Buttery crisp and super chocolatey, this chocolate chip cookie bark is bound to be your new favorite way to eat chocolate chip cookies. It’s quick and easy to make, and you don’t even need a mixer. It’s a fun salty and sweet addition to a holiday cookie tray, and makes a thoughtful homemade gift to any cookie lover. (If you even want to share it!)
Recipe Inspiration
My kitchen assistant, Beth, came up with today’s recipe idea. She was inspired by a package of Tate’s holiday cookie bark, and brought me the idea for a chocolate chip cookie bark. We tested a couple versions, tweaking the dough from my crispy chocolate chip cookies recipe. Today’s recipe is the best of the bunch. We then had the rest of the crew taste test, and ended up giving it to our families over Thanksgiving. Everyone raved (how can you not), and we knew we had to share the recipe with you ASAP!
This toffee-tasting chocolate chip cookie bark is absolutely perfect for adding to a holiday cookie variety tray: it’s a cookie-candy hybrid and you will not be able to stop eating it…!!
One reader, Susan, commented: “This recipe is amazing and so, so easy. It has just the right amount of crunch and sweetness. It is our new favorite treat. Thank you! โ โ โ โ โ ”
Cookie Bark Recipe Snapshot
- Texture: Crispety, crunchety, with a soft-set chocolate topping, it’s like biting into a crispy chocolate chip cookie… if that crispy cookie were dunked in melted chocolate!
- Flavor: Brown sugar and melted butter give this cookie bark a toffee-like flavor. And, of course, there’s plenty of chocolate in every delectable bite.
- Ease: This is a very simple recipe and you don’t even need a mixer. The hardest part is waiting for the chocolate to set before you can dive in!
- Time: No dough chilling required! The dough comes together quickly and bakes in about 20 minutes; then there’s a bit of cooling/chilling time. From start to snap-apart-and-eat, you’re looking at about 1 hour, 20 minutes.
Key Ingredients You Need & Why:
- Flour: The base of the cookie layer.
- Baking Soda: To help the dough expand while baking, and turn that lovely deep golden brown color.
- Salt: To balance the sweet.
- Melted Butter: Creaming room-temperature butter and sugar together aerates the cookie dough, creating a softer, fluffier cookie. Since we want a flat, crispy cookie texture here, weโre using melted butter… and a good bit of it!
- Sugars: You need both white and brown sugar for this recipe. Brown sugar for flavor, and white sugar to get the cookie crispy and caramelized in the oven.
- Egg Yolk: Just the yolk here, for richness and structure. Egg whites fluff up when beaten or whisked. We want to avoid the fluff in this crispy cookie bark.
- Vanilla Extract: For flavor.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: Since the dough is pressed so thin, it’s best to use mini chocolate chips. If you only have regular-size chocolate chips, give them a rough chop so the pieces are smaller. Or feel free to omit them and make the cookie layer without chocolate chips. You’ll still have chocolate in every bite from the top layer.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: For the topping, you need 2 standard (4-ounce/113g) bars of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, such as Ghirardelli or Baker’s brand.
In Photos: How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bark
To mix up the cookie dough, you need 1 bowl for the wet ingredients and 1 bowl for the dry ingredients. Mix both separately, and then combine. It’s a slightly greasy dough:
Line a large baking sheet (12×17/13×18 inches, aka half sheet pan) with parchment paper. Press the cookie dough into an even layer, pressing it to cover the entire parchment paper-lined baking sheet. It may take you a couple minutes, but I promise that eventually you will get it pressed thin enough to cover the entire pan!
I like to use my hands to press it down at first, and then I switch to an offset spatula to really get the dough to all edges of the pan.
TIP: If your butter has cooled too much and you’re having trouble spreading/pressing it, pop the baking sheet in the oven for just a minute to warm the dough, then try again.
Bake at 375ยบF for around 15โ20 minutes. Note that we’re baking at a higher temperature than most of my chocolate chip cookie recipes. Another note: if you are using a dark baking sheet, the bake time will be shorter than if you are using a light silver baking sheet, because a dark metal pan absorbs more heat. (You could also try baking the bark at 350ยบF if you’re using a dark metal baking sheet.)
While it bakes, chop up your chocolate for the topping. Because we want the chocolate to melt into a smooth layer, avoid using chocolate chips, which contain stabilizers that prevent them from fully melting.
Sprinkle the chopped chocolate all over the hot cookie layer, and return it to the oven for 1-2 minutes to melt the chocolate.
Remove the cookie bark from the oven, and use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to spread the chocolate into an even layer to cover the cookie nearly to the edges. If you want to add a little extra something on top, before the chocolate has a chance to set, sprinkle it with flaky sea salt or your favorite sprinkles. (This would also taste fantastic with chopped toffee bits, like we use to top these peanut butter fudge puddles.)
