Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

There's something deeply satisfying about the moment you pull a pan of cookie bars from the oven—that golden-brown edges, the way the whole kitchen fills with that butter-and-chocolate smell that makes everyone stop what they're doing. I stumbled onto these bars years ago when I was tired of dropping individual cookies onto sheets and waiting for them to bake in batches. One afternoon, I just pressed the entire dough into a pan instead, and what came out was something better: chewy, thick, and honest in a way that felt less fussy than cookies but tasted just as good.

I baked these for my neighbors when I first moved to this house, slicing them into neat squares and bringing them over still warm. They came back with the empty container and a note asking for the recipe, which told me everything I needed to know about whether to keep making them.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: The foundation that holds everything together—make sure it's measured by spooning and leveling, not scooping straight from the bag, or you'll end up with dense bars.
• Baking soda: This is your leavening agent, giving the bars that slight tender crumb instead of a dense hockey puck.
• Fine sea salt: A small pinch that wakes up the chocolate and butter without making anything taste salty.
• Unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly: Melted butter creates that fudgy, chewy texture that makes these bars special—let it cool for a minute so it doesn't scramble your eggs.
• Brown sugar and granulated sugar: The brown sugar brings moisture and depth, while the white sugar helps with spreading and lift.
• Eggs at room temperature: Cold eggs won't mix as smoothly into the wet ingredients, so pull them out of the fridge while you're prepping everything else.
• Pure vanilla extract: A small amount that ties all the flavors together without screaming vanilla.
• Semisweet chocolate chips: The star of the show—don't skimp here, and avoid the melting kind if you can find regular chips.

Instructions

Get your oven ready and prep the pan:

Preheat to 350°F and line your 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides so you can lift the whole thing out later. This step saves you from trying to cut bars out of a sticky pan.

Combine the dry ingredients:

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set it aside. This distributes the leavening evenly so you don't end up with pockets of unrisen dough.

Mix the wet base:

In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with both sugars until everything looks smooth and glossy—this takes about a minute and means the sugars are dissolving into the butter. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each one, then stir in vanilla.

Bring it all together:

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined—don't overmix or you'll develop the gluten and end up with tough bars. A few streaks of flour are fine.

Add the chocolate:

Fold the chocolate chips in gently so they're scattered throughout the dough without crushing them.

Spread and smooth:

Pour the dough into your prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon—even thickness means even baking.

Bake until just right:

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, watching for golden edges while the very center still jiggles slightly when you shake the pan. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out with a few moist crumbs, not clean and not gooey.

Cool completely before cutting:

Let the pan sit on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature—this helps the bars set and hold together when you slice them. Use the parchment overhang to lift the whole slab out, then cut into 16 squares.

Save

One winter afternoon, I made these for my daughter's study group, and they disappeared so quickly that I wasn't sure anyone actually tasted them. She's asked me to make them at least a dozen times since, which might be the highest compliment I've gotten in the kitchen.

Why These Bars Win Over Regular Cookies

There's less fuss and more yield with bars than with scooping individual cookies, but more importantly, the texture is just different—a single, thick, confident square of chocolatey dough feels more substantial than a cookie ever could. When you press dough into a pan instead of dropping it onto a sheet, you're also getting more even baking and that gorgeous caramelized edge that's my favorite part.

The Secret to Extra Flavor

Flaky sea salt scattered over the top just before baking changes everything—it brings out the chocolate and butter in a way that feels almost magical. I discovered this by accident when I was seasoning a different dessert and decided to experiment, and now I can't imagine making these bars any other way.

Ways to Make Them Your Own

The base recipe is forgiving enough that you can swap in your favorite mix-ins without throwing off the chemistry. I've made versions with dark chocolate chunks, white chocolate and cranberries, and even a batch with chopped pecans mixed through the dough.

• Dark chocolate chunks or white chocolate chips work beautifully if you want to change things up.
• Chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans can be folded in alongside or instead of some of the chocolate chips.
• A generous pinch of flaky sea salt over the top before baking is non-negotiable if you want the full experience.

Save

These bars are the kind of thing that makes you feel like a baker without requiring any real skill, which might be why I keep coming back to them. They're simple enough to make on a tired weeknight but special enough to bring to a gathering, and that balance is rare to find.

Recipe FAQ

→ What type of chocolate works best in these bars?

Semisweet chocolate chips provide a balanced sweetness and melt beautifully, but dark chocolate chunks or white chips can be used for variation.

→ How can I achieve the perfect chewy texture?

Using melted butter combined with both brown and granulated sugars creates moisture and softness, while baking just until the edges turn golden helps maintain chewiness.

→ Can I add nuts to these bars?

Yes, chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans can be folded into the batter to introduce a crunchy contrast to the soft bars.

→ Is it necessary to line the pan with parchment paper?

Lining the pan with parchment allows for easy removal of the bars without sticking or breaking, making cleanup simpler.

→ How should the bars be stored to keep them fresh?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days to maintain softness and flavor.