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Cookies. Sweet, glorious, cookies. I rarely make good ol’ chocolate chip cookies for any specific purpose. When I make cookies it’s usually just because I can’t stop thinking about them and want to eat them, period. Problem is, by the time I make the dough, eat the dough, and then get one pan baked off (and eat a bunch of cookies warm off the pan) I’m done with my cookie craving. And then I’m left with the task of rolling all the rest of the balls, baking the rest of the sheets, and waiting 8-10 minutes at a time to take each one out of the oven. (Don’t tell me to freeze the dough, I’m not into that.) Sometimes it’s sort of annoying, which is why I like to make them in bar form once in a while. It’s a really quick and easy way to get the same soft and chewy home-baked cookie, but just…squared. These are super quick to whip up. It probably takes 5 minutes to measure everything out, mix it, and have it in the oven. Bam. Cookie-time.
Start with a mix of brown and white sugars.
Mix that up with some melted butter, and then add eggs and a generous splash of vanilla.
Once those are incorporated, sprinkle in your dry ingredients a little at a time: flour, baking soda, and salt.
Lastly, you’ll need some chocolate chips, and you can use any kind you like. I never use milk chocolate in desserts because I think they just turn out overly sweet. So I go for semi-sweet or dark. In these, I particularly like a mix of semi-sweet and white so I’m using half and half.
Once those are mixed in, you’ll press the dough into a foil-lined 9×13 pan. A pan with straight corners works best, and I always line my pans for bar cookies because it makes it infinitely easier to cut them afterward, when you can just lift the entire giant bar right out.
Now you’re probably noticing a little somethin- somethin on top. I always save a few chocolate chips to sprinkle on top, and I also like to sprinkle toffee on top. I find that toffee bits mixed into things like this usually end up melting and just adding sweetness, but sprinkled on top, they form sort of a caramelly- crackly crust that’s amazingly delicous.
So just pop the entire pan in the oven and bake ’em up. They’re done when the edges are just golden brown and you can tell they’re set up. The middle will still appear pretty soft.
The absolute hardest part of this is waiting for these bad boys to cool. If you sneak out a square right out of the oven, it will be gooey and doughy and fall apart. As they cool they continue to set up. If you’re going to serve them before they’ve cooled all the way, I suggest putting them in a bowl with ice cream on top.
Otherwise, cool completely to room temp and then cut into squares. These are slightly crisp around the edges, and super soft in the middle, and basically heaven in a bar.
Perfect for a weeknight treat, a potluck party, or breakfast. We won’t judge.
Soft and Thick Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cups white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips (any kind you like, or a mix)
1/2 cup toffee bits (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with foil and lightly spray the bottom with cooking spray. Set aside.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, white sugar, and melted butter. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring between each addition, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients a little at a time until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips (save a few for the top if desired). Once dough is thoroughly mixed, press into the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 25 minutes (all ovens are different, set timer for 20 minutes to start checking on them. They will bake for 20-30, 25 is perfection in my oven.) Remove from oven when edges are golden brown and center appears set, but still soft. Cool completely to room temperature and then cut into squares.
LAST day for this promo!
These are going on the list to make very soon! I am so tempted to order the olive oil, but I’m wondering how much the shipping/duty would cost to send it to Canada?
Laura, shoot an email to shop@ourbestbites.com and our shipping team can get you all squared away!
These remind me of the cookie bars my mom always makes- CONGO Squares. No idea where she got that name, and she can’t remember either. But, they are awesome.
That’s what we called them at school lunch in elementary school. Loved them then, love them now.
The perfect dessert. Definitely making these with the toffee bits 🙂
Great, now that I have this recipe, I will never eat anything but cookies ever again: breakfast, lunch, and dinner 🙂
You may want to review the printable instructions- looks like they are missing the flour/baking soda/salt part.
🙂
Oh details details… how important could that be? Lol, thanks!
So I have been thinking about chocolate chip cookies all day. Same as you – by the time I have taken the cookie sheet out of the oven for the 5th time after listening to my timer every 8 minutes I am kind of over it. Like you, I never freeze the dough – don’t people understand that it is still available to you? May be their freezers have a lock on them. 🙂
These bars look amazing. Might be just the right FHE treat tonight. Thanks for always posting deliciousness.
Is there a way to add oats to the recipe? I love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! These look fantastic:)
I’m no expert at these bars, but when you add oats, you need to add a little bit more moisture. For my oatmeal cookies I generally use 2 cups of oats. Then up to 1/4 cup more butter than my usual choc. chip cookies. You might have to play around, but that should cover it.