Let the cookie bark cool on the baking sheet, then transfer the whole thing to the refrigerator to set the chocolate (takes about 30 minutes).
Once the chocolate sets, take it out of the fridge and cut or break it into pieces. Just wait until you hear that CRISP!
Does This Cookie Bark Stay Crispy?
For a few days, yes! Cookie bark tastes best on the day and day after it’s made, but the texture is still good for a couple days after that. We noticed it starts to taste a bit stale around day 4 or 5. But really, is it even possible to have any of this chocolate chip cookie bark left for that long? I doubt it!
Sally’s Cookie Palooza
This recipe is part of my annual cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the biggest, most delicious event of the year! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page including:
Cookie Bark Recipe
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 20
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Buttery crisp and super chocolatey, this chocolate chip cookie bark is bound to be your new favorite way to eat chocolate chip cookies. It’s quick and easy to make, and you don’t even need a mixer. It’s a fun salty and sweet addition to a holiday cookie tray, and makes a thoughtful homemade gift to any cookie lover. (If you even want to share it!)
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/3 cups (167g) all-purpose flourย (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, melted + slightly cooled
- 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or darkย brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (90g) mini chocolate chips
For Topping
- 8 ounces (226g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (two 4-ounce baking bars)
- optional: flaky sea salt or sprinkles, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ยฐF (191ยฐC). Line a light-colored 12×17-inch baking sheet (half sheet pan)* with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whiskย the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour into dry ingredients and, using a silicone spatula, mix everything together until completely combined. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Dough will be very soft and look greasy.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan, to an even thicknessโcovering the entire parchment paper-lined baking sheet. I like to use my hands to press it down at first, and then I switch to an offset spatula to really get the dough to all edges of the pan. It will take a few minutes, but I promise eventually you will get it pressed thin enough to cover the entire pan.
- Bake for 18โ20 minutes, or until a deep golden brown on top. Keep an eye on it after 15 minutes. If you are using a dark baking sheet, the bake time will be shorter than if you are using a light silver baking sheet, because a dark metal pan absorbs more heat. Again, keep an eye on it.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chopped chocolate all over the surface of the cookie. Return to the oven and bake for another 1โ2 minutes, to melt the chocolate.
- Place the pan on a cooling rack, and with an offset spatula (or the back of a spoon), spread the chocolate in an even layer over the cookie layer. Top with flaky sea salt or sprinkles, if using. Allow to cool for 20 minutes, then transfer the pan, still on the cooling rack, to the refrigerator, and chill for at least 30 minutes, until the chocolate is set.
- Break or cut the cookie bark into bite-size pieces and enjoy!
- Store leftover cookie bark at room temperature in an airtight container (with parchment paper between layers) for up to 5 days. We noticed it starts to taste a bit stale around day 4 or 5. But really, is it even possible to have any of this chocolate chip cookie bark left for that long? I doubt it!
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Bark can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Texture won’t be quite as crispy after freezing and thawing.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Offset Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Baking Pan: It is best to use a 12×17-inch or 13×18-inch baking pan. Instead, you can try using 2 9×13-inch pans and stretching the dough as thin as possible between them. I am unsure of the best bake time, but it will be shorter. Same oven temperature. Another note: if you are using a dark baking sheet, the bake time will be shorter than a light silver baking sheet, because a dark metal pan absorbs more heat. You could also try baking the bark at 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) if you are using a dark metal baking sheet.
- Use Mini Chocolate Chips: Since the dough is pressed so thin, it’s best to use mini chocolate chips. If you only have regular-size chocolate chips, give them a rough chop so the pieces are smaller and use 1/2 cup chopped chocolate chips. Or feel free to omit the chocolate chips and make the cookie layer without them. You’ll still have chocolate in every bite from the top layer.
- Chocolate: You need 2 standard bars (4 oz./113g each) of semi-sweet or bittersweet baking chocolate. (Or feel free to use half chocolate and half white chocolate and swirl them together!) I like Ghirardelli, Baker’s, and Guittard brands, which I find in the baking aisle of my grocery store, near the chocolate chips. Because we’re melting the chocolate, avoid using chocolate chips, which contain stabilizers that prevent them from fully melting.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This is a great recipe. It’s easy to make and tastes so good. It’s a perfect combo of crunch and chocolate. My grandchildren loved it. And it also makes a festive hostess gift for the holidays. Thank you Sally.
I love this recipe! I want to make it for cookie boxes this year, is it possible to double the recipe and make it in a larger pan? Or will the center not crisp up?
Hi Kayla, it would depend on the size of your pan. You want the dough to be thin enough so that it bakes up crispy. We’d recommend doubling it but then dividing the dough and baking on two baking sheets of the recommended size in the recipe. Hope this helps!
