These congo bars are soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie bars with a gooey texture! This crowd-pleasing classic dessert is easy to make using only one bowl and one pan.
Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar
I absolutely adore chocolate chip cookies and love to make fun (and delicious!) variations of them. These cookie bars are one of my favorites, as well as chocolate chip cookie pie, pizookie (cookie pizza) and chocolate chip cookie dough truffles.
These congo bars AKA chocolate chip cookie bars were a Sunday staple at my husband’s house and the recipe was passed down to me from his grandma! They have crisp edges, a chewy middle and we love to serve them with homemade vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce.
You could even make the dough into 4-in-one sheet pan cookie bars. Just divide dough into 4 bowls and add desired mix-ins to each bowl before placing in pan. Our family can’t get enough! We also love blondies, cake mix cookie bars and M&M cookie bars.
Ingredients
To make this recipe, you’ll only need a few simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand. They come together so easily and can be mixed together in just one bowl (amounts included in printable recipe below).
- Brown sugar
- Salted butter
- Eggs
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to Make Congo Bars
Find the printable recipe below.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 12×14 pan and dust lightly with flour.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Then add eggs and vanilla and stir until combined.
- Mix baking powder and salt with 1 cup flour. Pour into the butter mixture and stir in rest of flour. Then fold in chocolate chips.
- Press dough into pan with flour on your hands. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool, then top with ice cream, hot fudge or whipped cream and caramel sauce, too!
How Many Bars Does a 9×13 Pan Hold
I make these congo bars in a 12×14″ pan, however a 9×13″ pan will work. If making in a 12×14″ pan, I usually slice them into 20 squares. When making in a 9×13″ pan, I’ll slice them into 16 squares. For fewer bars, use an 8×8 or 9×9 pan and follow my chocolate chip cookie bars recipe.
Please note that cooking time may vary if making the cookie bars in a 9×13″ pan. The bars will have more depth, so may take a little longer to cook. Just be sure to keep an eye on them and test with a toothpick. The toothpick should come out clean when stuck in the middle of the pan.
Storing and Freezing
- Store: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: They are great to store in the freezer. Just make sure they have cooled completely before freezing. To freeze, simply wrap in foil and then place in an airtight container or freezer bag. The cookie bars will keep in the freezer for a couple of months.
Love cookie bar recipes? Make this brookies recipe, Oreo cookie bars or sugar cookie bars, next!
More Delicious Desserts
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Congo Bars
Video
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup salted butter , softened
- 2 cups light brown sugar , packed
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2-2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Optional: ice cream and hot fudge
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 12×14 pan (9×13 will work too, they'll just be a little thicker) with parchment paper or foil. Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamy. Then add in eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined.
- Next mix the baking powder and salt with 1 cup of flour. Pour into the butter mixture and stir in then add the rest of the flour. Mix just until combined. Then fold in chocolate chips.
- Press dough into pan with flour on your hands. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean. The cookie bars should be soft in the center.
- Allow bars to cool slightly and then slice into bars.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Like a previous poster, these did not turn out gooey for me. I cooked them for 29 minutes, because at 25 minutes only the edges were brown. But at 29 minutes, the edges had burnt.
Hi Katie! I’m sorry these didn’t turn out for you. The first time my sister made them, she said they were more cakey, with a little less flour they turned out perfect for her. Maybe try that! :)
Why didn’t mine come out gooey?
Hi Erika! I’m sorry yours didn’t turn out gooey, you must have cooked them too long. The first time I made my mother in law’s recipe, mine came out more cakey. Next time make sure to cook them less and they should be gooey! :)
Just put them in the oven, can’t wait to see how they turn out! :)
I hope you enjoyed these Catherine! These gooey bars are definitely a family favorite!
AMAZING! I EVEN ADDED MARSHMALLOWS TO IT. THANK YOU!!
i ran out of butter so i used coconut oil instead. And do not forget to add the vanilla, it was listed in the ingredients needed, but not in the instructions on when to add it.
I’ve made a s’mores version of these with marshmallows and graham crackers and the marshmallows really do make them yummy! :) Thanks for catching that…I will add where to add the vanilla in the recipe! Glad you liked this family favorite recipe!
I made these a few nights ago. My co-workers loved them but I felt like they were missing a little “something” – I would probably add vanilla next time.
I just re-read the recipe from my mother-in-law and it had 1 tsp of vanilla! Thanks for catching that Sara, I just updated it! Hopefully they turn out a little better next time! :)
They are LITERALLY in my oven right now. Totally stoked to taste them. I accidentally put them in the pan without adding the vanilla so I kind of stirred it in… hope they work out!
I hope you liked them Jessica! They are definitely a family favorite in our house! :)
I have tried quite a few of these recipes . They are great and easy
I love these recipes too, they are so easy and always delicious! Thanks for stopping by!
My mom has always made congo bars, but our family recipe is different than you’re recipe. If they are anything like that my mom makes, then I know the are delicious!
Congo bars are my FAVORITE! I love how soft, gooey, and chocolately there are! Glad you grew up with them too!
My aunt used to make Congo bars all the time when we would come to visit as kids. I loved them! Your recipe tasted just like I remember them. Thanks for bringing back memories that I can now share with my kids!
I’m so glad the Congo bars brought back great memories! These are our families favorite treat! I got the recipe from my mother in law! :)
Had a recipe for these about 20 yrs ago, but after several moves it got misplaced. I loved them, so thanks for this recipe & many happy memories of making these.
I’m so glad you found the recipe again! It is definitely a recipe I would not want to lose…my family loves them! :)
You and your sweet recipes are going to make me gain 50 pounds! Lol!
Haha! You’ll have to pick one treat to make a week! ;)
Thanks for posting these! We love them and make them far too often now :)
I’m so glad you love them! Whenever my family is deciding which dessert to make, these are always at the top of the list! :)
mentioned these delicious treats in my blog! thanks for sharing the recipe!
Yummy!! I have tried the recipe… It works
Thanks Zinnirah! We love this recipe too! It’s one our faves!
Wonder why my chocolate chips didn’t melt to give me the gooey effect:/
Hi Erika! I once made them with chocolate chips that had some of that white coating on them that they get after a while and had the same problem. Using fresh chocolate chips always works…I use Hersheys! :)
Super delicious!! I love the gooey center. So yummy!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Yummy!
Caprese pasta looks delicious, will try tonight.
Oops, my comment…this recipe looks so good. I may try it this weekend for a girls get together. Thanks for sharing your family recipe.
These look incredible…I can see why they vanished so quickly!
I can taste the chocolate gooey-ness already!! My kiddos are going to lov these!