Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Updated January 04, 2020
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars-chocolate chip cookies are made in ONE pan! These easy cookie bars are a family favorite dessert!
Chocolate Chip Cookies Made in ONE Pan
Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite dessert. You can’t beat a chocolate chip cookie, unless the chocolate chip cookies are made in ONE pan. Have you made Chocolate Chip Cookie BARS? If you like chocolate chip cookies, you are going to LOVE chocolate chip cookie bars because they are SO easy to make. You press all of the chocolate chip cookie dough into one pan. You don’t have to scoop the dough into individual cookies and bake pan after pan, you just put the one pan in the oven and voila, chocolate chip cookie bars magically come out of the oven.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- The cookie dough is easy to make, you should have all of the ingredients at home.
- For this cookie bar recipe, you melt the butter so you don’t have to wait for the butter to soften at room temperature, which is nice. You just melt the butter in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Use more brown sugar than regular sugar for a chewy cookie bar. Make sure you pack the brown sugar in the cup.
- I use one large egg and one large egg yolk. The egg yolk makes the bars extra chewy.
- Feel free to use whatever chocolate chips you like. I usually use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I have made them with milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. If you are a butterscotch lover, feel free to throw those in as well.
- I love that you don’t have to form the cookies into dough balls, you just press the cookie dough right into a greased 9×13 pan, the joy of bar treats.
- Before baking, I like to sprinkle the cookie bars with flaked sea salt. I love the hint of sea salt in my cookies.
- The chocolate chip cookie bars bake up in about 30 minutes. They are done when the cookie bars are golden brown and the edges are puffed against the side of the pan.
- Let the bars cool completely before cutting them into squares.
Family Favorite Dessert
I’ve been making these bars since I was a kid. My brother, sister, and I liked to whip these up when we were allowed to make a mess in the kitchen. I was craving them the other day and made them for my boys. They love them just as much as I do. They are the perfect dessert for any occasion. They are perfect for taking to a party or potluck because the pan of cookies is easy to transport and everyone LOVES them. They are also good served warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you are a chocolate chip cookie fan, you will love these chocolate chip cookie bars. The bars are thick, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips. Our family loves them and I am sure yours will too.
If you like these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, check out:
- Our Favorite Brownies
- Chocolate Lovers’ Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Bars
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- Sea salt flakes for sprinkling over bars, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the melted butter and sugars together until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix on low, just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour cookie dough into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula. Sprinkle cookie bars very lightly with sea salt, if desired. Bake cookie bars for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the bars are light golden brown and the edges start to pull away from the pan. Cool bars on a wire rack to room temperature. Cut bars into squares and serve.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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I actually prefer bars over cookies! These look so yum! I’m a semi sweet girl too- but I like the chunks vs. the chips. Great recipe 🙂 Hope you’re feeling welll
These are amazing! So easy to make and exactly like the pictures. I have followed your site for years and am never disappointed. Thank you!☺️
These bars look wonderful and I’m a huge fan of sea salt on my desserts:-)
Maria, they look SO GOOD!
It’s like a blondie in cookie form. Or bar cookies. My mom used to make something like this growing up.
The look so moist and perfect and semi gooey on the inside. LOVE IT!
Oh boy, these are so going to be made this week. Thanks for the recipe!
making cookies is one of my frustration , I am not gifted when it come to baking…cookies look so good.
These look so easy and yet so delicious! I love the sea salt on top. Your addition of the blue ribbon is so cute! 🙂
I can see why they’re your favorite! They look incredible!!! I would like a full batch of those a.s.a.p.! 😀 Yum!
oh my gosh, i love cookie bars! especially the ones with chocolate chips in them 🙂
I love “bars!” These look wonderful!
I’m all about chocolate chip anything as well. These look so delicious! Great for big crowds too.
I was just thinking about a similar recipe yesterday! My best friend from grade school’s dad used to make “pan cookies” – I think this is the same idea. They were SO good! I’m glad to have a recipe now 🙂
So yummy- I’d drizzle chocolate on top, because I’m a drizzler!
YUM!!…….I love cookie bars more than cookies some times…….and you can’t beat how easy they are!!
Beautiful!! I love looking at all your chocolate chip creations… you are so talented and creative Maria!
Yum! I love cookies in bar form….or any form for that matter 🙂 They look great!
I am imagining these warm from the oven – they sure wouldn’t las long around my house, YUM! Thanks, Chris
Oh my! Those look AMAZING! I love bar cookies – they’re so simple to make and there’s no scooping required! 🙂
I may just have to make these today….
