This is the cookie bar for chocolate lovers. A mashup between chewy chocolate cookies and fudgy brownies, giving you the best of both worlds. The edges are crisp, the center is soft, and a hidden fudge layer creates molten chocolate through every bite.
What sets this recipe apart
Something different: Not quite a cookie, not quite a brownie – the perfect mashup!
Molten fudge layer: A layer of gooey fudge sandwiched between chocolate cookie dough.
Many ways to serve: When chilled these bars are firm and fudgy. At room temp you can eat them with your hands. When warm they’re extra gooey and should be served with a fork or spoon (and ice cream, obviously).
Visual recipe overview
Cookie dough
Make the chocolate cookie dough.
Bake the bottom layer
Press a little more than half of the dough into the pan and bake for 8 minutes.
Add hot fudge and top cookie layer
Pour the hot fudge over the bottom layer then top with the remaining cookie dough.
Bake
Bake for 16-20 minutes. Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and serve!
My recipe testing tips and notes
This recipe uses store bought hot fudge sauce. It is thicker than chocolate syrup and should be very firm when it is room temp or refrigerated. I’ve tested the recipe with higher-end brands and generic store brands of hot fudge. Both worked but I did find the generic brand to be a bit thinner.
To make these bars less sweet you can use dark chocolate fudge sauce and bittersweet chocolate chips.
Lining the pan with parchment paper makes it easy to remove the bars once they’ve cooled. The fudgy edges could stick to the sides of the pan if not lined.
Do not cut into these bars until they’ve cooled completely. You’ll have a mess (although delicious) if you cut into them when hot.
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Recipe
Fudgy Chocolate Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temp
- ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (188g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled or weighed
- ⅓ cup (26g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (85g) chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup (157ml) hot fudge sauce, heated until pourable (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Fully line an 8×8 pan (preferably metal) with parchment paper and lightly grease it. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and well combined. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat until fully combined, scraping the bowl and beaters as needed.
- Scoop out a little more than half of the dough (about 330g) and place it in the prepared pan. Moisten your fingers with a little water and press the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Once you've placed it in the oven, immediately proceed with the recipe.
- Stir chocolate chips into the remaining dough in the mixing bowl, then place the bowl of cookie dough in the freezer for about 10 minutes while you proceed. This quick chill time will make the dough easier to work with.
- Once the bottom layer has baked (note: it will still be soft and underbaked), remove it from the oven and carefully drizzle the hot fudge sauce over it. Gently spread the fudge into an even layer. Remove the dough from the freezer and press into flat, irregular shaped pieces. Lay those pieces in a single layer over the fudge. You should cover most of the fudge, with just a few spots peaking through.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 16-20 minutes. The topping will still look soft (but not raw) and some edges might have bubbling fudge. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.
- Once cool, dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
Hot fudge sauce
This recipe uses store bought hot fudge sauce. It is thicker than chocolate syrup and should be very firm when it is room temp or refrigerated. I’ve tested the recipe with higher-end brands and generic store brands of hot fudge. Both worked but I did find the generic brand to be a bit thinner. To make these bars less sweet you can use dark chocolate fudge sauce and bittersweet chocolate chips.Serving and storage
When chilled these bars are firm and fudgy. At room temp you can eat them with your hands but the center will be a bit soft. When warm they’re extra gooey and should be served with a fork or spoon. Store in the fridge for up to four days or at room temperature for up to two days. I have not tried freezing them, but I assume they would freeze and thaw just fine.Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!Inspired by Cooking with Karli.
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