Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars High Altitude Recipe

These High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are soft, buttery, and perfectly sweetened. They bake up with thick and chewy with golden edges and gooey centers. Whether you stir in chocolate chips, colorful M&M’s, or both, every bite is rich, satisfying, and just the right amount of nostalgic.

If you love cookies but don’t feel like scooping dough, these High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are your new go-to.

Check out these other HIGH ALTITUDE CHOCOLATE CHIP recipes: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pumpkin Bread with chocolate chips, Chocolate Chip Scones, and Triple Chocolate Chip Scones.

This High Altitude CHocolate Chip Cookie Bars recipe is made at 8,000 ft elevation. To adjust the recipe for other elevations check out high altitude baking adjustments.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

1. NO SCOOPING REQUIRED – just press the dough into the pan and bake. Way faster than making cookies!
2. PERFECTLY CHEWY TEXTURE – thick, soft centers with golden edges
3. HIGH ALTITUDE APPROVED – specifically tested and adjusted for baking success at 8,000 ft
4. CUSTOMIZABLE – add chocolate chips, M&M’s, or both – use semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate
5. GREAT FOR SHARING – whether you’re headed to a potluck, picnic, or just baking for family, cookie bars are easy to slice and always a hit

High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I’ve always been a chocolate chip cookie girl through and through. Chewy centers, golden edges, melty chocolate chips—what’s not to love? But I still remember the exact moment that changed everything for me. I was at my friend Lindsay’s house, and she casually handed me one of her chocolate chip cookie bars.

I wasn’t expecting much—just another cookie, right? But that first bite stopped me in my tracks. It was soft, rich, chewy, and perfectly sweet, with gooey chocolate throughout and that almost caramelized flavor from just the right mix of brown and white sugar. I looked at her and said, “What is this magic?”

I couldn’t stop thinking about how the cookie bars gave you the best parts of a cookie—only better. And of course, I had to make it work up here at 8,000 feet! After a few high altitude tweaks, this version came to life: chewy in the middle, lightly crisp on the edges, and foolproof for baking in the mountains.

TIP: for accurate measuring of flour never scoop flour up, always spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off

How To Make High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars:

1. MIX BUTTER & SUGARS – mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until the mixture is smooth
2. ADD EGGS & VANILLA – add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined
3. DISSOLVE BAKING SODA IN HOT WATER – add the baking soda in the hot water until dissolved then add it to the other wet ingredients
4. ADD SALT & FLOUR – add the dry ingredients in and mix until a cookie dough forms
5. ADD CHOCOLATE – add in the chocolate chips. TIP: save a small handful to add to the top of the dough after putting it in the pan
6. ADD TO PAN – lightly spray the pan with cooking spray then dump the cookie dough into the prepared pan. Spread the cookie dough evenly in the pan. OPTIONAL: add the chocolate chips that were saved to the top of the bars and lightly press them down into the dough
7. BAKE 350° F – bake for 20 minutes or until the bars are golden brown.
8. SERVE WARM – add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent treat

Ingredient Substitutions / Variations:

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

For an amazing flavor boost add brown butter to the Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. Brown butter is when regular butter is heated high enough and long enough to toast the milk solids in the butter which creates a beautiful rich butter sauce.

Check out these easy-to-follow directions on How to Make Brown Butter.

Holiday Cookie Bars

Looking for a delicious Christmas dessert or the perfect Easter dessert? Use holiday M&M’s to add the perfect color to your Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.

FAQs:

Can cookie bars be frozen?

Yes! Chocolate chip cookie bars freeze beautifully. Once they’ve cooled completely, slice them into bars and place them in a single layer in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. If stacking, use parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to enjoy, just let them thaw at room temperature—or warm them up for a few seconds in the microwave for that fresh-baked gooeyness!

How to store chocolate chip cookie bars?

Store your cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4–5 days. To keep them extra soft, you can place a slice of bread in the container (it helps maintain moisture!).

If your kitchen runs warm or you want to keep them longer, you can refrigerate them for up to a week—just let them come to room temp before serving for the best texture.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars 8×8 pan

Looking to make a smaller batch of Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars? Simply divide this recipe in half and bake the bars in an 8×8 inch pan instead of a 9×13 pan.