These look wonderful and simple! Awesome! 🙂
Love these! Adorable styling and presentation. Can wait to see you in a few weeks
A perfect weekend treat! xo
I love all your chocolate chip desserts. Will definitely try these. 🙂
This is one of my favorite desserts ever! I love chocolate chip bars.
Perfect timing!! I’m having a cook-out tonight and was going to make a sheet cake…this is even better!!
Me thinks we’ll be having this instead.
(sorry, I was just on How Sweet blog and she’s got me saying this me thinks thing now. )
One of my all-time favorites! I’ve never tried the sprinkling of salt, will do next time!
cookie + a bar = yum
Too funny, Maria, I made almost the exact same bars this week to share on my blog. I go a little crazy with the salt at the end. I love the salty-sweet combo! Your pics are beauty!
These look perfect! I love all things chocolate chip cookie, and this is no exception. Your pictures are gorgeous as well!
Now I want to go make some blondies! They’re one of my fav homemade treats next to cookies 🙂
So yummy looking. I love cookies and I love bars!
I was just telling a friend this morning that I needed to start making cookie bars because I can’t seem to get the traditional cookie perfect. YEAH! I hope to try these out this weekend.
I have never made a bar before – well lemon squares does that count? These look divine and can’t wait to make them – and more importantly gobble them up!
These look delicious. Will have to try them soon but my husband told me to stop baking because we have too many treats in the house right now! What can I say, sometimes I just get the urge to bake something!
I do love a perfectly simple bar cookie from time to time. I don’t think I told you about a month ago I made three different caramel treats for a goodie plate for my SIL’s birthday and was later told the biggest hit were your caramel blondies (and those were up against DL’s dulce de leche brownies!) 😉
So glad the caramel blondies were a hit. I need to make those again:)
Yum! These look delicious. This is a recipe I will definitely be trying out soon!
I love that with this recipe you get more chewy cookie center. The best part.
Cute ribbon! Chewy cookie bars are always a winner in my book. I love the versatility of bars and how easy they are for baking in a hurry. 🙂
we love anything with chocolate chips 🙂 these look great, Maria! Hope you guys have a fantastic weekend!
These look amazing! You always have the best recipes and pictures.
P.S. I received my kefir. yogurt, sour cream products last week. They’re all so good!
Glad you are enjoying the GVO products!
delish!
I just pulled these out of the oven…. i hope they cool oh so fast so I can eat them up!!! Yummy!
I love your gift for making sweet things. Your baby is going to be the happiest kid! Have a wonderful weekend!
Chocolate chip cookies in any form are perfection in my book. I can imagine using these bars as a base for s’mores…oh yum. 🙂
I couldn’t agree more with Tracy – any form of chocoalte chip cookies is a winner in my books!!! These look gorgeous, I love the little stack with the ribbon – would make a great little gift 🙂
Such an awesome treat! And they look so pretty all wrapped up in ribbon 🙂
I’m seriously drooling. Who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookie bars?!? Or chocolate chip cookie anything for that matter…
So we are sitting around, and my 20 yr old son says, let’s bake something sweet. Somehow I ended up on your blog, and guess just what came out of the oven, looking as beautiful as yours? Chocolate chip cookie bars! Yum. We might even gift some with a blue ribbon too. Thanks!
Cookie bars make a great gift! Glad you enjoyed them!
I want to eat that cookie dough right off the screen!
Just made these and they are delicious!~ Mine actually look as good as yours too! This recipe is a keeper!
Glad you liked the cookie bars!
I love your chocolate chip cookie obsession (mainly because I’m glad I’m not alone)! You’re right, these are a great option for a quick, impressive dessert. Thanks for the reminder of such a sweet treat!
These look wonderful…and a great dessert for company! Thanks for sharing!
I often make chocolate chip cookie bars rather than cookies – so much easier! These look really good, Maria.
I love chocolate chip anything too! These look incrdible! My mom got me a dalring Double chocolate chip cake from Cold Stone Creamery for my birthday! It was SO darn good!!
WOW! these look delish!
You always manage to make food look so pretty – these look fab
Thanks Beth!
Maria, everything you post is always amazing and is exactly as you post. You are phenomenal, can’t wait to try. I’ve made like every cookie recipe you’ve posted. So, I know this will be fabulous. Question: I love sea salt too- when you make your cookies and other baked goods in general, what type of salt do you use? I see you sprinkled a little sea salt on top of these, is sea salt in the dough as well?
