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Whenever I’m downtown, I love perusing the pretty sprinkle selection at New York Cake. Crammed full of sprinkles and sparkles of all shapes and colors, their aisles provide a constant source of baking and decorating inspiration…like these chocolate chip confetti bars!
I made these chocolate chip cookie bars a few weeks ago, on something of a whim. I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand (including lots of sprinkles, and some half-and-half to be used before it expired) so I combined everything into one recipe. Topped with a homemade milk chocolate frosting and a generous dose of colorful sprinkles, these bars are perfect for a birthday party or celebration. They’re also a colorful pick-me-up on a dreary day.
This recipe allows plenty of room for creativity. It’s a great way to use up left over sprinkles from an ice cream social, or bits and pieces left from other recipes. And, it can easily be adapted to fit a holiday (red heart sprinkles for Valentine’s Day, snowflake sprinkles for winter.) These shamrock sprinkles would be fun for Saint Patrick’s Day!
Confetti Bar Tips & Tricks
Be sure to taste-test the sprinkles you plan on using, BEFORE stirring them into your batter. I used some leftover “ice cream topping” sprinkles, not realizing that they were flavored with cherry. The flavor of your sprinkles will impact the flavor of your bar cookies, so be sure to use an unflavored version (unless you like the idea of a “flavored” cookie!)
This recipe allows plenty of room for creativity. Vary your chips (milk, white, dark, butterscotch) or change up your sprinkles. Or, ad additional mix-ins to the batter. Nuts, chocolate-covered espresso beans, chocolate covered sunflower seeds, M&M candies…the possibilities are endless.
Keep an eye on your bars while they’re in the oven, testing with a toothpick after 20 minutes or so. Bake for 20-25 minutes for “gooey” bars, or 25-30 minutes for more of a solid bar cookie.
Other bar cookie and brownie recipes you might enjoy:
Rainbow Rocky Road
Salted Chocolate Caramel Brownies
Italian Rainbow Brownies
And if you make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Chocolate Chip Confetti Bars with Milk Chocolate Frosting
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 squares 1x
Description
These chocolate chip confetti bars are topped with a homemade milk chocolate frosting and a generous dose of colorful sprinkles. Perfect for birthdays, parties, and celebrations.
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Bars:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup sprinkles (plus more for decorating)
Milk Chocolate Frosting:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons half and half
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Instructions
Bar Cookies:
Preheat oven to 375° F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking tin with parchment, and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sugars, butter, egg, and vanilla until well combined. Beat in the flour mixture on medium-high speed, mixing until just combined.
Stir chocolate chips and sprinkles into the batter. Transfer batter into prepared baking dish.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Remove from oven and transfer tin to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before proceeding to the frosting step.
Milk Chocolate Frosting:
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Once butter has melted, whisk in cocoa powder, vanilla, half-and-half, and salt.
Add confectioner’s sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, into the butter mixture, whisking well after each addition.
Remove saucepan from heat and pour frosting over cooled bar cookies. Use a rubber spatula to spread the frosting evenly, then decorate with sprinkles, nuts, or other toppings of your choice.
Notes
Be sure to taste-test the sprinkles you plan on using, BEFORE stirring them into your batter. I used some leftover “ice cream topping” sprinkles, not realizing that they were flavored with cherry. The flavor of your sprinkles will impact the flavor of your bar cookies, so be sure to use an unflavored version (unless you like the idea of a “flavored” cookie!)
Keep an eye on your bars while they’re in the oven, testing with a toothpick after 20 minutes or so. You’ll want to bake for 20-25 minutes for “gooey” bars, or 25-30 minutes for more of a solid bar cookie.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Brownies and Traybakes
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
