The Best Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
I've tested this recipe more than a dozen times, so I can promise you, these are the best small batch chocolate chip cookie bars! They are soft, chewy, and loaded with lots of melty chocolate. And, everything comes together in a loaf pan for just 6-8 gorgeous servings!
Equipment
- loaf pan I use a 3.5x7.5-inch pan
Ingredients
- 60 grams unsalted butter, melted (¼ cup)
- 60 grams dark brown sugar (¼ cup + ½ Tablespoon, packed)
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 60 grams all purpose flour (½ cup)
- 10 grams cornstarch (1 Tablespoon)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 90 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for decoration (½ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a loaf pan with baking spray or neutral oil. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang. Set aside.
- Add the melted butter and brown sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Then, mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is thickened and lighter in color, another 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the batter is about 75% mixed. Then, fold the the semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter until there are no more streaks of flour. Don't over-mix!
- Evenly spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top, if desired. Bake the cookie bars for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still a bit under-done. Don't over-bake or the bars will come out dry!
- Let the cookie bars cool in the pan completely. Then, run a butter knife around the edge of the bars. Use the parchment paper to carefully release the cookie bars from the pan. Cut them into 6-8 bars and enjoy!
Notes
When it comes to small-batch baking, I always recommend using a scale to measure the ingredients. If you don't have a scale, here's how to measure the flour. First, whisk the flour until it's light and fluffy. Then, spoon the fluffed flour into a measuring cup until it's overflowing. Lastly, use a straight edge to level it off without packing the flour into the cup.
I use Diamond Kosher salt in this recipe. If you use Morton's, use half the amount of salt.
For a more rustic look, use a chopped semi-sweet chocolate bar instead of chips.
I use a 3.5x7.5-inch pan for this recipe. If you're using a 4.5x8.5-inch or 5x9-inch pan, start checking for doneness at 16 minutes. The bars will also be thinner!
The key to chewy bars is to under-bake them just a tad. The bars are ready when the edges are set but the centers look a bit under-done. When in doubt, under-baking is better than over-baking.
For easy cutting, refrigerate the cookie bars until they're completely cold. You can eat them chilled or bring them back up to room temp.
Nutrition
Serving: 1barCalories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 23.3gProtein: 1.6gFat: 9.6gSaturated Fat: 5.7gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 132mgPotassium: 63mgFiber: 0.9gSugar: 15.7gVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 0mgIron: 0mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!