Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars

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These Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars are a wonderful treat when you’re in the cookie mood but want to change it up a little. These require no chill time and only your basic cookie ingredients! They slice up into perfectly thick bars, packed full of chocolate. So easy to make, no shaping or chilling, almost a ‘lazy’ cookie. Hence, why I love a cookie bar so much!

By creating bars rather than individual cookies, you end up with far more of the fudgy centre and there is no need to chill the dough. The only drawback with these is the 30-45min wait after baking before slicing! Although, you could just top with ice cream and dive in with spoons instead. The cornflour is crucial for a solid texture, and the brown sugar gives the sticky, fudgy, rich flavours and texture. I find the chocolate chunks make for a better texture than regular chocolate chips as you get so much more chocolate goodness in each bite. Alternatively, you could slice up a bar of your favorite chocolate.

The brown sugar and vanilla are crucial to deep flavours and the gorgeous texture. Everything comes together in just a few steps in one bowl. Being a no-chill cookie recipe means that these are super quick to make. This makes them ideal when you need to prep something with little warning!

Cookie bars are made just the same as cookies, but pressed into a tin rather than baking as individual rounds. Same delicious flavours and textures!

WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING GREAT COOKIES, THERE ARE A FEW KEY TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND:

1. Quality Ingredients: Start with high-quality ingredients, including butter, sugar, flour, and, in the case of vanilla cookies, pure vanilla extract.
2. Creaming Method: Use the creaming method to properly mix the butter and sugar. Creaming incorporates air into the mixture, resulting in a lighter texture for the cookies.
3. Proper Mixing: Be careful not to overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added. Overmixing can lead to tough and dense cookies.
4. Chilling the Dough: Chilling the cookie dough before baking can help solidify the fats and prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. This can result in a thicker, chewier texture.
5. Baking Time: Be sure to keep a close eye on the cookies as they bake. They should be removed from the oven when they are just set around the edges but still slightly soft in the center. They will continue to firm up as they cool.

INGREDIENTS REQUIRED

There are no specialist ingredients or equipment required for this bake. I can find everything I need at my local supermarket or grocery store. Also, I use an 8×8″ square pan. To press everything in an even layer you may need to use your hands to really get it into the corners. The dough should be fairly stiff.

• Unsalted Butter, Melted
• Granulated Sugar
• Light Brown Soft Sugar
• Large Free Range Egg
• Vanilla Extract
• All Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Dark/Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks

TOP TIPS FOR THE BEST Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars

• Butter: Fully melted, unsalted butter is best. You could use salted instead if you want a little more of a grown up taste.
• Sugars: The combination of light brown and granulated sugars really contributes to a chewy centre and perfect bake. I don’t recommend substituting or omitting.
• Chocolate: Use any variation of chocolate chunks/chips. I use dark chocolate chunks, but milk/white are great too. Also any sort of chopped chocolate works really well. Ultimately, you can’t go wrong.
• Assembly: When pressing the dough into the pan, just use your hands. The dough is fairly stiff so needs some coaxing to get it into an even layer.
• Bake Time: Take the cookie bars out before they look fully baked. The residual heat will get them to the perfect texture. These bars are still slightly soft in the center with a crisp edge and bottom. Be careful when baking – they may look a little underdone but they retain the heat so well that they will be cooked through. Just trust the process!

I bake these Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars I like to use an 8″ square baking dish. For more baking inspiration, head on over to my Instagram.

STORAGE FOR MY Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars

When it comes to storing fresh cookies, it’s essential to maintain their texture and flavor. Here are a few tips to help you store your cookies effectively:

1. Air Tight Container: As these cookie bars do not contain perishable ingredients they do not need to be stored in the refrigerator. Place them in an airtight container like a cake tin or reliable plastic food storage containers. This way, they will stay their best for about 3 days.
2. Freezing: Cookie bars can generally be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, simply place the bars in an airtight container. Thaw them at room temperature before serving. You can do this with the raw cookie dough, removing from the freezer to bake. Alternatively, freeze the cookies once baked and remove when the cravings hit! Let thaw before serving, or even microwave very quickly to get them warm again.

I bake these Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars in a classic 8×8″ square pan, just make sure it is lined for best results. For more cookie ideas, check out these Tiramisu Cookies. For videos and baking inspiration, head on over to my Instagram. If you make this recipe, don’t forget to drop it a star rating, leave a review or share a photo on your socials!