Learn how to make Congo Bars from scratch. Buttery chocolate chip cookie bars loaded with choc chips and chunks of chocolate, baked to golden perfection. You won’t be able to stop at one piece!
Congo Bars AKA Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are the BEST.
You will love these easy cookie bars with their soft, gooey centres and crispy edges – not to mention all the chocolate. And I mean ALL the chocolate.
Life will never be the same once you learn how to make Congo Bars from scratch.
Honestly, I love everything about these Congo Bars. If you love homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies, you’ll fall head over heels for these buttery bars. They taste JUST like a Chocolate Chip Cookie but thicker, chewier and with MORE chocolate.
The best part is the gooey centre AND that crispy crust, OH and the chewy edges. So much to love about these Congo Bars.
To take them to the next level, these bars use both hand cut chocolate and milk chocolate chips. While the chocolate chips will keep their shape when baked, the chopped chocolate will be gooey perfection.
An extra egg yolk helps to make them soft and an extra teaspoon of vanilla gives added flavour. But let’s be real, there is no reason to skimp on chocolate with these Congo Bars – the more, the better.
My tip for making amazing Congo Bars is to under bake them slightly. While you want them firm on the edges, it’s that fudgy centre that’ll make you swoon.
With no need to chill the dough, this is a super simple recipe that comes together in a flash. You Are Welcome.
Did you make this recipe? Donāt forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.
Let’s Bake
Congo Bars
Buttery chocolate chip cookie bars loaded with chocolate.
Ingredients
- 170 grams (3/4 cup or 1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 135 grams (3/4 cup) brown sugar
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 75 grams (1/2 cup) milk chocolate chips, plus extra for decorating
- 75 grams (1/2 cup) milk or dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Grease and line an 8-inch square pan with baking or parchment paper, ensuring two sides overhang.Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric beater or until pale and creamy. Add vanilla, egg and egg yolk and beat again until combined.
- Sift in flour, baking powder and salt and beat until a soft dough forms. Add chocolate chips and hand cut chocolate and beat again.
- Place dough in prepared pan and spread into one even layer. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.
- Pop into the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Leave to cool completely in the tin before removing. Cut into slices and serve.
Nutrition Information
Erin says
I baked this in a 23cm round springform tin, and served it as a ‘cookie cake’ for a friend’s birthday. I didn’t change anything else and it was absolutely perfect. Everyone went crazy for it š
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Ah love hearing that Erin!
jason says
Made these yesterday only changed the flour to Doves Gluten Free Plain Flour . They turned out perfectly . My sister loved them .
Many thanks
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Brilliant! Happy to hear that Jason!
Jason says
Sounds like a lovely recipe . I haven’t made them yet but I will try with Gluten Free Plain Flour as my sister is coeliac .
QUESTION : Can you freeze these ?
Many thanks .
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Jason, I haven’t tested this recipe with gf flour – if you do try it, let me know how it goes. Yes you can definitely freeze them once baked and cooled. Enjoy!
Mary says
Was looking to use up some chocolate and butterscotch chips and came across this recipe. WOW! They baked beautifully and really love the thickness. This will now be my go to recipe for a cookie bar. So delicious!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Mary! A butterscotch version sounds amazing!
Yenny says
Buenas tardes. CuƔl es el tamaƱo del molde?
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Yenny, youāll need an 8-inch square baking pan for this recipe – see step 1 of the method.
Lauren+Bothe says
Such an easy recipe for something so delicious! And it should get bonus star for being simple ingredients that didnāt require me going to the store to get anything extra.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Lauren!
Amira says
I tried this recipe today! The only thing I changed from the recipe is that I used salted butter (that was all I had lol) and it tastes great! suuuuper yummy! However I think it’s a tad bit too sweet for my liking (I always lower the sugar in most recipes anyway but decided to follow the whole recipe to see how it is). But otherwise super amazing and easy! Would definitely try this again and will recommend my friends to try this recipe too š
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Amira!
Genelyn says
It is baking soda or baking powder??
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Genelyn, I use baking powder for this recipe.
Genelyn says
Thank you for quick reply! Anyway, I just baked this following your recipe, but adding a tsp of baking soda and a little bit of salt (in the batter and on top of it before baking it). It turned out super great!!! But the only problem is that it kinda sunk in the middle (maybe because I opened the oven too soon), how can I prevent it from sinking next time?? Sorry English is not my first language!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Genelyn, Iām so glad you enjoyed it!! Cookie bars and cookie cakes can tend to sink in the middle a bit. It may have sunk a bit too much because baking soda is much stronger than baking powder. Perhaps next time if you want to use baking soda, just use 1/2 teaspoon. Hope that helps! āŗļø
Genelyn says
Ok got it!!!
Thank you so much for responding and sharing these amazing recipes!!
Next time I make this congo bars I’ll you know the result!! š¤©ā¤
Lisa says
Hi
Can you substitute flour for gluten free flour?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Lisa, I havenāt tried it so I canāt say – sorry! If you do try it, let me know how you go! āŗļø
Lisa says
OK Jessica,
Thanks for your quick reply.
š
Bob says
Amazing love them thanks a ton
★★★★★
Liyana says
this recipe is amazing! this is my first time baking congo bars and IT TASTE SO GOOD! the texture is so chewy and not too sweet. thank you for the recipe! š
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Liyana!
jason says
Hi Lisa
I made them yesterday for my sister who is coeliac . I used Gluten Free plain flour . They turned out perfect !
★★★★★
Alice says
I made this today followed the instructions for the recipe. I didn’t have a square tin but a rectangle. But it seems to have turned out like a cake consistency not cookie. Not sure where I went wrong. Was still a nice cake though.
★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Alice! Thanks for your comment. The size of your pan may have effected your result. If it was cake-like, you may have over-cooked it or added a little too much flour. Glad you still enjoyed it though!
Rizalina says
The texture of these are amazing. I sprinkled some sea salt on top, perfection.
★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Aww so glad you enjoyed them Rizalina! š
Essey says
Hii, .can I reduce the sugar? Or it isn’t too sugary
Jessica Holmes says
Hi! I find it just the right amount, but you could reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup total without it effecting the results too much.
Nas says
Heyy looks amazing how do you tell they are cooked?
Jessica Holmes says
Hey Nas, they will firm up and go golden brown on top!
Josh says
These taste amazing!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you like them Josh!
sunah sakura says
hey, I’ve made this but with my own recipe..the looks are just the same~ looking at yours makes me drooling..try to add some chopped walnuts next time, you’ll love the combination!
Jessica Holmes says
Ooh walnuts sounds amazing! Thanks Sunah!