Name: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: Makes 24
Ingredients: Nonstick vegetable oil spray; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt; ¾ tsp. baking powder; ¾ tsp. baking soda; ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled; 1 cup (packed; 200 g) dark brown sugar; ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.), divided

Cookie bars made with semisweet chocolate chips.

Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine

Chocolate chip cookie bars are always a good idea, whether you’re baking them for sleepovers, school lunches, or simply snacking. This version, which comes together quickly without the need for an electric mixer, is a chocolate chip-studded treat that leans into nostalgia. A simple cookie dough, made with both white and brown sugars, is flavored with a generous splash of vanilla extract balanced by a hefty pinch of salt. Baking the bars at a low temperature (325°) ensures they are soft from edge to edge and prevents the exterior from overcooking. The bars are chewy, while staying crisp on top, and strike the just-right balance between sweet and salty.

If you don’t plan to eat all of these chocolate chip bars within a week, stash any leftovers in resealable freezer bags and freeze. This way, whenever your craving hits, all you have to do is let a piece defrost on the counter for about an hour. You can even pack a frozen bar for lunch and it will be perfectly thawed and just as crisp and chewy as the day it was baked by the time you are ready to eat.

Get more of our favorite cookie bar recipes →

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What you’ll need

Balloon Whisk
$12 At Amazon
9 x 13 Pan
$15 At Amazon
Silicone Spatula
$22 At Amazon

Recipe information

Total Time
40 minutes
Yield
Makes 24

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt

¾ tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. baking soda

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled

1 cup (packed; 200 g) dark brown sugar

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.), divided

Preparation

Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 325°. Lightly coat a metal or glass 13x9" baking pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray, then line with parchment paper leaving a generous overhang on long sides. Whisk together 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, ¾ tsp. baking powder, and ¾ tsp. baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.
Step 2
Whisk ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, 1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, and 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract in a large bowl until combined and sugar is starting to dissolve. Add 2 large eggs, room temperature, one at a time, whisking until incorporated after each addition. Add reserved dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms and no pockets of unincorporated flour remain. Add 1⅔ cups semisweet chocolate chips (10 oz.) and stir just until distributed.
Step 3
Transfer dough to prepared baking pan and press into an even layer with your hands or spatula coated with nonstick spray. Sprinkle remaining ⅓ cup semisweet chocolate chips (2 oz.) evenly over top of dough and press them in slightly to adhere.
Step 4
Bake bar until top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean apart from any smudges of melted chocolate, 30–35 minutes. Let cool in pan at least 1 hour before cutting into an 8x3 grid to make 24 rectangles.
Do Ahead: Bars can be baked 1 week ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature, or freeze in resealable plastic freezer bags up to 3 months.