Chocolate chocolate chip bars are soft, chewy, and brownie-like, studded with plenty of chocolate chips. This double chocolate cookie bar recipe uses melted butter and comes together quickly in one bowl for a rich, fudgy treat that’s perfect for chocolate lovers.
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As a busy mom and self-taught baker, I love bar cookies because they’re simple to make, require minimal cleanup, and always please a crowd. These double chocolate bars are a cross between chocolate chip cookie bars and brownies, with a crackly top and a wonderfully tender interior.
If you enjoy other chocolate-forward treats like double chocolate oat-bottom brownies or a chocolate snack cake, you’ll appreciate how fudgy and dense these cookie bars feel. For a gooey center, remove the pan from the oven at the shorter end of the bake time and let the bars finish setting as they cool.
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🛒 Ingredient notes
Below are a few ingredient tips to help you get the best texture and flavor from these cookie bars.
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the complete ingredient list and full baking directions.
- Cocoa powder – I recommend unsweetened natural cocoa powder. Because this recipe uses baking soda as the leavening agent, Dutch-process cocoa is not ideal here.
- Sugars – A higher ratio of brown sugar to granulated sugar gives these bars a chewier, more fudgy texture.
- Chocolate chips – Semi-sweet chips work well for deep chocolate flavor. You can substitute milk, white, or peanut butter chips if you prefer, or use chopped baking chocolate.
- Cornstarch – A small amount of cornstarch helps make the bars soft and chewy. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can omit it without changing anything else.
🍫 Can I replace the chips with a chocolate bar?
Yes. Chopped baking chocolate or a chocolate bar will work fine. It will melt more into the batter than chips, creating pockets of melted chocolate, which is delicious.
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🥣 How to make (photo steps)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a medium to large bowl, whisk together melted butter, granulated sugar, packed brown sugar, and kosher salt until smooth.
Add the eggs and vanilla, then mix until fully combined and glossy.
Stir in the baking soda and cornstarch so they’re evenly incorporated.
Add the cocoa powder and mix until it begins to combine, then add the all-purpose flour and stir gently with a spatula until a few flour streaks remain. Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a handful to press on top if you like.
The batter will be thick. Spread it evenly in the prepared pan and press the reserved chips on top if desired.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. A dry, clean tester means the bars are overbaked.
These bars develop a glossy, crackly top and feel slightly crisp to the touch, while the interior remains soft. Allow the pan to cool on a wire rack before lifting the parchment and cutting into squares.
👩🏻🍳 Tips for the best double chocolate cookie bars
To achieve a soft, chewy, fudgy texture, avoid overmixing the batter and don’t overbake. The bars continue to set as they cool, so pull them from the oven when the center still has a few moist crumbs attached to a tester.
Use a light-colored metal 8×8-inch pan for even baking. Dark pans absorb more heat and can cause the edges to brown faster than the center. If you must use glass, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F and expect the baking time to increase slightly.
Oven temperatures vary, so an oven thermometer helps ensure accurate baking. If you want to speed up cooling, once the pan is cool enough to handle, place it in the refrigerator until completely set.
If you make these One Bowl Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bars, I’d love to see your photos — tag me on Instagram or leave a comment below. Happy baking!
If you try this recipe (or any recipe from my site), please come back and leave a review and a star rating. I read every comment and appreciate your feedback.
📖 Recipe
One Bowl Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bars
Recipe created and tested by:
Tasia Harper
Using weight (metric) measurements when available improves accuracy and consistency.
Please note
When multiplying the recipe, double-check gram measurements as they may not automatically scale.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted (170g)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (133g)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (200g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (8g)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (20g)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- 1 ¾ cups chocolate chips (315g)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper.
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In a medium to large bowl, whisk melted butter (¾ cup/170g) with granulated sugar (⅔ cup/133g), packed brown sugar (1 cup/200g), and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) until combined.
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Add the eggs (2 large) and vanilla (1 tablespoon) and mix until incorporated, about 1 minute.
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Stir in baking soda (1 teaspoon) and cornstarch (1 tablespoon/8g). Add cocoa powder (¼ cup/20g) and mix until it begins to blend. Add all-purpose flour (2 cups/250g) and fold with a spatula until a few large streaks remain. Fold in the chocolate chips, holding a few aside to press on top if desired.
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Spread the thick batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Press reserved chips onto the surface if you like.
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Bake 25–30 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and a tester in the center shows a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
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Use the parchment to lift the bars from the pan and cut into squares once fully cooled.
Notes
Light-colored metal pans give the most even results; glass pans may require a lower temperature and longer bake time to avoid over-browning the edges.
Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. Freeze for up to three months and thaw before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 331 kcal
Carbohydrates: 48 g
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 15 g
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary with ingredient brands and portion sizes.