Sometimes scooping out dough and baking multiple batches is just to much hassle when you need to take a treat somewhere in a hurry. I’m kind of obsessed with bar cookies and these Soft Batch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are my new favorite.
They are so soft and chewy and have a slightly unique flavor that makes them extra special. I made these for my sons basketball team and their families and everyone was raving about them.
I saw a recipe floating around Pinterest for Soft Batch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies that looked delicious and decided that with some slight adjustments I could turn them into bars, no problem.
It worked like a charm.
Make these awesome Soft Batch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars next time you need to take a treat somewhere or just for your own personal goodie stash. They are also perfect for lunch boxes and freeze really well.
More Cookie Bars
- ¾ cup softened butter
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1½ cups packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 tsp vanilla
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp cornstarch
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp course sea salt or ¾ tsp regular salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Spray a large cookie sheet 15''x11'' with cooking spray and set aside
- With your stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream together the butter, softened cream cheese, brown sugar and granulated sugar for 1-2 mintues.
- Add eggs and vanilla and continue mixing for 3 minutes or until mixture is very light and fluffy. Scrape sides down halfway through mixing.
- Add flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt and mix until well combined. Add chocolate chips and mix or stir until combined.
- Scoop mixture out evenly over baking sheet and use your hand, greased (I like to put mine in a plastic baggie and spray the baggie with cooking spray) to press the mixture down evenly over the cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Place cookie sheet on cooling rack and allow cookie bars to cool completely. You can put them in the fridge to speed up this process if desired. You can eat them warm but they are much easier and less crumby and messy if allowed to cool completely.
After baking for 15 minutes, are they supposed to look like they’re not really done?
Hi Nicki, sort of, they should be just starting to darken around the edges. You don’t want the center to be doughy though. Also it is important to remember that because they are bars and won’t be immediately removed form the pan, there will be a little bit of carry-over-cooking that happens as they cool.
I have a little question about making these cookie bars🍪 I’d like to turn these into a birthday cake so what if I’d like to use a 9”inch pan?should I halve the recipe?
Hi, that sounds yummy! a 9×9 pan should work great for halving it. Watch the cooking time it may need a little longer if is a little thicker in that size of pan.
We gave these a try over the weekend and my family raves about them! Really appreciated the tip to freeze some, I will be pulling them out one by one when I need a little mom pick-me-up!
Awesome! I love hearing this! 🙂
Could you add carmels to this?
Yes, little pieces of caramel in there would be delicious!
Just made your chocolate chip cream cheese bars and my family loves them. Great recipe they are delicious. Thanks.
Yay! I am so glad Teresa!
Hi there! I was wondering what pan you would suggest using if I don’t have a sheet pan, 15″X11″ or otherwise? I really want to try this recipe but if it won’t work without a sheet pan, I don’t want to waste my ingredients! ?
You could try using 2 9×13 pans or one 9×9 and one 9×13.
I made these for a church pot luck..they were so yummy. Everyone raved about them. So easy to make. Thanks for the great recipe.
Yay! That makes me so happy Paula!
Could you add peanut butter into these to make them chocolate chip peanut butter bars?
I think so, You would need to reduce the amount of butter a little or they might be overly greasy.
VerVery good. So much easier than cookies.
🙂 I totally agree Susan!
I just made these a few days ago. Great recipe. fool proof. So much easier than cookies. Big hit with both my co workers and family. Thanks for posting
Awesome! Glad they were a hit!
Made these for Mother’s Day (May13/18) they are very good
Thanks for letting me know. Glad you like them.
Sooo good! I love the ease of making a pan of cookies!
ME TOO!!!! Pan cookies are life! So glad you loved the recipe!
I plan to make these soon. Have you tried using a cookie cutter while they are cooling? Or wait until they cool?
No I haven’t, but that would be fun. It will work much better if you wait until they are cooled.
What size cookie sheet did you use?
Hi Jamie, My cookie sheets are approximately 13×18
could this be used as a cookie cake?
Yes, it definitely could.
These were really good and easy! So much better than dropping them. Question, what does the cornstarch do/purpose? I don’t usually bake with it and was just wondering. Thanks for an easy recipe.
Hi Toni, So glad you liked the recipe. I am ALL ABOUT the bar cookie at this point in my life! So much faster! The cornstarch just adds a little something to the chewy texture, it’s hard to notice without a side by side comparison. And honestly the cookie bar would still be fantastic without it, it’s just a fun little thing that takes the cookie up a notch.
can we use gluten free flour as a substitute for the all purpose flour?
Yes, that should work fine.