Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Quick and easy vegan chocolate chip cookie bars that are soft, chewy, gooey and so delicious! This simple recipe is just like the classic cookies you love, except there’s no scooping and they’re squares!

You can make them vegan gluten-free if you’d like and of course, as always, they’re dairy-free and egg-free.

This recipe is for you if you love making (and eating!) vegan cookies, but you want to fast-track the preparation process.

This vegan chocolate chip cookie bar recipe does not require any scooping, you're going to bake the cookie dough all in one pan and then after it has baked and cooled, you'll slice it into squares.

So, all the delicious, chewy, gooey goodness you get from a regular chocolate chip cookie, but with no scooping. Win/win for you, vegan baker!

This is a super kid-friendly treat but they will be enjoyed by everyone you serve them to.

Ingredients You'll Need

You'll need everything that goes into a classic vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe, I've listed info about each ingredient below including details about substitutions.

Ingredient and Substitution Notes

Flour - I tested this recipe with two types of flour to make two versions: one vegan and the other vegan AND gluten-free.

For vegan chocolate chip cookie bars: Use all-purpose white flour.

For vegan gluten-free chocolate chip cookie bars: Use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour in the BLUE bag. Oat flour, almond flour, coconut flour or any other gluten-free flour on its own will NOT work, it must be this specific gluten-free flour blend to get the results I do. (Read all of my vegan gf baking tips here.)

NOTE: Measuring flour accurately for any baking recipe is essential to getting the results you expect, no matter what type of flour you're using. Read this article: "How to Measure Flour Correctly" before you start.

Baking Soda - This is essential for the texture of the cookie bars to be correct. It cannot be substituted with baking powder.

Baking Powder - My chocolate chip cookie recipe (the recipe this one is based on) does not contain baking powder but I added a little here to help the bars get a little rise, without it, they were coming out too flat and thin. It's just a small amount, but it does the trick. Make sure it's fresh. It cannot be substituted with baking soda.

Vegan Butter - You’ll need to use a firm stick of softened vegan butter. The spreadable type of vegan butter or margarine you get in containers / tubs is too soft for this recipe.

IMPORTANT TIP: Always make sure your butter is slightly softened before starting, NOT melted or TOO soft. To know if your butter is ready for your recipe, lightly press your finger into it. If it leaves a shallow indent, it's the perfect temperature. If your finger sinks into the butter with barely any effort, it's too soft. Refrigerate it until it has firmed up a bit and then test again.

Flax Egg - A chia egg will work if you cannot have flax eggs.

Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar - Using two types of sugar is important to getting the proper cookie bar texture and the correct flavour. Liquid sweeteners like maple syrup and agave will not work in this recipe without making other modifications. I have not tested with any granulated sugar alternatives.

For the granulated sugar, I use organic cane sugar, but you can use regular white sugar if you don’t have cane sugar. Not all sugar is vegan, though, some are processed using animal bone char, so to be sure that yours is, buy a brand that’s organic (organic sugar is vegan, it's not processed using bone char). See the Recipe FAQ section below for some brand recommendations.

Vegan Chocolate Chips - I like using regular-size chocolate chips but you can use chocolate chunks, mini chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate instead. For a list of dairy-free chocolate chips to look for, read this article: Are Chocolate Chips Vegan?

Vanilla and Salt - Both of these balance and enhance the flavour of the bars, don't leave either of them out.

Looking for vegan dessert recipes? Lucky you, I have lots! Click that link to find them!

How to Make Them

(Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions in the recipe card at the end of this post.)

Start by lining a square 8" x 8" metal pan with parchment paper and creating an overhang for easy removal.

1. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and cream the butter and sugar together in another bowl. Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the butter mixture, mix well, and then combine the wet and dry ingredients.

2. Mix the chocolate chips until they have combined evenly with the dough.

3. Transfer the cookie dough to the prepared pan.

4. Use a rubber spatula to press the cookie dough down into an even layer, all the way to the edges of the pan, then smooth the top.

After smoothing, you can sprinkle some extra chocolate chips on top if you'd like.

