Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These chocolate chocolate chip cookie bars are rich, chewy, and deeply chocolatey, with crisp edges and soft centers that stay fresh for days. Toasted walnuts add warmth and texture that balance the sweetness and make the chocolate flavor even more intense. This recipe creates sturdy bars that slice cleanly and hold their shape - perfect for stacking on a platter, wrapping for gifts, or taking to gatherings. The texture lands somewhere between a brownie and a cookie, giving you the best of both worlds without any fuss.
Equipment
- 9" x 12" pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 115 g
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled 226 g
- 1 cup packed brown sugar 200 g
- ½ cup granulated sugar 105 g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour 320 g
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 68 g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 270 g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly spray with oil and line a 9 × 13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. When oven is heated, spread walnuts (if using) on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes, tossing halfway through. Allow to cool while assembling the batter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, stopping as soon as no dry pockets remain.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and cooled walnuts, distributing them evenly throughout the dough. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky. Don’t overmix. Drop the dough in clumps around the pan. Then press the dough evenly, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 22–26 minutes, until the edges are set and the center looks just barely baked with a soft sheen. The best test is an instant-read thermometer, which should read 190℉ (88°C)
- Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing. Refrigerating for 10-20 minutes before slicing ensures cleaner cuts.
Notes
- To keep chocolate cookie bars from drying out, avoid overbaking. The center should look underdone when you pull the pan from the oven; it will finish setting as it cools. Melted chocolate chips can cling to a toothpick and look like underbaked batter. If you’re unsure, use an instant-read thermometer and aim for about 190°F (88°C) in the center.
- Toasting the walnuts first deepens their flavor and prevents them from tasting raw once baked into the bars. However, you can leave them out if you prefer.
- To get the cleanest cuts, put bars in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes before cutting. Use a chef’s knife or pastry cutter for even, straight cuts.
- These bars can be made ahead of time and actually improve in texture after resting overnight.
- The best pan size for chocolate cookie bars is a 9 × 13-inch pan, which gives the ideal thickness for chewy centers without underbaking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1barCalories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 105mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 3gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 263IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 2mg
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