Two Kooks » All Recipes » Dessert Recipes » Lazy Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars

Lazy Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars

ByCheryl Avrich Updated on
Jump to Recipe

This recipe has been updated.

If you’re feeling lazy but need to satisfy a sweet craving, check out these soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie bars. No rolling, no chilling, no mixer needed.

Yummy bar cookies in less time and effort than traditional chocolate chip cookies.

four chocolate chip cookie bars stacked on plate with milk beside it

There’s nothing like a chocolate chip cookie with an ice cold glass of milk (or coffee) for dunking. The other day, I was in no mood for a whole big process – I just wanted that cookie fast.

I found a recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction that looked good, quick and simple (my kind of recipe). The only changes I made were to use a larger pan (to bake thinner cookie bars more quickly) and to add more chocolate chips.

What to expect

These easy cookie bars definitely satisfied my craving. They are soft, chewy and loaded with chocolate.

They have that classic chocolate chip cookie taste even though they are in bar form, not individual cookies. The ingredients are pretty much the same though.

And best of all, no fussing – no forming separate cookie balls, no chilling the dough and no mixer needed! And we’ve shortened the baking time too:)

If you prefer a crispy cookie, try our skor chocolate chip cookies or our crispy buttery lace cookies (less than 30 minutes). Or our more traditional chewy chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredients – tailored to your taste

flour, sugar, eggs, chocolate chips, melted butter, salt, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla.

Cookie dough: This includes the usual ingredients of butter, sugar (brown and white), eggs, chocolate chips, baking soda, cornstarch and salt.

Chocolate chips: Use any kind of any combination – dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch, peanut butter chips. I use dark.

Variations: Try adding chopped nuts such as walnuts, macadamia or pecans into the dough. Or sprinkle on some skor bits before baking of sea salt after baking.

Step by step instructions

dry ingredients except sugars in mixing bowl.
Mix together dry ingredients (except sugars) in a large bowl.
sugars, melted butter, eggs and vanilla in mixing bowl.
In medium bowl, mix melted butter and sugars. Whisk in eggs and vanilla.
combing wet and dry ingredients in large bowl.
Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and mix to form a dough.
cookie dough in mixing bowl.
Dough will be soft and thick.
cookie dough with chocolate chips in mixing bowl.
Mix in chocolate chips with clean hands or a spoon.
cookie dough spread out in sheet pan lined with parchment.
Spread dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake until light golden brown.
baked cookie bars cut into squares.
Lift cookies onto a cutting board, cool and cut into 28-56 squares.
stack of chocolate chip cookie bars beside glass of milk.
Serve with a cold glass of milk or coffee for dunking.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use a different size baking pan?

The recipe will also work with a 9 inch (23 cm) square pan or an 11×7 inch (28×18 cm) rectangle pan. Keep in mind, the baking time will be longer and the chocolate chip bars will be thicker. See recipe notes.

How will I know when the chocolate chip bars are done?

You will know when the bars are done when the top has turned slightly brown and a tester or toothpick comes out clean or just has a few crumbs sticking to it. They will still be very soft in the middle.

Shortcut

  • Most chocolate chip cookie recipes require chilling. Some require rolling and cut outs and a hand mixer. And of course, all require separating the dough into cookies. This chewy chocolate chip cookie bar recipe requires none of those steps. You are supposed to cool the cookies for 30 minutes before cutting and eating them. I didn’t wait that long 🙂
  • Bottom line, you can be eating your warm freshly baked cookie bars in just over 40 minutes!

Make Ahead

  • To store: Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up 3-5 days.
  • To freeze: Place cookies in layers separated by parchment paper (to avoid sticking) in a sealed container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

My favorite way to eat this cookies are to dunk them in a cold glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. The best.

They would also be lovely served with an easy 4-ingredient tropical fruit salad or a berry bowl.

And, of course, as part of a dessert tray along with crispy buttery lace cookies, elephant ears cookies (palmiers), white chocolate bark and peanut butter rice krispy treats (with chocolate).

4 chocolate chip bars stacked on a plate.

If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟in the recipe card below. And if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments. Thanks very much!

4 chocolate chip bars stacked on a plate.
Print Recipe Pin Save Recipe

Rate this recipe here

4.62 from 13 votes

Lazy Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars

If you're feeling lazy but need to satisfy a sweet craving, check out these soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie bars. No rolling, no chilling, no mixer needed.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Cooling Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 56 smaller cookies (or 28 large)
Author: Cheryl Avrich

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted ( 1 1/2 sticks)
  • 1 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips (or more) , Note 1
  • Garnish: sprinkle of sea salt optional
US Measures – Metric

Instructions

  • PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F/177C. Place parchment or aluminum foil on 9 x 15 inch pan (23×38 cm), allowing paper to extend beyond the two long sides for easy lifting after baking. Note 2
  • COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS (except sugars): In a large bowl, mix together flour, brown and white sugar, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • COMBINE WET INGREDIENTS PLUS SUGARS: In a medium-size separate bowl, whisk together slightly cooled melted butter and both sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg, then extra yolk and vanilla.
  • ADD WET INGREDIENTS TO DRY INGREDIENTS and mix with a rubber spatula until combined. The dough will be soft and thick. Add chocolate chips and mix in to distribute well. (I find it easier to use clean hands to mix them in ). Note 3.
  • BAKE: Transfer dough to pan and spread it out, pressing down gently to distribute evenly. I leave 1 inch/2.5 cm of space on each side. If you go to the edges, they will be thinner (too thin?) and need 1-2 minutes less to bake. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Sprinkle sea salt lightly on top if you like as soon as you take the bars out of oven.
  • COOL AND CUT: Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove bars from pan by lifting sides of parchment and transferring to cutting board. Slice into 28 large squares or 56 small squares. Wipe the knife in between for nice clean cuts.

Recipe Notes

  1. Chocolate chip options: Use any kind of any combination – dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch, peanut butter chips. 
  2. Vary pan size to make thicker bars: For thicker chewy cookie bars (about double thickness), you can use a 9 inch (23 cm) square pan or 11×7 inch (28×18 cm) rectangle pan. The oven is the same but cookies will take about 30 minutes to bake. 
  3. Add-ins to dough: Try adding 1/2 cup/75 grams chopped nuts such as walnuts, macadamia or pecans into the dough. Or sprinkle on some skor bits before baking.
  4. Make ahead: 
    • To store: Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up 3-5 days.
    • To freeze: Place cookies in layers separated by parchment paper (to avoid sticking) in a sealed container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition value estimates are for one smaller cookie (if you cut 56 cookies). 

Nutrition

Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?We’d love you to rate it above under ‘rate this recipe’ or in the comment section below. Thanks!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. 1 star
    Makes no sense. Mixing direction say to combine dry ingredients which includes sugars. When you read the combine wet ingredients it says to add the sugars again until till blended. It seems like the dry ingredients should be the flour,cornstrach,salt ect. Wet ingredients should be the eggs, sugars and vanilla.

    Reply

    1. So sorry for the confusion and thanks for catching it. The instructions are correct. The capitalized instructions ‘titles’ needed adjustment which I have now made. Hope your cookie bars came out ok!

      Reply