chocolate chip cookie bars on parchment paper with flaked salt on top

For as long as I can remember, my mom didn’t make chocolate chip cookies, she made the best chocolate chip cookie bars. Why? I don’t know the exact answer, but perhaps because with five kids and all their friends, it’s far easier to back a pan of cookies and slice ’em up than to hand scoop them all!

These easy chocolate chip cookie bars have become quite famous among our friends and family. They’re perfectly gooey in the middle, it’s almost like an entire pan of the center of a chocolate chip cookie. They’re a staple in every Christmas cookie plate my mom makes, and are always the first to go.

Today, I’m sharing her recipe so you can try them for yourself, and likely get your whole family addicted to them too!

Ingredients You’ll Need

2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4c brown sugar
3/4c granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
12 oz chocolate chips
Flaked salt (my addition, I prefer all chocolate chip desserts with flaked salt on top!)

Combine dry ingredients – flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside
Combine wet ingredients – beat butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and eggs until combined
Mix – gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients and beat until just combined
Fold – chocolate chips into dough
Spread – into the bottom of a greased 9×13″ pan
Bake – for 18-22 mins at 350 degrees if using a metal pan, and 30-38 at 325 mins if using a glass or ceramic pan
Top – with flaked salt, if desired
Cool & cut – let cool complete and cut into squares

chocolate chip cookie bars stacked on parchment paper

What are the best chocolate chips?

While I prefer to use the large bittersweet chips for my chocolate chip cookies, for these I prefer to use Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. Milk chocolate chips are great too, if you prefer milk chocolate!

My mom bakes her cookie bars in a metal pan for exactly 19 1/2 minutes, but I recommend anywhere between 18-22 minutes depending on your oven, and how gooey you want them in the center!

If you’re baking in a glass or ceramic pan, you’ll want to lower the temperature to 325 and bake them for 30-38 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is almost set.

What pan should I use?

Despite what’s pictured here, my preferred pan for making chocolate chip bars is a metal (aluminum or non-stick) pan. They bake more evenly, and quicker.

We always make our chocolate chip cookie bars in a 9×13″ pan, because more is more when it comes to these little square cookies! However, you could halve the recipe and easily make it in an 8×8 pan if you prefer.

I cut the bars quite large here, getting 15 bars total out of the pan. When my mom makes them for cookie platters or large groups, she cuts them smaller, getting 18 or even up to 24 bars total out of the pan.

How do I store chocolate chip bars?

You can store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Yes, chocolate chip cookie bars freeze very well. Put them in a freezer-safe container and when ready to eat, microwave for 10-20 seconds!

All the more reason to go ahead and use that 9×13″ pan. Nothing like having cookie bars in the freezer when you need ’em!

More Easy Crowd-Pleasing Desserts To Try

These little square cookies come together so easily and are guaranteed to be a hit with anyone who tries them! You could call these easy chocolate chip cookie bars the lazy chocolate chip cookie or you could call them GENIUS! Especially for those of us who love the “middle” part of a cookie most. Enjoy!

three photos of chocolate chip bars with text "easy chocolate chip bars"

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