Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are an easy and delicious way to use sourdough discard. Soft, chewy, and packed with gooey chocolate, they’re the perfect dessert cookie bar—no scooping or shaping required. Just press the dough into a pan, bake, and slice into bars.

I love making these for a quick family dessert, though we have the hardest time waiting for them to cool and often dig in while they’re still warm with a big scoop of ice cream on top. Whether you’re baking for a crowd or just want something sweet and simple, these cookie bars are always a favorite.

Why You’ll Love Sourdough Cookie Bars

• Discard Recipe – I love adding sourdough discard to cookie recipes for a unique take on classic flavors. This recipe is based on my original non-sourdough recipe, so if you don’t have any discard on hand, you can try the original Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars instead.
• Quick and Easy – Just when you thought my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies couldn’t get any easier to make, these cookie bars have arrived. There’s no easier sourdough dessert than pressing cookie dough into a pan—no shaping required for these cookies!
• Switch it Up – These sourdough discard cookie bars are so versatile. Use milk chocolate chips, M&Ms or even toss in some toffee chunks like I do in my Sourdough Blondies. Whatever you choose to add to this cookie dough, it’s going to be yummy!

Sourdough Discard Tip: I keep a jar in my fridge that I continually add sourdough discard to. Discard is a by-product of your sourdough starter and there is no reason to throw it away. Instead, use it in incredible sourdough discard recipes where it adds moisture and great flavor. Use older, more tangy discard in savory recipes like my favorite Pretzel Bites with Sourdough Discard, and young/fresh discard in sweeter recipes like these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies.

Important Ingredients

• Sourdough Discard – To keep the sourdough flavor mild, use fresh discard or discard that’s no more than a day or two old. Want more tang? Try using discard that’s been in the fridge for a few days. I always use 100% hydration sourdough discard for this recipe. If your discard is extra runny, you may need to add a bit more flour to get the right dough consistency.
• Unsalted Butter: I bake a lot of cookies and always use unsalted butter. It gives you better control over the final flavor. Salt levels can vary between brands of salted butter, which can lead to overly salty cookies. If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt in the recipe slightly.
• Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: A combination of brown sugar and granulated white sugar are used in this recipe for flavor and texture.
• Chocolate Chips: I love semi-sweet chocolate chips in this recipe, but you can substitue any chocolate chips you prefer.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

How to Make Sourdough Cookie Bars

Mix The Cookie Dough

Step 1: Use a spoon or dough whisk to combine melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a small bowl.

Step 2: Add sourdough discard, eggs, and vanilla to the butter and sugar. Stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until combined. Add chocolate chips and mix.

Make-Ahead Tip: At this point, the cookie bar dough can be refrigerated and long-fermented for 2-3 days. This can help develop deeper flavor and improve texture, plus it’s a great way to prep ahead, making these bars a super quick sourdough recipe. The dough can also be frozen for up to a couple of months before being baked.

Press Dough Into the Pan

Step 4: Press the dough into a parchment lined baking pan.

Step 5: Make sure the dough is evenly pressed into pan and preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Note: I like to line my baking pan with parchment paper. When cookie bars are baked, you can grab the parchment paper and lift them out. Then once they have cooled you can slice them easily out of the pan. You could even lift sliced bars back into the pan if you needed to easily transport them too!

Bake The cookie Bars

Step 6: Bake cookie bars for 25-30 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit until the edges have set and the middle doesn’t jiggle. Pull the bars out to a wire rack and let cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Amy’s Tip: Every oven bakes a little bit differently. If you prefer a less-gooey cookie bar, bake the bars for a little bit longer. I like to just slightly underbake the bars so they set up chewy while they are cooling.

How to Store Leftovers

Once bars have been cooled completely and sliced, I put them in an airtight container or ziplock bag and freeze them. I actually love eating these straight from the freezer (or chilled), but they defrost quickly and are delicious either way. Warm them up and top with ice cream for a delicious dessert.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sourdough Cookie Recipes

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies

Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies

Homemade Sourdough Oreo Cookies

If you tried these Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookie Bars or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!