Best Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe

I just made the Best Chocolate Chip Bars and honestly they’re perfectly gooey in the center, crisp at the edges, and gone before you can blink.

I’m obsessed with these Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Pioneer Woman style because they hit every weak spot in me. I love that they’re dense, crackly on top, gooey inside, and stupidly chocolatey.

I crave that toasty butter smell from 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled. Chocolate is the point, hence the huge pockets from 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips.

And I don’t mess around with tiny cookies. These bars are slab-level surrender.

Chocolate Chip Bars Easy and fast, no drama, all payoff. My kind of dessert.

Bring me one now, please right now.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: rich, chewy base that makes bars tender and slightly caramelized.
• Light brown sugar: molasses warmth and chewiness, gives that deep cookie flavor.
• Granulated sugar: crisp edge and balance so bars aren’t too soft.
• Eggs: bind everything together, make them cakier and a bit pillowy.
• Vanilla extract: little warmth and sweetness boost, it just smells like home.
• All-purpose flour: the structure, keeps bars from falling apart, plain and reliable.
• Baking soda: spreads them a bit and adds lightness, helps browning too.
• Baking powder: lifts where soda misses, keeps centers from being too dense.
• Fine sea salt: sharpens sweetness, cuts richness, makes chocolate pop.
• Semisweet chocolate chips: melty pockets of bitter-sweet joy in every bite.
• Chopped walnuts or pecans: optional crunch and nuttiness, great for texture contrast.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 1/4 cups (250 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup (100 g) chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment, letting some hang over the sides for easy lift-out, or grease the pan really well.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 1 cup melted unsalted butter (cooled a bit), 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until smooth and glossy, scraping the sides.

3. Beat in 2 room temperature eggs, one at a time, then stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract until the mixture is well combined and slightly thickened.

4. In a separate bowl whisk 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt so there are no lumps.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined; don’t overmix or the bars will get tough.

6. Fold in 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if using, reserving a handful of chips to sprinkle on top if you want them pretty.

7. Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, pressing it level but not packed down too hard. Sprinkle the reserved chips over the top.

8. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center is set but still a little soft when you jiggle the pan; for gooey bars take them out at the earlier end, for more set bars bake a couple minutes longer.

9. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then use the parchment overhang to lift the slab out and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days or freeze for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×13 inch baking pan lined with parchment (or well greased)
2. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl
3. Whisk (for dry ingredients and sugars)
4. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon (for folding and mixing)
5. Electric hand mixer or sturdy whisk (to beat the eggs and smooth the butter mixture)
6. Measuring cups and spoons (and a kitchen scale if you like precision)
7. Offset spatula or back of a spoon (to spread the dough evenly)
8. Wire cooling rack and a sharp knife for slicing
9. Cutting board or plate for the nuts and a small bowl for reserved chips

FAQ

Best Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted butter, melted: use 1 cup coconut oil (measured melted) for a dairy free option; or 1 cup vegan buttery spread for similar flavor; or 3/4 cup applesauce plus 1/4 cup oil for a lower fat bar (texture will be softer).
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar: swap with 1 1/4 cups coconut sugar for a more caramel note; or use 1 cup maple syrup but reduce melted butter by 3 tablespoons and bake a little longer; or 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar plus 2 teaspoons molasses if you want that brown sugar taste.
• 2 large eggs: replace each egg with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water (let sit 5 minutes); or use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg for a moist bar; or 1/4 cup mashed banana per egg, note banana flavor will come through.
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour: use 2 1/4 cups 1-to-1 gluten free baking blend for GF bars; or swap half the flour with whole wheat pastry flour for nuttier flavor and keep volume same; or use 2 cups all purpose plus 1/4 cup oat flour for a chewier texture.

Pro Tips

1) Chill the eggs in the fridge for a few minutes before using if your kitchen is warm, or warm them up a bit in a bowl of warm water if theyre too cold. Room temp eggs mix better and you wont get weird lumps, but dont overdo it.

2) Let the melted butter cool until it’s warm not hot, otherwise it can scramble the eggs. Stir the sugars in while the butter cools so they soften a bit and mix smoother, and scrape the bowl sides or youll have pockets of sugar.

3) Don’t overmix once the flour goes in, but do scrape the bottom and corners well. Fold gently till you cant see streaks of flour, a few tiny streaks are OK, theyll finish while baking and keep the bars tender.

4) If you want gooey bars, take them out when the center still jiggles slightly; they firm up as they cool. For prettier tops, press a few extra chocolate chips on right after they come out of the oven so they melt slightly, and cool completely before cutting so you get cleaner slices.