Thanks Heather! Real Salt, Celtic, and Maldon are all good brands of sea salt. I did sprinkle a smidge of sea salt on the bars before baking. I like the salty kick:)
Made these last night for a BBQ and everyones was going nuts over them. In fact I caught people snitching them before dinner. I love this recipe, it is a definite keeper!!! Thanks!
I would be snitching them before dinner too:) Glad everyone liked the cookie bars!
My sister just made chocolate chip cookie bars this weekend and we were both saying how much we love them, but we FORGET to make them! Love your addition of the sprinkle of sea salt! Will try that next time!
Extra moist and chewy, just the way a cookie should be…
Perfect potluck food. I was at one today and have another to go to for the 4th.
Yum, chocolate chip bars, now I love the idea of that, all I need is a tall glass of milk to wash them down with. I would (and still do) take a huge spoonful of batter and eat it.
yum yum yum! love these!
These were amazing! I made these Saturday morning and they were gone by Sunday morning! My family loved them but I think I probably ate half the pan myself. Not sure if it is safe to make them again!
These look delicious! Have you tried them as cookies (not bars, even though bars are amazing)? They are one of my favourite cookie recipes, from Cook’s Illustrated! Yum!
Love these! Chocolate chip cookie bars were also my baking staple when I was younger. I always liked to add peanut butter chips to mine along with the chocolate chips. Now I want to make them again! 🙂
i just ran across your blog + LOVE it. i was drooling over these cookie bars at work yesterday and went straight home to whip them up. i loved the addition of sea salt sprinkled on top! thank you for sharing!
The perfect recipe to use to make my Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake! Thanks for checking it out!
http://www.thegunnysack.com/2011/06/mid-week-munchies-chocolate-chip-cookie.html
This was an excellent recipe! You posted it on a day that I needed a quick dessert to bring to a church picnic. This was quick and delicious. I’m making it for the second time. It will definitely be one of my go to quick dessert recipes! Thanks!
My daughter made these yesterday — she was in charge of dessert and I was in charge of dinner. Big fail on my part but wow! These were amazing!! The light sprinkling of salt made them perfect!
Hi! These look delicious. I was wondering if you thought the bars were hearty enough to be cut into star shapes using a cookie cutter (after cooling). I’m trying to make star-shaped cookies. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Let the bars cool and then cut them into shapes. Enjoy!
I made these for my co workers this week and they were a hit! They were gone before lunch time even hit and they were asking for more, lol! Thank you for such yummy recipes!!
Glad your co workers enjoyed the cookie bars!
OOOOOHHHHHHHHHH! I love this! A people pleaser that lets me sleep! YUMMY!!!
I made these last night as appreciation gifts to summer camp counselors who have been looking after my girls this summer. So good! Thanks for providing 1) an awesome CC recipe and 2) a recipe that makes loads of bars which in turn make perfect gift items. I am on my way to trying out some more of your dessert recipes!
Glad you liked the chocolate chip cookie bars! They are one of my favorite treats!
I just made a very similar recipe – wish I had sprinkled them with sea salt tho.
Thank you for this delicious recipe! It is now one of our new favorites!
Hello! These look delicious. Quick question – did you mean 2 tablespoons of butter, not 12? 😉
These were absolutely delicious! They’re beautiful and turned out perfect. Love your blog!
Thanks Erin!
These look dee-vine and exactly the recipe I was seeking. Making after school snack for my kids. Thanks!
Made these on Saturday at 5:30 pm. Pan was empty and cleaned by Sunday at 5:30 pm. They were incredible. Thank you so much for sharing!
what kind of mixer attachment are you using to mix the dough ?
Use the beater blade.
Made my home smell so good On this rainy day! I had all the ingredients on hand. Delicious and easy!
These are so yum!!!! Thanks. What brand chips do you like for these?
I like Guitard semi-sweet chocolate chips.
These were so delicious !!!! I loved the salt on top– (my first time doing that)
YUMO !!! Thank you !
These cookies rock!
I found these awhile back while searching for this exact thing and just never commented. My husband and I bought a hardwood lumber business and the previous owners always had brownies and coffee on hand. As busy as I am, brownies still get so boring and these are so easy!! Ironically, I always lose the recipe so I have to come back and print it off again. (quite frequently) So I decided to just say thanks while I’m here. Until next time….
You are very welcome! Glad you like the bars!
We just made these and they are amazing. You never disappoint!!!
This recipe is kick *ss . As a nutritionist – this is definitely a treat bar – but it turns out beautifully and I only use 1 cup of mini-choc chips.
I make mine with spelt flour and turns perfectly!
