Description
These Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars combine a delightful mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips, pretzels, and chewy caramel pieces into thick, soft, gooey, and chewy bars. Made in one bowl without any electric mixers, this easy recipe offers a perfect crowd-pleaser with a wonderful balance of sweet and salty flavors baked to perfection in a 9×13″ pan.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), melted
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (add an extra 1/4 cup if dough is too runny)
Mix-ins
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips (for holiday version, swap for M&M’s and add 2 tablespoons inside dough if desired)
- ½ cup broken pretzels
- ½ cup chewy caramel pieces (such as Kraft or Werther’s Soft), chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get it ready for baking the cookie bars.
- Melt the butter. In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, melt ¾ cup unsalted butter for about 20-30 seconds until just melted. Allow it to cool slightly if it is steaming to prevent cooking the eggs when added.
- Mix sugars and eggs. Add ¾ cup light brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar to the melted butter and stir with a spatula until combined. Then mix in 1 whole egg and 1 extra egg yolk along with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Avoid using a mixer to maintain the desired texture.
- Add leavening agents and salt. Stir in 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt, mixing well to combine evenly throughout the batter.
- Incorporate flour. Gradually add 2 cups all-purpose flour and stir until the dough comes together and no flour streaks remain. If the dough is too runny, add up to an additional ¼ cup flour for better consistency.
- Add the mix-ins. Fold in ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ cup milk chocolate chips, ½ cup broken pretzels, and ½ cup chopped caramel pieces until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Prepare the baking pan. Grease or line a 9×13″ metal baking pan with parchment paper. Press the cookie dough evenly into the pan, smoothing the surface. Optionally, press a few extra mix-ins on top for a decorative touch.
- Bake the bars. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or up to 20 minutes depending on your oven, until the edges and top turn lightly golden brown and the center looks set but still moist.
- Cool and slice. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before slicing into 24 squares to serve.
- Store properly. To keep the bars fresh, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the bars into an airtight container. They will stay moist and delicious for up to 3 days at room temperature. For longer storage, consider freezing the bars.
Notes
- These cookie bars are thick, soft, gooey, and chewy – a true crowd favorite!
- Made in one bowl with hand mixing—no electric mixer required.
- If your dough feels too runny, add up to ¼ cup extra flour to achieve the proper consistency.
- For a holiday twist, substitute milk chocolate chips with M&M’s and add extra 2 tablespoons into the dough.
- Use a metal 9×13″ pan for best baking results and easier slicing.
- Cooling completely before slicing is key to clean squares and maintaining bar texture.
- Store bars covered tightly or in an airtight container for up to 3 days to prevent drying out.
- These bars can be frozen for longer storage—wrap well in plastic wrap and foil.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 200 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 23 mg