Bake the bars, then let them rest in the pan for at least 30 minutes before removing them.

Once the 30 minutes have passed, using the parchment overhang, remove the bars from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack.

Let the bars cool for at least another 15-20 minutes on the cooling rack before slicing. Depending on how small or large you want them to be, you can slice into 12, 16, or 25 squares.

I sliced the bars in the picture above into 16 squares but I usually do 25, because then there's more of them and they're the perfect-sized bites!

TIP: To get perfect, clean cuts, let your chocolate cookie bars cool completely before attempting to slice, then use a long knife, make 1 slice, wet the knife, wipe it clean and dry, and repeat.

Variations

I think this recipe is perfect as-is, so I suggest making it as written the first time, but there are several ways to customize it the next time.

Try any of the following if they appeal to you:

• Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top - Immediately after they come out of the oven, you can sprinkle with flaky salt, I recommend using the Maldon brand.
• Add sprinkles to the cookie dough - Add 2-3 tablespoons of your favourite coloured sprinkles to the cookie dough when you add the chocolate chips. Depending on the time of year, you can use Halloween sprinkles, Christmas sprinkles, Valentine's, Easter, etc.
• Add nuts - Add ⅓ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the cookie dough when you add the chocolate chips.
• Add a chocolate drizzle - Melt ¼ cup (45g) of chocolate chips and drizzle it over the bars before slicing. Allow the drizzled chocolate to cool and harden, then slice the bars.
• For less chewy, gooey bars - Bake for 2 minutes longer.

If you love these vegan cookie bars, you're going to love these easy vegan cookie recipes!

What's the Texture Like?

Soft, chewy, gooey, and perfect! The outer squares will be a little less chewy, a little crispy, and a more golden brown since they are baked against the metal pan, but they are still just as delicious.

It's like with brownies and blondies...you're either a corner and side square person OR you're the one who grabs the gooey middle squares first. (I prefer the middle squares, how about you??)

Storing and Freezing

Store the fully cooled cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to six days. The vegan gluten-free version will dry out faster than the just vegan version, so store those for up to 5 days.

Freezing Baked Cookie Bars

Freeze the bars in single layers in a freezer bag or airtight container, with parchment paper separating each layer, for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to serve, place them on a plate, bring them to room temperature, and enjoy.

Want more vegan squares? How about vegan gluten-free brownies, vegan strawberry rice crispy treats, or vegan pumpkin bars?

Tips for Success

• Measure and have all your ingredients ready to go before starting. This will make the process run smoothly, quickly, and easily. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.
• Measure your flour correctly. Too much flour will result in cookie bars that are dry and cakey, too little will give you oily bars that fall apart. Please read my article about how to measure flour correctly. This tip also applies to all other ingredients, make sure to measure them accurately to get the best results. I highly recommend using a scale (this is the scale I have) and my weight measurements.
• Make sure your butter is softened but still cool to the touch before starting. Softened butter will blend better and easier with the sugar. Make sure that it's not TOO soft (or melted!). See the Ingredient and Substitution Notes section above for info on how to know if your butter is good to go.
• Don't skip the resting time after you've removed the pan from the oven. You must let it rest for the time stated in the recipe below before removing it and transferring it to a cooling rack. They're very soft right after baking and will fall apart if you try to remove them from the pan too quickly. They continue to cook as they rest and will firm up as they cool.
• Read this post from top to bottom before you start. I’ve included many tips and tricks so you get things right. Also, read through the actual recipe before getting started.
• Follow the recipe exactly as it’s written for the very best results.

Recipe FAQ

If You Make This Recipe...

I would love to hear all about it. Please rate the recipe, tell me how things went, and how you like the cookie bars in the comment section below. You can also add a picture to Instagram and tag me so I can see them. (I’m @delightfuladventures on Instagram)

If You Like This Recipe...

You may also like these other vegan baking recipes with chocolate chips:

• Vegan Almond Flour Cookies
• Oat Flour Cookies
• Vegan Chocolate Cookies
• Vegan Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies