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.
my family flipped when I made these!! They will stay in our recipe rotation for sure!!
I’m so glad they were a hit! :)
One of our new favorite treats. LOVED them!
I’m so glad to hear! Thanks for leaving a comment and review!
I am making these today with my kids! Great recipe!
Hope you enjoy! :)
I made these once, right after your Instagram post. My family loved them so much, they asked to make these again. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so glad they enjoyed them! They are a family favorite around here!
Made these today (snow day) and they were a hit. The brown sugar is what is making them soft and not taste too sugary. I used a mix of dark and milk chocolate.
Yum! I made these yesterday after seeing your Instagram post. They were so quick and easy to get in the oven! I used a 9×13 pan and they turned out great. My husband and kids loved them! My oldest is already asking if we can make them again (we still have half the pan left).
So glad your family loved them. Thanks for the review :)
Best dessert of all time.
Hi. May i know what kind of flour do you use? Because when i go to bakery store, i dont know what kind of flour should i get. Haha. Really hope you will reply. Thanks.
All purpose flour. :)
Is Gud. I had a class for Congo and made this, if I don’t pass tho ima blame you. Ha just kidding, awesome recipe!
I’ve made these Congo Bars twice for my guy and he loves them! His grandmother used to make them so I was thrilled when I saw your recipe used butter like she did.
The recipe is perfect every time. I’m making more tomorrow. I call them high-end chocolate chip cookie bars. They’re delish!!
I LOVE the name of your blog. I heart nap time too! I’ll bet a nap will be called for after a few of these congo bars. Yum.
Was wondering if anyone tried using dark chocolate chips the larger ones. I don’t know if they will be sweet enough.
That sounds delicious!
These are great I put them in a square muffin tin to bake do they are easier to pack in my sons lunch box for school as an occasional treat. Love that we can share recipes around the world ( I’m in Australia)
Thanks for your comment Kathy! :)
Are you oven temperatures in c or f ?
Farenheit
these are amazing. I took a cpl of tips from chocolate chip cookie recipes and omg is all I can say. I used sea salt rather than reg salt and I cut flour and used 1 cup of cake flower and the rest reg flower and also used 2 hefty tablespoons of vanilla if not more because we love the flavor in the cookie recipes. Happy baking !!!
I’m so glad you liked these Congo Bars, they are a family favorite! Thanks for your comment. :)
This looks so beautiful!!! I will try it this week end or the next! Will be bringing it to church… So I get my piece and it’s gone, coz for sure I can finish the whole pan!
Thanks! It is a family favorite. :)
The gooeeyyyy chocolate! Yumm! This looks so good!
The gooey chocolate is my favorite part! SO GOOD!
So happy to see this recipe! My mother used to make them 50 years ago and I somehow thought they came from the Congregational Church. :)
It is such a delicious recipe! I’m so glad it got passed down to me! :)