Meet your new favorite way to make everyone’s favorite snack – sheet pan chocolate chip cookies!
They’re soft, sweet, and oh-so-chewy. But instead of fussing with a scoop, you just press the dough into a sheet pan and bake it as one.
The smell is enough to make you drool, and waiting while they cool is torture! But I promise, they’re more than worth it.
Why You’ll Love These Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Craving cookies but short on time? These sheet pan chocolate chip cookies are the answer.
Time-Saving: Cookie bars are quicker to make than traditional drop cookies. You can make a big batch in minutes with minimal effort.
Texture Perfection: The edges are lightly crisp, and the middle is super soft and gooey. They’re cookie perfection in every bite!
Easy Cleanup: The dough only needs one bowl, and if you line the sheet pan with parchment paper, clean-up is a breeze!
Customizable: You can easily adapt the recipe with your favorite mix-ins, such as nuts, candy, or other chocolate chips.
Ingredients
The key to the most incredible cookie texture is a combination of brown and granulated sugar – plus one more secret ingredient.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-Purpose Flour + Cornstarch: Flour provides the foundation of the cookie dough, giving it structure and texture. The cornstarch is a secret ingredient that guarantees soft and tender baked goods.
- Baking Soda: The leavening agent that helps the cookies rise just the right amount.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted Butter: Creamed with the sugars to create a rich, tender cookie base. Feel free to use salted butter and skip the extra salt in the recipe.
- Light Brown and Granulated Sugar: For that classic chocolate chip cookie flavor. Brown sugar contains molasses, making them soft, while white sugar ensures crisp edges.
- Large Eggs + Yolks: They bind the dough and help create a chewy texture and golden color. The added yolks make the cookies even chewier.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the flavors with a subtle, sweet warmth. Use vanilla paste for even more flavor.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: The perfect balance between bitter and sweet, creating pockets of melty chocolate in every bite.
- Flaky Sea Salt (optional): A sprinkle on top elevates the cookies to gourmet status.
How to Make Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookies
These chewy, gooey cookie bars are made in one bowl, pressed into a sheet pan, and ready in a snap.
No scooping, no fuss!
Here’s how it’s done:
1. CREAM. Beat the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat again until smooth.
2. MIX. Add the eggs and yolks, one by one, followed by the vanilla and dry ingredients. Mix the chocolate chips in last, just before the flour is fully incorporated.
3. BAKE. Press the dough into a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
4. COOL. Let the cookie bars cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes. Then, lift them from the tray, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Tips For the Best Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sheet pan cookies are perfect for feeding a crowd because there’s no need to bake multiple batches – just slice them into squares and watch them disappear.
But if you’ve never made them before, check out these tips and tricks:
- Chill the dough. For a thicker cookie with ultra chewy center, chill the dough in the pan for 30 minutes before baking.
- Use a quality pan. Cheaper pans can warp in the oven. So, for perfectly flat cookie bars, get a decent tray.
- Press evenly. Use your hands or a spatula to spread the dough evenly in the pan for uniform thickness.
- Bake until golden. Look for lightly golden edges and a soft center. They might look underbaked in the middle, but they will continue to bake in the hot pan while they cool.
- Adjust the baking time. For gooier cookies, bake on the shorter end. For crispier edges, bake a bit longer.
- Make them extra thick. Bake the cookie bars in a 15×10 or 9×13 inch baking dish at 325°F for 20-30 minutes, depending on how chewy you like them.
- Customize the add-ins. Mix in chopped nuts, M&Ms, dried fruit, or different chocolate varieties for a personalized twist.
How to Store
I love that this recipe uses basic ingredients I always have on hand. But I especially love that they can be made ahead and freeze well!
Here’s how to store them:
To Store: Transfer cold cookie bars to an airtight container layered with parchment. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
To Freeze: Wrap individual cookies in plastic, then place them into a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Thaw frozen cookie bars in the fridge overnight. Let chilled sheet pan cookies come to room temperature before enjoying.
More Cookie Bars You Have to Try
M&M Cookie Bars
Cake Mix Cookie Bars
Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
Snickerdoodle Bars
Can I use another size pan besides a 13×28 pan?
Hi Joanne!
You can, but the results will be a little different.
Here are a few options:
9×13-inch baking dish: This will make thicker cookies, so you’ll need to adjust the baking time by increasing it slightly.
Two 8×8-inch square pans: Split the dough between the two pans, and bake as usual, checking for doneness since they may bake a bit faster.
10×15-inch jelly roll pan: This is a closer match in size, so the cookies will bake more evenly with only a slight change in thickness.
Hope this helps 🙂