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Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

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Forget Chocolate Chip Cookies!  This Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars recipe from The 8×8 Cookbook is an absolute winner and perfect for entertaining!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe | Grandbaby Cakes

I recently started eating mostly paleo (more about that here and here), and these chocolate chip cookie bars were the first indulgent treat I had this year.  Let’s just say it was totally worth the cheat.

The chocolate chip cookie bars recipe comes straight from a new cookbook that I recently added to my collection, The 8×8 Cookbook by my friend Kathy Strahs.  Kathy is a fantastic veteran blogger and cookbook author and was such an inspiration to me when I started my blog.  This month being Black History Month, I wanted to give honor to those black women who have recently changed the game with their impressive and creative cookbooks that have motivated me in my kitchen.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars | Grandbaby Cakes

To avoid being cliché, I am actually going to continue sharing recipes from what I call #blackgirlmagic cookbooks through April. Last year, an unprecedented amount of African American woman authored cookbooks were released in the marketplace, and it shows how much talent, perspective and creativity the market was missing before they were released.  I’m so excited that I could share some of these gifts with you on my site, and I’m truly excited to start with this book because it was such a labor of love for the author.  Kathy actually raised funds to self-publish this book through KickStarter.  Her entire campaign was so well run and inspiring.  Check out and support this book.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe | Grandbaby Cakes

I love the idea of this book because everything is created within an 8×8 inch dish.  This works perfectly for small families like mine where its just me and the hubby.  Going through the book, I saw several recipes that I wanted to share.  It also helps when you make this easy and delicious recipe for chocolate chip cookie bars because you won’t a huge pan to entice you with.  Even though, you might want to make two pans but I won’t tell.

5 from 9 votes
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe | Grandbaby Cakes
Print
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
These Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars from The 8x8 Cookbook are an absolute winner.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: classic recipes, crowd pleasers, kid-friendly recipes
Servings: 16 bars
Calories: 239 kcal
Author: Kathy Strahs of The 8x8 Cookbook - Reprinted with permission
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 stick
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 350° F.
  2. Line an 8x8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper.
  3. Beat the butter and both sugars together for several minutes until they’re light and fluffy, either with an electric mixer or by hand with a wooden spoon in a large bowl. Beat in the egg and vanilla until they’re well combined. Separately, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until they’re well combined. Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips.
  4. Pour the dough into the prepared pan, spreading it to the edges and corners (it doesn’t have to be perfect—the dough will further spread in the oven). Bake until the bars are fully set and lightly browned on top, about 25 minutes. Allow them to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.
  5. In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the remaining chocolate chips in the microwave at 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring after each heating, until they’re fully melted (alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a double-boiler on the stove). Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled cookie bars before cutting and serving.
  6. BETTER YET: Cutting a pan of chocolate chip cookies into bars takes a whole lot less effort than scooping individual drop cookies!
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 239 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 116mg 5%
Potassium 112mg 3%
Total Carbohydrates 31g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 18g
Protein 2g 4%
Vitamin A 4%
Calcium 2.3%
Iron 9.2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Excerpted from The 8×8 Cookbook: Square Meals for Weeknight Family Dinners, Desserts and More—In One Perfect 8×8-Inch Dish, by Kathy Strahs (Burnt Cheese Press, 2015). Reprinted with permission.

 

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Comments

  1. Lisa says

    April 1, 2019 at 3:50 pm

    These are amazingly delicious but I don’t get the directions in where it says, pour the batter into the pan..They can’t be poured as they always have a pie crust consistency. At first I thought I did something because I have to press them into the pan every-time. My husband can’t wait for them to cool off as he has to eat them as soon as they come out of the oven.

    Reply

  3. Lisa says

    May 30, 2018 at 6:25 pm

    I have made several of your pound cakes in the past year and each one has been perfect! As a Southerner, I think that baking pound cakes must be embedded in my DNA. Today was the end of the school year for my young grandchildren so I made these cookie bars for them. I was informed that this was the very best of any chocolate chip bars I’ve made for them. High praise indeed for your recipe. Thanks for posting this and also for highlighting that cookbook. (I’m ordering it.)

    Reply

    • Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

      July 5, 2017 at 7:36 pm

      Hi Pat, the information may not have been provided in the cookbook. I actually use MyFitnessPal to come up with calories and nutritional facts for my recipes. It does it automatically once you plug in the link to the website.

      Reply

  6. veri says

    April 20, 2017 at 1:21 pm

    this recipe is better than any chocolate chip cookie i’ve ever had or made — thank you so much to you and kathy for sharing this recipe!! i’m excited to pick up the 8×8 cookbook!!

    Reply

  10. April says

    March 1, 2016 at 6:25 pm

    I’m so inspired by her and not to mention you’re an inspiration as well! I love how more black food bloggers and cookbook authors are showcasing their talents! I definitely have to check out Kathy’s book. Oh and those bars look crazy good!

    Reply

  11. Zainab says

    February 27, 2016 at 3:23 am

    The amount of cookbooks from black powerhouses has been astonishing!! I’m so excited you are promoting these talented folks but highlighting them here on the blog (you are an inspiration!!). Kathy’s panini press book is one of my favorites but I can already see this one getting to that level already. Love the concept and of course these cookie bars!!

    Reply

  20. Mir says

    February 17, 2016 at 8:15 am

    Considering that my 8-inch square pan is the one that gets the biggest workout at my house, I need to buy this book! I’ve always preferred that size because then you’re not way overdoing it with portions and leftovers everywhere. And these cookie bars are worth more than a single splurge!

    Reply

    • Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

      February 16, 2016 at 7:25 pm

      Hi Linda, thanks for bringing that to my attention. Some of the recipe cut off but it is now updated.

      Reply

      • Linda says

        February 17, 2016 at 5:03 pm

        Thank you so much. I heard you on the radio the other day and you were talking about the Salted Caramel Lava Cakes so I decided to make them for my husband for Valentines Day! What a wonderful sweet treat! I’m really looking forward to making these Chocolate Chip cookie Bars next!

        Reply

  26. Medha @ Whisk & Shout says

    February 16, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    I love the concept of this book! My family of three has never owned anything larger than an 8×8, so 13×9 pan recipes always mean lots of adjusting 🙂 And I love that you’re sharing the much-needed black voices in this industry! These bars look amazing- pinning 🙂

    Reply

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