Chippy Bars AKA Chocolate Chip Bars

Chippy Bars AKA Chocolate Chip Bars are a quicker way to get all the deliciousness of chocolate chip cookies without all the effort!

Chippy Bars

This recipe came from pure laziness. My family (husband being the band leader) adores chocolate chip cookies. But when the 3 children were young, I didn’t always have time to make cookies. Scooping, baking, cooling, repeating. A bit of a pain with little ones underfoot. So spreading the batter into a cake pan was the perfect solution.

Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Bars

Way back when my children were in preschool and elementary school, these were frequently baked for dessert.  The kids dubbed these Chippy Bars. The name has stuck even though they’re full grown! The key to their deliciousness is under-baking just slightly, so they’re moist and chewy. Danielle, one of my foodie friends who can bake and decorate extraordinary cookies with a newborn, inspired me to add white and milk chocolate chips to the semisweet I usually use. Two of my live-in chocoholics protested, but most of these are a going to a friend. I’m certain they’ll be able to choke down a few!

Tips for Making Cookie Bars

I have made this dessert more than any other. From bowl to plate it takes only about an hour. Much quicker than cookies, and so well loved.  My family is willing to eat these chocolate chip cookie bars warm and gooey. Wouldn’t you? I hope these chippy bars will become a favorite of your family, too. I’m sharing a couple tips for making bar cookies the best they can be.

How Do I Prep My Baking Pan?

• First, prepare your pan. PRO-Tip: You can grease with a cooking spray like Pam, but I prefer to line my 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, specifically non-stick foil. The foil doubles as a sling to help remove the bars to a cutting board after they are cool. Regular foil works for a sling, but the non-stick peels off the bars easily. Super slick!
• Usually cookie bars can be baked at the same temperature as cookies, but they need a longer baking time. Baking time is typically 10 minutes for simple chocolate chip cookies and about 25 minutes for these chippy bars.

How Can I Tell if My Bar Cookies Done?

• You can use a toothpick to see if the center is cooked, but that works better with cakey bars. These chocolate chip cookie bars are dense and not cakey. The first batch is often a test batch, though they should look browned across the top and your kitchen will be filled with a delicious aroma just before they are fully cooked.
• Make sure to mark your recipe with the time it took for your oven to bake the bars properly. All ovens cook a little differently.
• You can use all semi-sweet chocolate chips, mix in some butterscotch chips, M&M’s or what ever your heart desires!

Yield: 24 bars

Chippy Bars

Print

An easy way to get the flavors of chocolate chip cookies without all the work! Recipe adapted from the Nestles Tollhouse cookie recipe.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 24 minutes

Total Time 34 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips plus 3/4 cup white chocolate chips and 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. Cream butter and sugars. Mix in eggs. Add vanilla, then dry ingredients. Mix well. Add chocolate chips.
3. Spread in greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake about 24 minutes.