — this recipe is a soft and chewy force to be reckoned with.
These bars have now become my own family’s go-to. Our oldest daughter Hatti even requested this to be her “birthday cake” one year instead of my mom’s ultimate fudgy brownies, her other favorite. She’s awesome like that, not concerned about following the any birthday cake rules, only asking for what she wants!
“I’ve made these several times now and they are excellent, just excellent! They are a hit with everyone! Easy and over-the-top good!”
—Melody
baking soda is key to the chewy texture
Yes, this is a common baking ingredient, but I love what it does to these bars! You see, when baking soda mixes with brown sugar (which has acid from the molasses), it releases little bursts of carbon dioxide gas (our youngest daughter Tessa would appreciate this little bit of nerdy science as she’s currently in year 2 of her bio-chem degree). This causes the pan of bars to puff up slightly while it’s baking, then sink a bit as it cools. Which is GOOD – this helps to give you that incredible dense, chewy center.
OH, AND ONE LAST THING: DO NOT OVER-BAKE!
Yes, that’s my yelling voice! If your goal is to have the softest, chewiest chocolate chip cookie bars on the planet, it’s VERY IMPORTANT to not over-bake. I’d even go so far as to say, for the ultimate soft bars, slightly under-bake them!
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (no mixer!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, gently melted and then cooled to room temperature
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus a bit more for sprinkling over the top of the dough (I recommend Guittard semisweet chocolate chips)
- sea salt flakes, optional for sprinkling over the top (I recommend Maldon Sea Salt Flakes)
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly spray a 9" x 13" metal baking pan with non-stick spray. For super clean cuts, see Notes below.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and sugar until combined. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.
- With a rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. When about half-way combined, add chocolate chips and continue to fold until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Transfer dough to prepared pan. Dough will be thick and sticky. Press evenly into pan using a spatula and/or your fingertips. See Notes below for more pressing tips.
- If desired, sprinkle a few more chocolate chips over the top, pressing them in a bit. It's also fun to sprinkle M&M's over the top – the mini M&M's are our first choice!
- Bake for about 23 minutes or so, or until top is light golden brown and slightly firm to the touch. For the chewiest bars, do not over-bake. I even recommend to slightly under-bake!
- Remove pan to wire cooling rack. Optional: Sprinkle some sea salt flakes over the top IMMEDIATELY (so they stick) after the pan comes out of the oven.
- Let cool to room temperature and then cut into individual bars.
Notes
- Other chocolate. Try milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate chips — or a combination. Or chop up your favorite dark chocolate bar for a more indulgent adultified treat.
- Candies. Our daughters like to sprinkle mini M&M’s over the top.
- Nuts. Throw in some chopped walnuts or pecans for some nutty crunch. I recommend using roasted, salted nuts for the best flavor and texture.
- Counter – To preserve the soft texture, leave the cooled bars in the pan, covered tightly, and store them on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Fridge – Store the bars in the pan, covered tightly, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer – Place bars in an airtight, freezer-safe container, then store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the bars in the fridge before serving.
Nutrition Information:
For the memory book: This photo was taken while staying with my sister’s family in Florida in 2019, when we celebrated our daughter Hatti’s and my dad’s shared birthday with – yes, you guessed it – these chewy chocolate chip cookie bars!
Fantastic recipe and easy. I mixed a combination of semi sweet, milk chocolate and butterscotch chips, threw in a few chopped walnuts. It received 2 thumbs up from the hubby!
So yummy, great mix-ins! Thank you for coming back here to let me know!
I made this recipe a few times as my family really loved it! It is really good! Today I used it to make cookies as I have been struggling to find a really solid chocolate chip cookie recipe for a while now. I decreased vanilla by half and baked for 13-15 minutes and I can say this recipe makes AWESOME cookies as well! It will probably be my go-to forever! Thank you!
So happy to hear this, YAY! Thank you!