My mother used to make the congo bars 40 yrs ago and still wonderful. If you use
a cookie sheet they will be perfect every time and bake evenly
This is a easy and wonderful tasting recipe! Keep coming back to make it! Thanks.
My wife just made these and the kids cut them in the star shapes. They taste great.
This recipe is great!
I made them the other day and they were amazing! Best recipe i’ve found. I actually packed them up and sent them to my husband who is deployed in Afghanistan!
Thank you so much!
Thanks for sharing this recipe – these look delicious. I can’t wait to try making them with my son.
As I’m sitting here, trying not to drool… just outta curiosity, would I be able to sub half whole wheat flour and have them still turn out? I’m thinking about taking these on vacation for my family next week but am interested in making them a tiny bit healthier…
These are amazing!! I’ve made them a couple times for different events, and both times I’ve had such a hard time making sure the ENTIRE pan makes it to the event before I can snitch one (or three)! Last time, I adjusted it a bit: just 2 cups flour and I added between 1/2 and 3/4 cup of rolled oats. Still sooooo yummy and they felt a little less “naughty” for our health 🙂
Oh my goodness. This is THE best C.C. Recipe ever! I make these weekly for my husband’s crew at the dairy and they fight over the last bar. Thank you!!
The best chocolate chip cookie bars ever!!! They are so SUPER easy to make and taste incredible! I have made them multiple times, and am now making them to give as Christmas gifts. Thank you so much for having posted this recipe!
Can’t wait to try these!!! Does anyone have any idea how much 8 tablespoons butter might be?
8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’m an Army wife, and bar cookies (which I’ve never made before) are sturdier to ship overseas. My soldier will love these!
Please give him our best. I hope he enjoys the cookie bars!
I tried these today for a quick bar to take to a friends house. I have made chocolate chip bars before, but these are outstanding! Thanks for a great recipe and I will definitely keep this as my go-to-bar recipe!
I made these today, but i used m&ms and white chocolate buttons. They were amazing! think next time i will put rolo sweets in them! yummy. 🙂
http://shinebrightx18.blogspot.co.uk/ – lifestyle blog.
These were excellent, thank you! 🙂
Holy cow – BEST chocolate chip cookie bars I’ve EVER had!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I looked up chocolate chip cookie bars because I needed something super easy to make…and everyone I gave them too was raving over them.
I found this recipe on Pinterest a while back and I really must thank you. My 14-year-old son and I frequently make these and they’re always a hit. We’re making them with 1/2 semisweet and 1/2 butterscotch chips tonight. They smell amazing!
I was just wondering if the brown sugar is packed or not? Most chocolate chip recipes call for the brown sugar to be packed. Thank you for the recipe
Yes, I always pack my brown sugar
I have made your recipe many times as written, and I wanted to thank you for a perfect recipe! It is my ” go to” recipe for any occasion.
These were amazing! I used mini chocolate chips so they were really throughout the bars. I loved the sea salt on top and will be adding a little bit more next time I bake them. I am writing this recipe down to use many times in the future. Thank you!
Love this! Have you ever come across a chocolate chip cookie cake recipe? I made one when I was in 4-H and can’t find a recipe now. Must’ve eaten at least 10 while practicing back then 😉 All I can find are recipes calling for boxed mix.
I baked these and they were delicious! Thank you!
Just made these for my Christmas treat bags! Added a few walnuts, they smell great and taste phenomenal!
Thanks for the wonderful recipe! I made these today for Valentine’s Day using Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips and Heath Bar crumbles. I cut them into hearts using a cookie cutter while they were still a little warm, then dusted them with confectioner sugar once they’d cool. They’re delicious and adorable! If I could figure out a way to post a picture, I would…

I have these in the oven now! 🙂
These are delicious! I made them last week and took some to work. Everyone loved them. I sprinkled sea salt on top but probably not enough. I’ll be a little bit more generous next time. These are very addicting! I used about 1/2 bag of Trader Joe’s chocolate chunks (which also are delicious!)
Thanks for this amazing recipe, I’ll make them this way forever now. Mine were very soft and fell apart trying to cut but they were soo good like that!
They are a favorite at our house too! Glad you liked them!
Yup yummy yummy
Do you have any recommendations into turning this into a cookie cake? If I bake it in a 9″ cake pan, should I leave the recipe as is. What if I try a 12″ pizza pan. Thanks!
Growing up, my mom would always make chocolate chip “pan cookies” as we’d call them. Love how much easier it is, plus they stay nice and gooey! 🙂
So easy and SO good!
