If you want something fast, pretty, and not at all fussy, you will love this recipe for Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookie Bars. These fluffy, chewy dessert bars bake in one pan, use basic pantry ingredients, and feel special enough for girls’ night, a casual date at home, or an office treat that everyone will ask you about. If you’re looking for easy cherry desserts that feel like spring but work any time of year, these bars will be your new favorite shortcut.
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Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookie Bars
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk)
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, patted very dry
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookie Bars
I love this recipe because it feels like making cookie dough but you skip all the scooping and chilling. Here is exactly how I make these Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookie Bars on a busy weeknight.
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy lifting later. Lightly spray the parchment with non-stick spray if you’re concerned about things sticking in the pan (I don’t actually do this, but I know some people do and that’s fine!)..
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted, slightly cooled butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture looks thick and glossy. Cooling the butter a bit helps so you do not accidentally scramble the eggs in the next step.
3. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until fully blended. Stir in the vanilla extract. At this point the batter should look smooth and a little silky.
4. Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, and salt evenly over the wet mixture. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks of flour so the bars stay soft and tender.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips and cherries gently so they are evenly distributed. Keep some aside to sprinkle on top later.
6. Spread the batter in the pan. Use a spatula or clean hands lightly sprayed with baking spray to press the dough into an even layer that reaches all the corners of your pan.
7. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until the top is mostly set but still kind of jiggly.
8. Sprinkle the top of your bars with some extra chocolate chips and cherry pieces.
9. Return the pan in the oven and bake for around 7-15 minutes, until the top of your cookie bars is lightly golden and the center looks just set. The edges should look slightly browned and firm, but the middle should still look soft. That gives you chewy, bakery style bars.
10. Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack. This helps the bars firm up and also slice cleanly.
11. Once cool, use the parchment hanging over the sides to carefully lift the slab out of the pan. Cut into 12 to 24 bars, depending on how big you like them. These are delicious at room temperature, but I also love them slightly chilled from the fridge for a fudgier texture.
Pro Tips
I am all about small shortcuts and tricks that make home baking feel easier and more reliable. Here are the little things that really help with these bars.
- Pat the cherries very dry. Like very dry. Lay the chopped maraschino cherries on a few layers of paper towel and gently press another couple paper towels on top. This keeps the bars from getting soggy or turning the dough too pink.
- Cool the butter just a bit. The butter should be melted but not scorching hot. If your butter is too hot, you’ll end up with scrambled eggs in your batter.
- Use parchment paper for easy clean up. Lining your pan means you can lift the whole batch out at once, which makes slicing into neat dessert bars so much quicker. It also saves you from scrubbing stuck-on batter from your pan later.
- For cookie bars like these, I like to go with a “choose-your-texture” doneness test. For gooey bars, pull them out when the edges look set and lightly golden but the center still looks a little soft and slightly underdone, and they’ll finish setting as they cool. For firmer bars, bake a few minutes longer until the center no longer looks shiny and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- Make ahead friendly. Bake the bars the night before you need them; cool completely and store covered at room temperature. They keep well for 3 to 4 days and stay chewy, which makes them perfect for parties, potlucks, or busy weeks.
FAQs
Can I use fresh cherries instead of maraschino cherries?
Yes, you can, but I like maraschino cherries here because they add a sweet, bright flavor and a pop of color. If you use fresh cherries, pit and chop them, then pat them very, very dry. Fresh cherries release more juice, so the bars may be slightly softer.
Can I bake these in a smaller pan?
You can use a 9×9 inch pan if you prefer thicker bars. They will need a few extra minutes in the oven, so start checking around 28 minutes and watch for a lightly golden top and set center. You could also halve the recipe and bake in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan for approximately the same thickness.
How should I store these dessert bars?
Store the cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 2 months.
Can I make these gluten free?
You can try using a 1 to 1 gluten free all purpose flour blend that is designed to replace regular flour. The texture may be slightly softer, but it should be very close.
I love keeping this Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookie Bars recipe in my back pocket for any time I need a pretty dessert that fits into a busy schedule. You whisk everything in one bowl, press it into a pan, and you are basically done. The result is a chewy, buttery bar packed with melty chocolate chips and sweet cherries that feels special but not stressful. Save this recipe, print it, or pin it so you have it ready for your next girls’ night, potluck, or cozy weekend in.
Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips I used semisweet, but you can use whatever kind you like
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries patted very dry
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy lifting later.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted, slightly cooled butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture looks thick and glossy.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time until fully blended. Stir in the vanilla extract. At this point the batter should look smooth and a little silky.
- Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, and salt evenly over the wet mixture. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and cherries gently so they are evenly distributed. Keep some aside to sprinkle on top later.
- Spread the batter in the pan. Use a spatula or clean hands lightly sprayed with baking spray to press the dough into an even layer that reaches all the corners of your pan.
- Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until the top is mostly set but still kind of jiggly.
- Sprinkle the top of your bars with some extra chocolate chips and cherry pieces.
- Return the pan in the oven and bake for around 7-15 minutes, until the top of your cookie bars is lightly golden and the center looks just set. The edges should look slightly browned and firm, but the middle should still look soft.
- Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack. This helps the bars firm up and also slice cleanly.
- Once cool, use the parchment hanging over the sides to carefully lift the slab out of the pan. Cut into 12 to 24 bars, depending on how big you like them. These are delicious at room temperature, but I also love them slightly chilled from the fridge for a fudgier texture.
