Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Thick chewy cookie bars, easy to make. Great recipe kids love it, perfect quick treat when in a hurry.
Thick chewy cookie bars, easy to make. Great recipe kids love it, perfect quick treat when in a hurry.
- Carbohydrate 33.0124402372175 g
- Cholesterol 32.8183333333333 mg
- Fat 11.8619151600911 g
- Fiber 1.3983888994897 g
- Protein 2.36669750382736 g
- Saturated Fat 7.10976493858584 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (58g)
- Sodium 1303.39418003414 mg
- Sugar 31.6140513377278 g
- Trans Fat 0.727192769077845 g
- Calories 236 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Put a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together melted butters and sugars until combined, add egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix well. Fold in dry ingredients slowly until combined, then add chocolate chips.
- Transfer to prepared cooking pan and bake 30 minutes until top is light golden brown and slightly firm to touch.
- Cool and remove from pan, cut into two inch squares and serve.
Standard drop cookies demand patience and multiple baking sheets, but bar versions aggregate the process into a single pan. Many bakers approach this batter with the same casual abandon they apply to muffins, leading to dry, cakey squares rather than dense rectangles. Precision separates success from failure here.
The Melted Butter Trap
Pouring piping-hot butter directly into sugar dissolves the crystals too fast and cooks the eggs prematurely. Melt the unsalted butter fully, then wait until the temperature drops below 100 degrees Fahrenheit before proceeding. Whisking the cooled fat with both the granulated and brown sugars creates a glossy paste. That emulsion forms the shiny, crinkled crust on top. Incorporating an extra egg yolk introduces necessary extra fat and moisture, halting gluten development so the crumb stays tender.Overmixing the Gluten Network
Flour contains proteins that form elastic gluten strands when agitated. Measuring 2 and 1/8 cups of all-purpose flour requires a digital scale for accuracy; scooping directly with a measuring cup packs too much powder into the bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture using a silicone spatula just until streaks of white disappear. Continuing to stir past this point results in tough, bread-like bars. Spreading the thick dough into the 9x13 inch pan lined with parchment paper ensures even edges.Baking and Cooling Dynamics
Bake the pan at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for precisely 30 minutes. Pull the pan from the oven the moment the top turns light golden brown and feels slightly firm to the touch. Residual heat inside the center finishes the cooking process. Cutting the bars too soon causes them to crumble entirely. Allow the slab to cool completely on a wire rack before lifting it out of the pan with the parchment overhang. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days, though aging fresh baking ingredients like vanilla extract yields minimal difference in taste compared to newly opened bottles.
