Black Cocoa Cookie Bars
When you want cookies but in an easy, bake it all together in a pan, kind of way. These black cocoa cookie bars are exactly what they sound like, a black cocoa cookie baked as a bar. I love making these because you just put all the dough in a pan and bake it all at once, frost them if desired and then slice them and enjoy! You get more of that “center cookie” texture with cookie bars!
If you’ve been around for two seconds, you’d have figured I love baking with black cocoa. I’m on a mission to convert all chocolate recipes to black cocoa recipes.
I already have the BEST Black Cocoa Brownie Recipe and a fabulous Black Cocoa Cake that is the base for all my chocolate cakes now.
& before you ask how these are different from brownies, I’ll tell you.
Cookie bars are just a cookie dough baked in a pan and cut into slices. The end result is close to the texture of cookies, where they’re kind of dense and chewy. I make these shorter in height because they’re dense and I frosted these ones for a little umph.
On the other hand, my brownies are thiiiiiccccqqqq and fudgy. The texture on the inside of a brownie is a bit more gooey and the flavor is a little more rich while the cookie bars are a little sweeter.
How To Make the Cookie Bars
I have a black cocoa cookie recipe which is what I used as the base for this recipe, with a few tweaks. I skipped the brown butter to simplify it a little and increased some of the measurements to get the right size for an 8×8 inch pan. Then I figured I’d frost it for good measure.
Ingredients
- Butter: I like to use salted butter for most of my bakes because I think it has more flavor but unsalted works fine as well. Dairy free butter also works fine.
- Sugar: I used granulated sugar in the dough and haven’t tested this recipe with any other types but I’m sure brown sugar would be fine too. I also don’t recommend reducing the amount of sugar, although it is sweet, it would affect the texture.
- I use powdered sugar for the frosting and you could reduce sugar here or skip the frosting to make it less sweet.
- Egg: I use two large eggs, preferably at room temperature.
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour but a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend would also work fine.
- As always, I HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale to measure at least the dry ingredients.
- Cocoa Powder: I used black cocoa powder, hence the name, but also dutch-processed should work just as well. My favorite brand of black cocoa powder is The Cocoa Trader.
- Baking Powder: I use baking powder and I don’t recommend swapping it for baking soda. Baking soda can cause more spreading and browning.
- Salt: I always add in a little extra fine sea salt.
- Chocolate: I like mini’s because they make it easier to slice without getting in the way. Any chocolate chips or chopped chocolate works fine in the dough and the frosting. I like dark because it’s less sweet.
- Milk: just a splash in the frosting to make it more spreadable.
Step-By-Step Photos
Cookie Bars
- Whisk together the sugar with the melted butter.
- Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
- Whisk in the black cocoa powder.
- Fold in the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the dough into the prepared pan and baked until the edges are set and the center is no longer wet.
Frosting
- Melt the butter in a pan.
- Add in the chocolate chips and stir over low heat until they’re melted.
- Add in the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla and whisk together until it’s smooth.
- Spread on top of cooled cookie bars.
Pro Tip: If you want the frosting black too, add in 1-2 Tbsp of black cocoa powder with an additional 1-2 Tbsp of milk.
Storing & Serving Cookie Bars
Obviously just like cookies, cookie bars are always best served fresh but make sure to let them cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting. Once the frosting is set, slice and serve. I stored mine under a cake dome for 3-4 days, any longer and I would refrigerate or freeze them.
Store them airtight in the fridge for a week or freezer for several months.
I hope you love all my black cocoa recipes as much as I do, the cookie bars are so simple to make and everyone loves them!
If you have any questions, please comment down below – those will get answered much quicker than email or through social media.
If you’ve tried this, I would very much appreciate a 5-star rating or review as well.
As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!
Love, B