Sally
Love the holiday Tateโs cookie! So very anxious to try this recipe! Do you think I can melt the baking chocolate in a microwave and add mint extract then spread on cooled cookie?
Hi Deborah, that should work just fine!
So happy I tried this recipe! Itโs definitely going into this years holiday gift boxes! Mine baked for 17 mins. Perfect golden brown. Removed from the oven then melted the chocolate in double boiler & spread it with offset spatula since some bakers mentioned over cooking when putting it back in the oven to melt the chocolate. Sprinkled some chopped toffee & flaky sea salt on top! Super easy & it really does taste like a toffee chocolate chip crispy cookie! Yum!!! Thank you so much Sally & team!
Cookie bark comes together just as recipe promises. Perfect blend of flavors & texture. Added sprinkling of fine sea salt. Family gave rave reviews. Thank you Sally!
This is fantastic! It is highly addictive! So perfectly crunchy and satisfying for my sweet tooth and chocolate cravings. Thank you so much for the recipe! Iโll be making it frequently!!!
I have glass pans only – is it ok to use?
The bark may not get as crisp on a glass pan, but we haven’t tested it.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bark dressed up for Halloween/Fall. I really donโt know what I was expecting while doing a trial run of a potential sweet treat for Christmastime, but this bark is So Darn Good! Addictive-level delicious! I tried to swirl both semisweet and white chocolate, but the white chocolate pretty much disappeared. For non-holiday bites, Iโd skip the candy sprinkles and just sprinkle with flaky sea salt as directed.
I made this and it was so quick and easy. It was for a tail gate party and everyone loved it. It was the first dessert to all go! Will definitely make again!
I love putting crushed candy canes on top like peppermint bark
Could I sub the all purpose flour for a gluten free flour?
Hi Megan, a reader has reported back success using gluten free flour. We have not tested it.
Looks great
Loved this so much! Amazing recipe. The bark came out so good.
I have made this four times now. It is killer. So easy to make and a crowd pleaser. I do not put chocolate chips in the bark and I use shaved TJ’s cacao dark chocolate for the top (red package) and use with Maldon’s finishing sea salt.
This is a great easy recipe! I took it to a meeting and everybody was raving. I sent the link to 4 different people. The only thing I changed was, instead of using a spatula to spread the dough out, I dumped it on the pan, covered with a piece of parchment and pressed it into shape with my hands. Only took 16 min of baking before it was browned but came out super crunchy. The flaked salt adds to the layers of flavor. My new favorite!
i like this it turnd out really good
As a cookie and overall baked goods snob, I was pretty disappointed in the way these turned out. Kinda boring. Not a hater, I usually love Sally’s recipes, but this one wasn’t for me.
I have made these several times and they are very popular with everyone and delicious. I call them addictive. A tip I have been doing: Fold the mini chocolate chips into the flour mixture, then add the liquids. I find this is easier than trying to fold the chips into a stiff and as the recipe states, a somewhat greasy dough. But the end result is great!
This recipe is so similar to one of my favorites of all time. My recipe (from an old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook) has no baking soda and a little more flour. I make them without the chocolate topping and cut them in squares right out of the oven. Honestly, I can’t stop eating them so I had to stop making them!
Yummy! I burned mine but it still tastes delicious! It adds flavour. ๐
This recipe is soo good and does not take long to make at all
Instead of salt on top, I melted some salted caramel baking chips and piped them in a random pattern over the top after the chocolate was cooled. Yum! This recipe always gets rave reviews!
Delicious and easy- I didn’t have the patience to push the dough all the way to the edge of the pan but it did spread out a smidge in the oven so it was all set. A note that I should have realized, as I was breaking up the bark and the chocolate warmed up some of the later pieces had unattractive finger prints on them. I planned to bring to work so I’m bummed since I don’t want to serve that to my coworkers! But I’m sure my kids won’t mind.
Delicious! I kept the cookies in the fridge and they stayed crisp for over a week.
Hi! Could I add creamy peanut butter to the top chocolate layer? If so , any suggestion of how much? Thank you!
Hi Terry, we havenโt tested it, so arenโt sure, but if you try it, please let us know how it turns out!
I love this recipe! Do you think I could add cocoa powder to make the cookie base chocolate? Would I need to adjust other ingredients?
Hi Courtney, we haven’t tested it, so aren’t sure, but if you try it, please let us know how it turns out!
I was thinking the same thing! I was going to change the chocolate bottom to peppermint bark for my holiday cookies boxes! Have you tried it? Did it turn out okay?
This is one of my new favorites! It is soo buttery and crunchy! I was looking for a quick cookie that didnโt require chilling or lots of forming balls and this was perfect! I made it for every holiday party/gift this year!
Super tasty! I made a third salted, a third plain, and a third with sprinkles!