Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookies turn classic chocolate chip cookie dough into an easy slab-style dessert with chewy centers, golden edges, and plenty of melted chocolate in every square. Instead of scooping individual cookies, the dough is pressed into one large rimmed sheet pan and baked all at once.
This recipe uses a 13 × 18-inch half-sheet pan and makes 30 cookie bars. The dough needs no chilling, and the cookies cool directly in the pan before being sliced, making this a practical option for parties, potlucks, bake sales, or large family gatherings.
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Additional Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 27 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookie bars
- Difficulty: Easy
What Makes This Recipe Work
- Melted butter creates a chewy texture. It keeps the dough easy to spread while producing dense, soft centers.
- Brown sugar adds moisture. Its molasses content helps the bars stay tender after cooling.
- A large sheet pan creates contrasting textures. The outer pieces develop crisp, golden edges while the center pieces stay especially soft.
- Three eggs provide enough structure for clean slices. They help the cookie slab hold together without making it cakey.
- Chocolate chips are mixed throughout and scattered on top. This gives the bars chocolate in every bite and a more appealing finished surface.
Tools for This Recipe
- 13 × 18-inch rimmed half-sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula or sturdy wooden spoon
- Offset spatula
- Wire cooling rack
- Sharp knife
Ingredient Notes
- ■Unsalted Butter: Melted butter gives the cookie bars a chewy, dense texture and makes the dough easy to spread. Salted butter can be substituted, but reduce the added fine salt to ½ teaspoon.
- â– Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar keeps the bars moist and adds mild caramel flavor. Dark brown sugar can be substituted in the same amount for a deeper molasses flavor and slightly softer texture.
- â– Semisweet Chocolate Chips: Semisweet chips balance the sweet cookie dough without making the bars overly sugary. Milk chocolate chips can be used for a sweeter result, while bittersweet chips give a darker chocolate flavor.
- â– All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour provides enough structure for the large cookie slab while keeping it tender. Bread flour is not recommended because it can make the bars noticeably chewier and tougher.
- â– Eggs: Three eggs help bind the large batch of dough and keep the bars cohesive after slicing. There is no reliable direct substitute that will produce the same texture and structure.
Step-by-Step Method
- Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 13 × 18-inch rimmed half-sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on two sides for easier lifting. Lightly grease any exposed areas of the pan.
- Combine the Melted Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Continue whisking for about 1 minute. The mixture should look glossy and smooth, with no large lumps of brown sugar.
- Add the Eggs and Vanilla: Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract and continue whisking until the mixture looks cohesive and slightly thickened.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and fine salt. Make sure the baking soda is distributed evenly so there are no concentrated pockets in the finished bars.
- Make the Cookie Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Fold with a rubber spatula or sturdy wooden spoon just until no dry flour remains. The dough should be thick, soft, and spreadable. Do not overmix.
- Add the Chocolate Chips: Reserve ½ cup (85 g) of the chocolate chips for topping. Fold the remaining 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips evenly through the dough.
- Spread the Dough in the Pan: Transfer the dough to the prepared half-sheet pan. Use an offset spatula or clean hands to press it into an even layer all the way to the corners. Take extra care not to leave the center substantially thicker than the edges.
- Add the Remaining Chocolate: Scatter the reserved ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips evenly over the surface. Press them very lightly into the dough so they stay in place while baking.
- Bake the Cookie Slab: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–24 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and set, while the center should look lightly golden and no longer wet. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs but no raw dough. Do not wait until the entire surface is deeply browned, as the bars will continue setting as they cool.
- Cool in the Pan: Place the sheet pan on a wire cooling rack. Let the cookie slab cool completely in the pan for about 45 minutes. The center will firm as it cools, making the bars much easier to cut cleanly.
- Slice and Serve: Use the parchment overhang to help lift the cooled cookie slab if desired. Cut into 30 bars, arranging the cuts in a 5 × 6 grid. Serve at room temperature.
Make-Ahead and Storage Notes
- Room-Temperature Storage: Store completely cooled Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Place parchment paper between layers if stacking.
- Refrigeration: Refrigeration is not necessary and can make the bars firmer. If refrigerated, let them return to room temperature before serving for a softer texture.
- Freezing: Wrap individual cookie bars tightly and place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
FAQ
Can I make Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookies ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the cookie slab up to 2 days ahead and store it tightly covered at room temperature.
Can I use a different size pan?
A 13 × 18-inch rimmed half-sheet pan gives the intended thickness. A smaller pan will produce thicker bars and require a longer baking time, while a larger pan can make them too thin.
Why are my cookie bars dry?
They may have been overbaked or too much flour may have been added. Remove the pan when the center is set but still slightly soft and measure the flour carefully.
Can I use milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips?
Yes. Milk chocolate produces a sweeter bar, while bittersweet or dark chocolate creates a less sweet, more intense chocolate flavor.
Why are the center bars softer than the edge pieces?
That is normal with a large sheet-pan cookie. The edges receive more direct heat and become crisper, while the center remains softer and chewier.
Ingredients
Method
Method
- Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 13 × 18-inch rimmed half-sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on two sides for easier lifting.
- Lightly grease any exposed areas of the pan.
- Combine the Melted Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- Continue whisking for about 1 minute. The mixture should look glossy and smooth, with no large lumps of brown sugar.
- Add the Eggs and Vanilla: Add the vanilla extract and continue whisking until the mixture looks cohesive and slightly thickened.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and fine salt.
- Make sure the baking soda is distributed evenly so there are no concentrated pockets in the finished bars.
- Make the Cookie Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Fold with a rubber spatula or sturdy wooden spoon just until no dry flour remains.
- The dough should be thick, soft, and spreadable.
- Add the Chocolate Chips: Reserve ½ cup (85 g) of the chocolate chips for topping.
- Fold the remaining 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips evenly through the dough.
- Spread the Dough in the Pan: Transfer the dough to the prepared half-sheet pan. Use an offset spatula or clean hands to press it into an even layer all the way to the corners.
- Take extra care not to leave the center substantially thicker than the edges.
- Add the Remaining Chocolate: Scatter the reserved ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips evenly over the surface.
- Press them very lightly into the dough so they stay in place while baking.
- Bake the Cookie Slab: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–24 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and set, while the center should look lightly golden and no longer wet.
- A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs but no raw dough.
- Do not wait until the entire surface is deeply browned, as the bars will continue setting as they cool.
- Cool in the Pan: Place the sheet pan on a wire cooling rack.
- Let the cookie slab cool completely in the pan for about 45 minutes.
- The center will firm as it cools, making the bars much easier to cut cleanly.
- Slice and Serve: Use the parchment overhang to help lift the cooled cookie slab if desired.
- Cut into 30 bars, arranging the cuts in a 5 × 6 grid.
- Serve at room temperature.
