Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

When you want to bake a small batch of chocolate chip cookies, turn them into Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars made in a loaf pan! They’re easier and faster than scooping cookies plus they won’t spread too thin.

It’s official – everything is switched over to Homemade In The Kitchen (Not sure where Chocolate Moosey went? Read my announcement post for details).

I thought it would be appropriate to kick off my new name with my favorite dessert in small batch form – Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars baked in a loaf pan!

I did it with my Small Batch Fudge Brownies. It was only a matter of time to bring you cookies.

In my opinion, the perfect chocolate chip cookie is soft and chewy in the middle while slightly crispy on the edges. If you agree, then these cookie bars have the perfect texture for you.

Why bake cookies in a loaf pan? It’s faster, easier, and you don’t have to worry about them spreading too thin. It also turns each piece into an end piece, which means no more fighting for the corner (there may, however, still be fighting for the last cookie).

The concept seemed simple enough – make a small batch of chocolate chip cookies but instead of dropping them on a cookie sheet, pat them into a loaf pan (affiliate link).

However, it wasn’t that simple. Turned out the dough would rise in the middle but then sink after cooling, causing a giant sinkhole, albeit a delicious sinkhole.

The obvious culprit was the baking soda because leavening is what causes recipes to rise. However, the middle kept sinking even when the baking soda was reduced to 1/8 teaspoon.

As I was debating on adding baking powder to the baking soda, my friend Susan, Miss Cookie Queen herself, messaged me that same idea. It sounds counterintuitive, but adding baking powder would help stabilize the baking soda and keep the middle from falling.

It helped but still not quite perfect. What else can cause sinking in my cookies? Sinking is a sign the structure isn’t stable, which usually results in the flour to liquid ratio not being balanced.

However, when you look at the recipe, there is no liquid in the dough, not even an egg white. There’s vanilla, but such a minute amount wouldn’t throw off the ratio.

Although there’s no obvious liquid like milk or egg whites, when sugar melts, it turns into liquid. That means when there’s too much sugar and not enough flour, the structure won’t hold. Hence sinking after cooling.

I cut back on the sugar and voila – it held! There is a slight dip in the middle, but that is the result of baking in a loaf pan. Think of it like turning each piece into an end piece.

After going through at least 6 rounds of recipe testing, I can say I’m officially the first person to make a true to size small batch chocolate chip cookies in a loaf pan.

I googled for similar recipes to research and compare notes, but all of the “small batch” cookie bars were made in 8×8 pans. That’s not small batch, my friends. This is.

Because I made so many cookie bars in one week, I wrapped a few pieces in plastic wrap and stuck them in my freezer. I can testify they do freeze well.

Looking for only one chocolate chip cookie? Check out my Single Serving Chocolate Chip Cookie!