Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars – Thick and soft chocolate chip cookie bars baked in an 8×8 pan. This smaller batch version of my popular cookie bar recipe is perfect for families!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
I’ve been working all week on adapting my super popular cookie bar recipe to a smaller version. I’m happy to report that these are my favorite version yet! Loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips and using just one stick of butter and two eggs, I’m hoping you already have everything you need on hand to bake these. Plus, I tested them in the classic 8×8 square Pyrex baking dish, which I’m also hoping you already have on hand.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Tips
- Line the baking dish with foil, then spray the foil with non stick cooking spray. Once the cookies are cooled, you can lift them out and cut them into squares.
- If you don’t have foil, you can use parchment paper. Try crumbling it up then smoothing it out flat. This was a great reader tip to keep it from sliding around the dish.
- You can also bake directly in the glass baking dish and cut the bars in the pan.
- For best presentation, top cookie bars with additional chocolate chips before baking.
- Cookie bars will be soft at first but will continue to set as they cool.
- You’ll need 1 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe.
What kind of chocolate chips do I need?
Classic Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, or whatever you have on hand. In my other cookie bar recipes, I have used chocolate chunks, M&M’S and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. For this recipe, I really wanted to use what I thought most people would have on hand or would have stocked up on. I made the cookie bars several times with varying amounts of chocolate chips to get the perfect balance.
Thick and soft chocolate chip cookies bars baked in a 8×8 pan. This smaller batch version of my popular cookie bar recipe is perfect for families!
- 1 stick butter, softened (4 oz)
- 1/2 cup golden brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 glass baking dish with foil and spray with non- stick cooking spray.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until fluffy. Add vanilla extract, salt, and eggs one at a time, and continue mixing, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
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Mix in flour and baking soda. Once cookie dough is well combined, add chocolate chips and give a final stir. Transfer cookie dough to baking dish and top with more chocolate chips. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cookie dough is just set. Do not over bake, cookie bars will continue cooking as they cool.
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These are one of our favorite desserts! Kids love helping me make them.
Cookie bars are our favorite!! They are soft, thick, & so chocolatey!!
These are one of our favorite desserts! So chocolaty, yum!
Sounds delicious! Just wondering though: why the recommendation to line the pan, rather than just greasing it? Seems wasteful to use foil or parchment if it’s really not necessary.
The bars are heavy and thick and you need something to lift them out if you want to cut them into squares.
Just took them out of the oven. Delicious.
So so good! I have some in the oven now.
I love making cookie bars so much. I just made another batch of these with chocolate chips and m & m’s!
Truly the easiest and most efficient way to do a lot of these!
I have a friend who is dairy free for infant feeding reasons so i subbed vegan butter in this recipe and they turned out great!!
WOW! These Chocolate Chip Bars were so easy to make and incredibly delicious!! YUM!!
I did bake an extra 5 minutes because they looked too light and doughy, I shut the oven off and left them in for 5 more.
Cookie bars are the best!! We love them & make them often! Anytime, we have company, these are my go-to. Everyone loves them & you can add whatever you like in them!
These seem to be our Sunday go-to dessert!! They are super easy to make, easier than cookies & so good!
Perfectly buttery, gooey, and chocolatey! Sprinkling the extra chips on top makes them so pretty. Reheated the leftovers and served them with a scoop of ice cream. Delish!
Absolutely delicious chocolate chip bar cookies!! Couldn’t be better.! Thank you so much for an excellent recipe!!
I have made these 4 or 5 times, and they are our favorite. Thanks for sharing this recipe and God bless you and yours
Hands down, my favorite cookie bar recipe. Love everything about it! Making another batch today!
My family loves these bars! They are our favorite, go-to!! So soft & chewy & chocolate-y!
We LOVED these chocolate chip cookie bars! So easy and delicious, can’t wait to make them again.
Already tried lots of chocolate cookie bar recipes. So far, this recipe is one of the best! So chewy and delightful! We love putting whipped cream on top!
Love these cookie bars and how easy they are to make! They turn out perfect every time, thank you!