I made these yesterday. I didn’t realize my oven was on the fritz and wouldn’t get above 200 degrees. After 25 minutes it was still basically raw. I fiddled with the oven and got it to heat up and put the bars back in. I didn’t even time it, just watched for it to get brown. They were great! I don’t think you can mess them up. I will definitely make them again!
While these were tasty and quicker/easier to throw together and bake, they really don’t compare to a good, individual chocolate chip cookie. Worth a try if you’re too busy to bake cookies. Thanks
Welp, not much to say besides YUM. I mix white and milk chocolate, and my family love them. 21 minutes, 30 seconds, remove, let cool, serve while still warm. Now if I could only get my hands on some Blue Bell Vanilla Bean…
Melty, soft, easy — delicious!!!
Made this per written with exception of in place of semi sweet chocolate chips I used Ghirardelli caramel filled milk chocolate bars x2, chopped into pieces; also added 2 cups of raw toasted walnuts (separate pan 15min 350° in oven); and did finish with sea salt as recommended immediately upon removal from oven…in a word…AWESOMAZING!
SIDENOTE: I used parchment paper in baking pan with no oil or non stick spray needed either under or on top of parchment paper which is non stick all on its own as well as easy to cut on; works like a charm. I find non stick spray & oil against product affects both texture & flavor of baked products.
I just made this recipe for Christmas and it was fantastic! Chewy moist and delicious
Yay! Thanks for coming back to let me know you loved it, Ann. :)
I topped with Heath pieces and they turned out so good. Great recipe
So glad you liked this recipe – thanks for coming back here to let me know and to rate the recipe! :)
Thank you for this great recipe! I followed your recipe exactly, especially the preparing of pan (the bars lifted out so easily in one sheet) and time of baking to keep them chewy. I had mini red and green M & M’s and sprinkles, and they look so pretty but of course most important, taste so good . I cut them very small, placed on little wrappers, and are in my holiday gift treat boxes.
So glad you liked this recipe, very fun! Thanks for coming back here to let me know and to rate the recipe! :)
Excellent recipe. I hated making bar chocolate chip cookies because they were always hard. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you!
I’m SO HAPPY you liked this recipe! Thank you for coming back to let me know, and to rate the recipe. :)
Delicious and easy!
I ran out of brown sugar so I used coconut sugar and a teaspoon of molasses. Used white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts for some seriously amazing cookies. Thanks for a great, quick and easy recipe!
They are good and they’re moist they’re really soft chewy but too much chocolate for me
The first time I made these were June for a family reunion. My granddaughter has requested then many times since then. They are the best chocolate chip cookie bars I’ve made and so easy to make. They are a new family favorite
So happy this recipe has been a hit with your family, Ronnie! Thanks for coming back to let me know + rate the recipe!
absolutely delicious. Can I freeze them so I can always have a batch on hand? Freeze in a sealed bag? If so, how long?
So glad you liked! Yes, these freeze well in a freezer-safe container or bag, up to 3 months.
OH MY GOSH!!! GREAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS. WHAT A BIG HIT AT A FAMILY GATHERING. I NEEDED TO MAKE A DESSERT I AM NOT REALLY A BAKER FOUND YOUR RECIPE ON PINTEREST HAD GOOD REVIEWS SO I WENT WITH IT. THEY CAME OUT GREAT. WAS A BIG HIT NO LEFT OVERS FOLLOWED THE RECIPE EXACTLY INCLUDING THE FOIL ON A BAKING SHEET, I WILL DEFINITELY MAKE AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR SHARING A GREAT RECIPE.
Can you substitute dark brown sugar for the light brown sugar?
Hi AJ – I would think that would be just fine, but I have not tried it.
wow this bar aka giant cookie was so moist and delish. I took all the praises as if I make up the recipe myself. Excellent with tea.
Thank you for the great recipe and the easy to follow instructions. highly recommend I will make again.
Came out very good. Followed exactly. Don’t overmix or over bake is key.
These bars are fantastic! The best chocolate chip cookie bar ever. And simple to make! Another plus is getting to see your (and my) family!! Thanks Brenda!