No scooping required, these brown butter cookie bars are loaded with dark chocolate chunks to make an insanely delicious dessert combo.
I don’t know why it has taken me so long to make cookies in bar form. You guys they are SO easy. No scooping, no rolling. You don’t need to chill the dough. They don’t run, burn around the edges or bottoms, and are pretty much the only way I want to bake cookies from here on out. 
And that browned butter, it is the best thing ever. seriously. brown your butter people, and then add that browned butter to some dark chocolate chunk cookie dough.
This year, along with meal prep on Sunday afternoons, I have also started baking a batch or two of cookies or brownies and a pan of granola bars. That way the kids always have a snack for after school and in lunch boxes. not that I want them eating a ton of sweets, but I figure homemade is better than the junk they can buy at school.
Click here for the brown butter recipe.
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Dark Chocolate Brown Butter Cookie Bars
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: About 24 bars 1x
Description
No scooping required, these brown butter cookie bars are loaded with dark chocolate chunks to make an insanely delicious dessert combo.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly (see note)
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 oz dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
- To brown the butter: melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. It will foam, then the foam will subside and golden-brown solids will appear on the bottom. Once it smells nutty and looks amber, pour it immediately into a bowl (including all the browned bits) and let it cool for 15–20 minutes until no longer hot.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the cooled browned butter with both sugars until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, mixing on low, then fold in the chocolate chunks.
- Scoop the dough into the prepared pan and press it out to an even layer with your hands or a spatula.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the top is just set and golden.
- Let the bars cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before cutting — they will fall apart if cut warm.
Notes
Brown the butter in a light-colored saucepan so you can see the color change. As soon as it smells nutty and the milk solids turn amber, pull it off the heat — it can go from brown to burnt fast. The bars must cool fully in the pan before cutting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Baking
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of dark chocolate should I use for the cookie bars?
It’s best to use high-quality dark chocolate chunks with at least 60% cocoa content for a rich flavor in your cookie bars.
Do I need to chill the dough before baking the cookie bars?
No, you don’t need to chill the dough for these cookie bars; simply mix the ingredients and spread the dough in the pan.
Can I use unsalted butter instead of salted butter for browning?
Yes, you can use unsalted butter; just be sure to adjust the salt in the recipe if needed.