I really want to sneak a square right out of the oven, preferably with the same spoon I used to eat half of the dough. That is fantastic with the toffee sprinkled on top! I bought the toffee bits one time but, as you said, they just disappeared into the cookies so I never used them again. It seems I’ll have to give them another bash. Thanks!
Another person commented that these remind her of Congo Bars! That is a family recipe we have made for as long as I can remember. I had them growing up and make them now- this is almost identical except there is less butter and sugar. Your photos are mouth-watering!
LOL, you had me at the ‘Heath English Toffee Bits’. Pity we can’t get them here in Bangkok, but I’ll definitely be able to find a substitute to make this recipe work. Looks delicious, thanks 🙂
If these are as yummy as the sugar cookie bars from a few months ago- then I’m sure that these are going to be addictive and fantastic!
In my oven as I type.
I am salivating unimaginably right now. Sooooo tired right now from staying up too late after a Stampin’ Up! Catalog Premiere last night. But, must…make…SOON.
Sounds yummy. Have to skip the toffee because of severe nut allergy but that just means more chocolate! So, from the pictures they look, for no better word at this late hour, undone. So are they solid or always a but gooey? Does that make any sense?
These look so good! I just may have to try them the next time I am in the mood for cookies.
Do you think I could freeze the dough in the pan to bake later?
It only takes a few minutes to whip up, so I would recommend doing it fresh. You’d have to experiment with freezing.
I made these late night and oh.my.goodness!!! Soooo yummy! I’ve made chocolate chip cookies in a pan before, but these are WAY better. Everyone loved them (and they are already gone)!!!!
Made these and LOVED them. The toffee bits really add an extra awesome touch. So much so that I took the bar I was eating and rolled the sides in a few more tablespoons of them….like they really needed more sugar. SOOO yummy!
I went to all the effort of converting all the measurements to grams (I’m in the UK) and I FORGOT TO PUT THE DARN VANILLA IN!!!! Grrr!! It stills smells delicious in the oven so I’m hoping that my unfussy kids will still like them! (I’m pretty sure they will!)
Ok, was obliged to test one and I can confirm that even without the vanilla, these are scrumptious!! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
I took these into to work as a teacher appreciation/happy Friday last week. I was alternately loved and hated all morning. They didn’t even make it to lunch! Thanks for the recipe.
Would you be able to double the batch and put in a cookie sheet? Or would it puff up too high while baking and overflow the edges?
I’m wondering the same thing!
I doubled the batch and baked in a cookie sheet. Sure enough, it overflowed. They were still delicious, though. I will definitely make these again without doubling.
I made these the other weekend for a family gathering. Everyone loved it. I am the same way about making cookies. Which is never because I get so lazy about finishing them, so I am so glad I found this.
These are delicious!! The middle is very soft and chewy and even the edges taste great! I will definitely be making these again and again and might just be my go to dessert recipe too – so fast and easy!! 🙂
I just wanted to say thank you for this recipe! I have made it several times now with different chocolate chips and it has turned out perfectly every time. A good cookie bar recipe is kind of like the elusive “perfect brownie” recipe and this one is the best!
Thanks!
Fantastic outcome. I know, its always annoying if someone adds something to a perfect recipe but this is #2 for me with this one and added a 1/4 cup milk and it made a really nice batter. All other remained the same and was a huge hit. Thanks for this one. Most don’t use 3 cups flour and a table spoon vanilla as your ratios are ideal for the perfect bar.
I have made these a few times now as they are sooooo delicious! I add a full bag of chocolate chips and also coconut 🙂 … a family favorite.
I started making these & found out someone had eaten all the chocolate chips out of the pantry! So, I found a bag of Reese’s peanut butter Easter eggs & chopped them up. OMG. So good!! Henceforth, all clearanced candy from Target will go into cookie bars!! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!!
Somehow I had all these half bags of jumbo dark choc, white choc, and heath bits. Just made them and they are a hit! Way easier than waiting around on multiple batches of cookies.
Brought these to a Cub Scout Pack Meeting. They were gone in about 5 seconds & everyone asked me for the recipe! These are WAY better than just making regular choc chip dough & baking into bars. I’ll keep using this recipe for sure! Thank you again!
These are super easy and yummy. I may add a little less vanilla next time, but that is just personal preference!
Thanks so much, these will turn into a family favorite. Like chocolate chip cookies but easier and quicker!