Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Buttercream Frosting

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Buttercream Frosting

These cookie bars look adorable adorned with a cute little dollop of fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting and sprinkles. I cut them into small squares a little less than two inches wide, so they are just a few perfect bites, but you could also leave the pan whole and use the whole slab for a cookie cake.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Buttercream Frosting

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I’ve been using this cookie dough for years; you can also use it to make jumbo size, thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies, which also turn out incredible. Feel free to change up your chips, or mix different flavor chips together. We really like combining chocolate chips with little toffee pieces.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Buttercream Frosting

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Buttercream Frosting

 

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream adapted slightly, from Cooking Classy
Makes 35 cookie squares 
 
This dough also makes EXCELLENT chocolate chip cookies…click HERE!
 
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to just warm
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg, plus one large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 – 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
 
Vanilla Buttercream
1/3 cup salted butter or unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 drops of almond extract
2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons half-and-half
food coloring, optional

 

For Cookie Bars:

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 9 x 13″ baking pan by greasing, then lining with parchment paper.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl with whisk; set aside.

By hand, or with an electric mixer, mix butter and sugars together until well combined. I’ve used both mixing methods and both work equally well. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed until combined (by hand will work too – just takes a little more effort). Stir in the chocolate chips to taste.

Add dough to prepared pan and spread/pat into an even layer in the prepared baking pan; a large flat spatula helps.

Place baking pan in heated oven. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until edges just start to brown. Remove from oven and let cool in pan, on wire rack, for five minutes. Using parchment sling, carefully lift cookies out of pan, onto the cooling rack to cool completely. Slice cookies into bars; cut 5 rows across in the 9″ direction, and 7 rows across in the 13″ direction (about 1.75″ per bar).

For Buttercream:

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, of a stand or hand electric mixer. Whip until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Pipe frosting into little dollops on top of each cookie square. If decorating with sprinkles, be sure to add sprinkles quickly, so they stick. I used a Wilton 1M open star tip.

Store finished cookies in an airtight container for up to three days.


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