These Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Chip Cookie Bars are soft, deliciously buttery, and incredibly easy to make. This is your classic chocolate chip cookies but in bar form. It is perfect with a glass of milk or a scoop of ice cream. Taking just 25 minutes from start to finish makes this one of my favorite quick baked treats.
Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are my go-to lazy day bake. Those days when you craving chocolate chip cookies but not the dough rolling and chilling, then this recipe comes to the rescue.
But hold on it gets even better, this recipe uses melted butter. Besides the melted butter creating a tender, soft bake, it means that you don’t need room temperature butter or a mixer for this recipe.
The ingredients are simply mixed in one bowl with a spoon, pressed into the pan, and baked. Definitely one of my all of the flavour with none of the fuss recipes.
Just a note on a few ingredients and substitutes if needed
While the full recipe is written below, this is the section to read if you’re wondering about ingredient substitutions or how these ingredients work in the recipe.
Butter: Melted butter is used in this recipe. It helps to dissolve the sugar faster when mixed. The melted butter also contributes to a softer bake with amazing flavour and texture.
Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a rich caramel flavour to this recipe and creates a tender, moist bake. If you do not have brown sugar, go ahead and use white sugar, it will still have great flavour.
Buttermilk: The acidity in the buttermilk helps to bind the dough and creates a soft melt in your mouth texture to this bake.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make some by adding 1 tablespoon (15ml) white vinegar or lemon juice to ¼ cup (60ml) milk Leave it aside for 2 minutes which will allow it to curdle. Use in place of the buttermilk.
Flour: You can use either cake flour, all-purpose or plain flour in this recipe.
Baking powder and baking soda
Salt
Chocolate chips: If you do not have chocolate chips then you can go ahead and roughly chop up a bar of chocolate into little pieces and use that instead.
Can I double this recipe?
These chocolate chip bars are baked in a 9×9 inch (23cm) square cake pan. The recipe can easily be doubled if you prefer thicker bars or spread out the doubled mixture in a 9×13 inch /23 x 33 cm cake pan.
How to store Buttermilk chocolate chip bars
These are best stored in an airtight container or cookie jar on the counter for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze the baked cookie bars?
Sure you can. Once baked, allow to cool and cut into bars. Then pop the bars into a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Now you have a stash ready for when the cookie bar craving sets in. Simply thaw overnight or pop it into the microwave for a few seconds to defrost and warm up.
Variation
I love this recipe for its simplicity and how easy it is to adapt using different toppings. Here are a few if you would like to give it a try.
- Top with chopped white or dark chocolate
- Add a combination of colourful sprinkles and chocolate chips
- Top with chopped toffee bits or M&Ms
- Pipe a swirl of white chocolate over the baked bars
How to make Buttermilk chocolate chip bars
While the video and the full recipe is written below, this is the process with step-by-step pictures to guide you.
Melt the butter on the stovetop or in the microwave. Do not allow the butter to overheat and bubble. Just heat until melted.
Stir the sugar, buttermilk and vanilla extract into the melted butter.
Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and salt. Stir until well combined.
Empty out the mixture into a greased and lined 9×9 inch (23cm) square cake pan.
Smooth and level out the mixture and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Bake in a preheated oven of 320°F (160°C) for 15 to 20 minutes until baked and golden brown.
Once baked remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting into slices.
Enjoy ♥
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my other amazing cookie and slice recipes
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- ½ cup / 115g butter melted
- ½ cup / 100g brown sugar See note 1
- ¼ cup / 60ml buttermilk See note 2
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup / 125g all-purpose OR cake flour
- ½ teaspoon / 2g baking powder
- A pinch / ⅛ teaspoon baking soda bicarbonate of soda
- ½ cup / 75g chocolate chips See note 3
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Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C).
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Grease and line a 9x9 inch (23cm) square cake pan with parchment/baking paper.
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Melt the butter on the stovetop or in the microwave. Do not allow the butter to overheat and bubble. Just heat until melted.
-
Stir the sugar, buttermilk and vanilla extract into the melted butter.
-
Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and salt. Stir until well combined.
-
Empty out the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth and level out the mixture and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
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Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
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Once baked remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting into slices.
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Can I double this recipe? See note 4
-
How to store Buttermilk chocolate chip bars. See note 5
-
Can I freeze the baked cookie bars? See note 6
Recipe Video
- If you do not have brown sugar, go ahead and use white sugar, it will still have great flavour.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make some by adding 1 tablespoon (15ml) white vinegar or lemon juice to ¼ cup (60ml) milk Leave it aside for 2 minutes which will allow it to curdle. Use in place of the buttermilk.
- If you do not have chocolate chips then you can go ahead and roughly chop up a bar of chocolate into little pieces and use that instead.
- These chocolate chip bars are baked in a 9x9 inch (23cm) square cake pan. The recipe can easily be doubled if you prefer thicker bars or spread out the doubled mixture in a 9 x 13 inch / 23 x 33 cm cake pan.
- These are best stored in an airtight container or cookie jar on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Sure you can. Once baked, allow to cool and cut into bars. Then pop the bars into a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Now you have a stash ready for when the cookie bar craving sets in. Simply thaw overnight or pop it into the microwave for a few seconds to defrost and warm up.
Hi Ashika
For all the recipes with buttermilk, can i substitute it with yogurt?
thanks!
Hi Erleen, yes sure, you can substitute the buttermilk with plain unflavored yogurt 🙂