Maria, 12 T butter! Any substitutions for a heart healthier bar? Thank you
It does make a whole pan of cookies:) We do have some healthier cookie recipes on our site too! You can use coconut oil if you wish.
These look DELISH!
I LOVE these bars and have made the older version on your site 100 times. Did you change the flour amount from 2 and an 1/8 cup from the old version of the recipe to this version? Just curious why you made that change 🙂
Yes because I was getting complaints that people didn’t have an 1/8 cup so I tried it with 1/4 and the results were still super tasty:) Just trying to make it easier to measure:) Glad you like the recipe!
This is by far my family’s favorite chocolate chip recipe! I am looking for a peanut butter cookie version, no frosting, just simple. Any chance you have done this before in a 9 x 13 pan?
Love this recipeti! I used a glass 9×13 pan and baked 25 minutes at 325 degrees until light brown on top and edges pulled away. I mixed by hand. My only variation was to add about 1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans. Sea salt on top was delicious! Kids like them best slightly warm with small scoop of ice cream. Great recipe, thanks!
Yum! Made these today and they came out great!
I made these and they were also yum snd came out perfect. I don’t understand how that deserves a three star rating. Five stars all the way. Sea salt on top was the perfect addition!
***UPDATE*** I need to correct my review! I cut them while they were warm and that’s where my “too gooey” comment came in. After I allowed them to cool, I liked them much better. My son LOVED them. He took what was left back to college with him. Lesson learned…don’t review until you’ve allowed a recipe to cool, lol.
could i double this recipe to make them in a jelly roll pan?
Sure, that should be fine!
Can you make these with a hand mixer?
Yes!
Made these with half plain m&ms and half chocolate chips. They were a hit! Everyone loved them!
Made these tonight for our Sunday treat. We loved them. Oh my!! The salt is the best on there. Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe❤️
This is a family favorite. Soon good. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Made these bars on the weekend and they are to die for…crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle…super yummy! I used a combination of semi-sweet and white chocolate. This is a keeper and will definitely be baking a batch to bring to our grandkids. Love so many of your recipes and pics/stories of your sweet children!
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the cookie bars.
Loved these bars
Easy and delicious! I don’t have a stand mixer, and I had to supplement with coconut sugar bc I ran out of granulated sugar and they were still
Thank you for the recipe!
I made these for coffee hour at church. Everyone loved them including my husband who says chocolate chip cookies should be round. I did not change anything in the recipe, but from another source I decided to line the pan with heavy duty aluminum foil extending the edges to remove the cookie before cutting. I’m not sure that was necessary. Also, a friend suggested cutting the squares diagonally to make smaller cookies. They were the perfect size. I will be frequently making these cookies especially for group functions.
I wanted to thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. It is so easy to make and the results are always delicious! I have made this recipe so many times over the years that I know it by heart. Recently, I made them using Heath bar chips with chocolate and that small change was greeted with lots of enthusiasm by my family. Again, thanks Maria for sharing these recipes that are both uncomplicated and delicious.
Made these for the first time today, and they are AMAZING!!! I bake a lot, and have many recipes–but this one was an instant favorite. My husband said “I’d be happy if you only baked these.” Thanks so much for a wonderful recipe! : )
I am so happy you loved the recipe.
I cooked these for 25 minutes. They are tasty but are a little crunchier or “harder” than I would prefer. Does this mean I should bake them less – maybe 20 minutes? I want them to be done, just moister.
Yes, try less time, every oven is different. Check early to be safe.
Could I halve this recipe and bake in an 8×8 pan?
Yes!
These are excellent. I used 1 cup of butter instead of 3/4 cup (accidentally added too much) and they were very chewy. I also mixed semi sweet and milk chocolate chips and sprinkled sea salt flakes on top making these very delicious. I baked them under the time noted in recipe. Will make these again.
Glad you loved the bars!
Made these for our priests and church staff. Very easy and delicious – thanks for a great recipe!
Such a great dessert for taking to parties and potlucks!
Could you make the dough ahead, refrigerate it, & then bake the next day?
Yes!
Coming back to make these a second time! My kids liked them so much that one of them asked me to keep making the bars instead of regular cookies. Definitely sticking to this recipe for here on out! You did a great job, thanks Maria!!
The bars are so fun and easy too!
The best chocolate chip cookie bars!!!
Yay!
The best chocolate chip cookie bars.
They really are!
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!! 10/10 will be making again!
Yahoo!
Has anyone tried making these with flax or chia eggs?
I haven’t tried it, but that should work.