These Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are soft, chewy and so easy to make with simple and healthy gluten-free, vegan and paleo pantry ingredients. They come together in under 30 minutes in just ONE bowl. No dough chilling, no eggs, no mixer, or rolling into balls required!
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Healthy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Craving a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie but don’t feel like scooping and rolling out cookie dough? These Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars have all the best traits of chocolate chip cookies without all the work. They are sometimes called blondies which are like a vanilla cousin to the brownie and just as delicious!
Plus, these delicious gluten free chocolate chip cookie bars are incredibly easy to throw together and you only need ONE bowl to make them. They’re also refined sugar free, gluten free, grain-free, paleo and vegan-friendly in case you don’t have any butter or eggs on hand.
INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED FOR THIS GLUTEN FREE COOKIE BAR RECIPE
Classic chocolate chip bar recipes use all purpose flour, melted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and room temperature eggs. What I love about these healthy chocolate chip cookie bars is that they come together quickly in ONE bowl without any regular flour, dairy or eggs. No mixer, no dough rolling and totally-egg free.
Instead, these chewy chocolate chip bars are made with super simple and healthy pantry-friendly ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen.
WET INGREDIENTS:
- Natural almond butter – use drippy almond butter and not near the bottom of the jar. You can also sub with any nut or seed butter you like.
- Flax eggs to keep this chocolate chip cookie bar recipe vegan – you can also try subbing with 2 chia eggs and if you prefer using regular eggs, only sub with 1 large egg.
- Pure maple syrup: an unrefined and lower glycemic sweetener but you can also try subbing with another low carb liquid sweetener such Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup to make Keto Bars or Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Coconut sugar – an unrefined and lower glycemic sweetener but you can also try subbing with another low carb brown sugar substitute such as golden monk fruit sweetener to make Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars or Low Carb Cookie Bars
- Melted and cooled Coconut oil– use refined coconut oil if you don’t want any coconut flavor
DRY INGREDIENTS
- Gluten-free baking powder OR regular baking powder if not gluten free (you can also try subbing with 3/4 teaspoon baking soda but I have not tried)
- Vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt: these balance out the sweetness and add flavor to help make these soft and chewy cookie bars taste even more amazing and delicious
- Almond flour – an amazing gluten free alternative to all purpose flour. Be sure to use superfine almond flour and not almond meal.
- Chocolate chips – be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips for paleo chocolate chip cookie bars.
How to make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- PREHEAT OVEN AND PREP PAN: Preheat your oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang.
- MAKE THE FLAX EGG: In a large mixing bowl, make the flax eggs by adding 2 Tablespoons of ground flaxseeds to a large bowl. Add 5 Tablespoons of water and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes or until thickened into a gel-like consistency.
- MIX WET INGREDIENTS AND SWEETENER: Stir in almond butter and coconut sugar and use a fork to mix until smooth. Add the maple syrup and coconut oil,
- ADD DRY INGREDIENTS: Add the baking powder, pinch of salt and almond flour and stir until combined.
- FOLD IN CHOCOLATE: Add chocolate and gently fold into the blondie batter.
- TRANSFER TO PAN: Spread the chocolate chip cookie dough batter into pan and use an offset spatula to spread evenly. Top with more chocolate chips, if desired.
- BAKE in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until just set. Do not over-bake if you like a gooey and soft center.
- COOL: Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Variations for this Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Recipe
You can easily swap out the chocolate chips for your favorite mix-ins in these paleo chocolate chip cookie bars. Here are a few variations you can try!
- Chocolate Pecan: Use 1/4 cup of your favorite dairy-free or semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- Peanut Butter: Use 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter to make Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
- Nut-free: Use 1/2 cup creamy unsweetened sunbutter and swap the almond flour for sunflower seed butter to keep these cookie bars nut free and paleo
- Dried Fruit: Add 1/2 cup of your favorite freeze-dried fruit or regular dried fruit such as blueberries, raspberries, dried cranberries or freeze-dried strawberries.
- Nuts: add 1/2 chopped nuts of your choice
Baking Tips for Gluten-Free Bars
- Be sure to line your baking pan with parchment paper leaving a slight overhang. This will make it much easier to remove the almond flour cookie bars from the pan and easier clean-up too!
- When measuring your flour, make sure to spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Do NOT overbake – especially if you’re looking for a fudgy and chewy chocolate chip cookie bars
Can I Double This Recipe?
Yes, just double the ingredients in this recipe and bake these fudgy chocolate chip cookie bars in a 9×13-inch pan. You may have to increase the baking time though so keep an eye on them after the 20 minute mark.
Can I use Melted Butter instead?
I haven’t tried but you may be able to swap in melted butter for the coconut oil. Your baking time may be slightly different.
Can I Use Another Type of Chocolate Chips?
Absolutely! If you aren’t dairy-free or following any specific diet protocol, feel free to use any chocolate chips you like. White chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or you can use peanut butter chips.
How to store paleo chocolate chip cookie bars
You can leave these vegan cookie bars on the counter overnight to a day since I think they will get soft and cakey from the coocnut oil. I suggest storing them in a resealable container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze chocolate chip cookie bars?
Yes. To freeze these vegan cookie bars, you’re going to keep them in the baking pan and place the pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Once they are hard, you can remove each individual blondie and transfer to a clear resealable freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
To reheat, simple thaw them on the counter, reheat in the microwave or bake them up in the oven at 325F for 10-15 minutes
More chocolate chip recipes you might like:
Soft and Chewy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Energy Bites with Chocolate Chips
These Paleo Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are soft, chewy and so easy to make with simple pantry ingredients. Just one bowl, no dough chilling, no eggs, no mixer, or rolling into balls required!
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds + 5 Tablespoons water , can sub with 1 large egg if not vegan
- 1/2 cup drippy unsalted almond butter , can sub with any nut or seed butter you like but make sure it is creamy and drippy (not near the bottom of the jar)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (you can also sub with Lakanto golden monkfruit sweetener OR even brown sugar)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup (you can also sub with 2 Tbs Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup)
- 2 tbsp softened coconut oil , you want it soft like butter (use refined coconut oil if you don't want any hint of coconut flavor)
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt , optional but helps to balance out the sweetness
- 1 1/8 cups superfine blanched almond flour , measured correctly using the spoon and level method
- 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips OR chopped chocolate , we like Hu's Kitchen or Lily's Sweets
- flaky sea salt for garnish
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 7x7 (can also use 8×8 baking pan but the bars will be thinner) with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang.
In a large mixing bowl, make the flax eggs by adding 2 Tablespoons of ground flaxseeds to a large bowl. Add 5 Tablespoons of water and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes or until thickened into a gel-like consistency.
Stir in almond butter and coconut sugar and use a fork to mix until smooth. Add the maple syrup, melted and cooled coconut oil.
Add the baking powder, salt, cinnamon and almond flour and stir until combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Spread the batter into pan and use an offset spatula to spread evenly. Top with more chocolate chips, if desired.
Bake in preheated oven for 19-22 minutes, until just set. Do not over-bake - you want them still gooey and they will continue to cook after you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares. Top with flaky sea salt if desired.
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