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Original post published March 1st, 2018. Post last updated on May 14th, 2024.
Featuring chopped dark chocolate, homemade milk chocolate frosting, and a generous helping of rainbow sprinkles, these chocolate chip cookie bars offer a colorful funfetti twist on traditional chocolate chip bars.
What Inspired These Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?
I first made these chocolate chip cookie bars a few years ago, on something of a whim. I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand (including plenty of sprinkles!) so I mixed everything together to create a colorful confetti twist on traditional chocolate chip cookie bars. Topped with a homemade milk chocolate frosting and a generous dose of sprinkles, these bars add a dose of cheer to birthday parties, celebrations, and dreary winter days.
This recipe allows plenty of room for creativity. Use up sprinkles left over from an ice cream social, or extra bits and pieces from other recipes. You can also adapt the toppings to fit specific holidays—try red heart sprinkles for Valentine’s Day, snowflake sprinkles for winter, or shamrock sprinkles for Saint Patrick’s Day!
Recipe Variations
I’ve tested this recipe with semi sweet and milk chocolate chips, as well as chopped dark chocolate. All of these will work, as will other chocolates (white, ruby, even butterscotch chips!) You can also toss in a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans, or chocolate covered sunflower seeds.
For a “funfetti” twist, I’ve stirred rainbow sprinkles into the batter, and also scattered additional sprinkles on top of the frosting. If desired, you can skip the sprinkles and make a batch of frosted classic chocolate chip cookie bars instead.
Vanilla bean paste gives these chocolate chip cookie bars a little extra something, but you’re welcome to substitute vanilla extract if you don’t have vanilla bean paste on hand.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Tips and Tricks
Use American sprinkles for this recipe. If using British (or other European) sprinkles, do not stir them into the batter—they’ll turn everything into a grey, icky mess. Instead, just use the sprinkles as a garnish on top of the frosting.
Be sure to taste-test the sprinkles you plan on using, before stirring them into your batter. The first time I made these bars I used some leftover “ice cream topping” sprinkles, not realizing that they were cherry-flavored. 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!
To get creative with color combinations, try decorating these bars with your own homemade sprinkles.
Baking time will vary depending on your oven, as well as your personal taste. Bake for around 30 minutes for slightly “gooey” bars, or closer to 35-40 for minutes for more solid bars. I suggest starting to check the bars for doneness around the 25-minute mark.
Allow the baked bars to cool completely before applying the frosting. If you add the frosting while the bars are still warm, it will melt.
Lining your pan with parchment is an absolute must. I like to use a “criss cross” method, with two sheets of parchment overlapping in opposite directions. (See recipe below for a photo of this technique.) To slice the baked bars, use the parchment as “handles,” to lift the slab from the pan and transfer it to a cutting board.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
These chocolate chip cookie bars are best enjoyed on the day they are made, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. To store, I recommend arranging the bars in a single layer to avoid damaging the frosting.
Un-frosted chocolate chip cookie bars can be layered between sheets of parchment and frozen in an airtight container, or individually wrapped in foil, for up to three months. Do not freeze the frosted bars.
Other bar cookie and brownie recipes you might enjoy:
Rainbow Rocky Road
Salted Chocolate Caramel Brownies
Italian Rainbow Brownies
And if you do 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!
Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 16 2-inch squares 1x
Description
A recipe for chocolate chip cookie bars topped with homemade milk chocolate frosting and rainbow sprinkles. A colorful funfetti twist on chocolate chip bars.
Ingredients
Cookie Bars:
160 grams all purpose flour (1 1/4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
113 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup/1 stick)
105 grams light brown sugar (1/2 cup)
50 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
150 grams chopped dark chocolate, or chocolate chips (1 cup)
45 grams rainbow sprinkles (1/4 cup), plus more to decorate
Chocolate Frosting:
45 grams unsalted butter, melted (3 tablspoons)
170 grams confectioner’s sugar (1 1/4 cups)
30 milliliters whole milk (2 tablespoons)
14 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Method:
Preheat oven to 350° F / 176° C. Line an 8 x 8 square tin with parchment. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt.
In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter on high speed until soft and fluffy.
Mix in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla bean paste, and continue mixing until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chopped chocolate and rainbow sprinkles.
Transfer to prepared tin, using a rubber spatula to spread the batter evenly across the surface of the pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes* or until golden brown, and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, prepare the frosting.
Chocolate Frosting:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk in the cocoa powder, whole milk, and salt. Remove from heat.
Whisk in the confectioner’s sugar.
Pour frosting over cooled bar cookies.
With a rubber spatula or small stepped palette knife, spread the frosting, distributing it evenly across the top of the cookies.
Decorate with additional rainbow sprinkles.
Slice into squares and serve. Store leftover chocolate chip cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Notes
*Bake for around 30 minutes for gooey cookies, or 35-40 minutes for more solid bars.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
- Category: Brownies and Traybakes
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert