Double chocolate chip cookie bars are chewy, soft, and thick, easier to make than cookies, no scooping required!
These are different than my Chocolate Pudding Mix Cookies, there isn't any pudding mix in these but they ARE loaded with chocolate flavor and dark chocolate chips. They are more like a cookie than a brownie in texture, but just as delicious!
I LOVE chocolate chocolate cookie bars because you can customize them for so many holidays. Valentine's cookie bars? Add pink and red m&m's. St. Patricks? Add mint and green m&m's (you could also make pistachio white chocolate bars). Easter? Add chocolate Cadbury eggs on top. Fourth of July? Red white and blue m&m's. Christmas? You know the answer. Put your favorite red and green candy or sprinkles on top.
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What To Expect
- Taste: Chewy and thick, a cross between a cookie and a brownie with chocolate chips throughout. Rich right out of the oven, but PERFECT when cooled.
- Ease: The same preparation method as making cookies, but instead of scooping, just spread it into the pan and bake! Beginner friendly!
- Time: It takes about 5 minutes to make the dough and 25 minutes to bake. Just a little cooling time and they're ready to slice!
🛒 Key Ingredients
- Sugar - I use both brown sugar and white granulated sugar, so these would have a more cookie like texture than brownie.
- Cocoa Powder - you can use regular Hershey's brand cocoa powder, or a generic store brand. Both have worked fine for me!
- Butter - make sure to stay away from spreadable butters, margarine, or anything that's not real butter when baking brownie chocolate chip cookie bars.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- Chocolate Chips - you can use any color and flavor of chocolate chips. Peanut butter (YUM), butterscotch, dark chocolate, white chocolate, you name it, you can use it.
- Add mint extract for a fun Christmas holiday version. ½ a teaspoon should add enough flavor, and add some fun Christmas sprinkles on top!
- Rocky Road - add marshmallows and chopped almonds for a fun rocky road version. Or graham crackers for s'mores!
- Add toppings - you can drizzle homemade quick Dulce De Leche over the tops, flaky sea salt, melted peanut butter, Biscoff cookie butter, or Nutella. Yum!
- Turn into a cookie cake! Bake in a 10-11 inch round cake pan for 25-30 minutes, cool, and then frost around the edges. Yum!
- Add chocolate kisses to the top like my Peanut Butter Blossom Bars. Delicious.
🧑🍳 Instructions
Don't forget to preheat oven to 350 ℉. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with either baking spray or parchment paper.
- Step 1. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together and mix on medium/high speed using an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. It'll look whiter and should look slightly fluffy.
- Step 2. Add vanilla and eggs, mixing well until eggs are mixed in well, for 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Step 3. Add in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix slowly until a dough forms and all of the flour pockets are gone, 1 minute or more.
- Step 4. Add in the chocolate chips last, save about ¼ cup or a handful to sprinkle over the top.
- Step 5. Spread into the prepared 9x13 inch pan, you can use a flat cup to help press it into the pan.
- Step 6. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips (optional). Bake at 350 ℉ for 25-30 minutes. Dark pans for 25 min, and thick ceramic pans will take 28-30 minutes.
- Cool for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing, it's much easier if they are cooled completely to room temperature. Enjoy!
📌 Top Tips & Hacks
- Don't overbake! The edges will be set and the middle will look slightly underdone, just like the best cookies. The bars will finish cooking as they cool. Overbaking can cause the cocoa powder to become a little bitter, make sure you take them out at the correct time. 👍🏻
- Use weight measurements for consistent, accurate results.
- Use a flat cup to help spread the chocolate cookie dough flat into the pan to bake, it can be easier than using hands.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can either freeze it raw pressed in the pan (with parchment paper underneath) and remove to freeze in a large freezer bag,
- OR you can freeze it in a freezer bag and then thaw it completely (do not microwave) before pressing it in to the pan before baking.
You can, but they will definitely taste more like dark chocolate and won't be as sweet, so be prepared for that!
Room temperature: 1-2 days in an airtight container, they tend to go a little stale and dry out after a day or two. I find that placing a slice of bread in the container with them overnight helps to soften them back up.
Freeze: up to 2 months. Make sure you cool them to room temperature before freezing.
I haven't tested it with that, margarine, or shortening so I can't say how it would turn out. You can try and let me know!
🍪 More Easy Bar Recipes
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter 226 g
- 1 cup granulated white sugar 225 g
- 1 cup brown sugar 225 g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups all purpose flour 410 g
- ¾ cup cocoa powder 75 g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5 g
- ¾ teaspoon salt 6 g
- 1½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips 280 g
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with baking spray or parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together and mix on medium/high speed using an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. It'll look whiter and should look slightly fluffy.
- Add vanilla and both eggs, mixing well until eggs are mixed in well, for 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix slowly until a dough forms and all of the flour pockets are gone, 1 minute or more.
- Add in the chocolate chips last, save about ¼ cup or a handful to sprinkle over the top.
- Spread into the prepared 9x13 inch pan, you can use a flat cup to help press it into the pan. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips (optional).
- Bake at 350 ℉ for 25-30 minutes. Dark pans for 25 min, and thick ceramic pans will take 28-30 minutes.
- Cool for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing, it's much easier if they are cooled completely to room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
Ann says
Sara,
These cookie bars were so good, perfect for a chocolate fix!! I shared them with my son and his family and they immediately asked for the recipe!!
Sara says
I've made this recipe countless times for different holidays with different toppings. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! Please leave a comment here and share your feedback with a star rating. I really enjoyed creating this recipe and post for you!