No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert Recipe
If you’ve ever sneaked spoonfuls of cookie dough and wished you could turn that dreamy flavor into a safe, shareable treat, you’re going to fall in love with No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert. These bars are everything we love about classic chocolate chip cookie dough but made for effortless snacking and sharing, with no eggs and no oven required. They’re the ultimate indulgent bite—soft, rich, studded with plenty of mini chocolate chips, and topped with a glossy layer of melted chocolate. It’s the kind of dessert that vanishes from the plate in minutes, and nobody will believe you barely had to lift a finger to make them!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The beauty of No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert is in its simplicity. Each ingredient is a star, working together to create those nostalgic, buttery, chocolatey bites we crave in cookie dough—without any of the hassles or worries.
- Unsalted butter (1/2 cup, softened): This creates the rich, luscious base and brings that classic cookie dough mouthfeel—make sure it’s soft for easy creaming.
- Brown sugar (1/2 cup, packed): Adds deep caramel notes and keeps the dough super moist and chewy.
- Granulated sugar (1/4 cup): Sweetens and balances the brown sugar for that perfectly even cookie dough flavor.
- Milk (2 tablespoons): Loosens the dough just enough so it’s smooth and creamy, never dry.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Rounds out every bite with classic warmth and aroma—don’t skip!
- All-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups, heat-treated): The foundation of your dough; always use heat-treated for safety.
- Salt (1/2 teaspoon): Just a touch elevates all the flavors and keeps things from tasting flat.
- Mini chocolate chips (1 cup): Loads every bite with extra chocolatey goodness—the mini size means perfect distribution in every slice.
- Semisweet chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups, for topping): This is what creates that irresistible, shiny chocolate cap on top of your bars.
- Coconut oil or butter (1 tablespoon, for topping): Helps the chocolate melt smooth and slice perfectly for picture-worthy results.
How to Make No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert
Step 1: Prepare Your Pan and Heat-Treat the Flour
Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift the bars out later. This makes for stylish, tidy bars when it’s time to serve! If you haven’t heat-treated your flour yet, do that now to ensure your bars are perfectly safe to eat: microwave the flour in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute 15 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, or bake it in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes. Let it cool before using.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, packed brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Use a hand mixer (or a sturdy spoon and some elbow grease) to cream them together until the mixture looks fluffy, pale, and gorgeously smooth. This step is what gives the bars their signature soft and creamy texture.
Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients
Pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Blend everything together until fully incorporated. These liquids will help the dough come together, making the finished bars melt-in-your-mouth irresistible.
Step 4: Mix in Dry Ingredients
Add your cooled, heat-treated all-purpose flour and salt to the bowl. Stir slowly at first to avoid flour clouds, then fold everything together until no dry spots remain. You should have a soft, slightly sticky, but very workable dough.
Step 5: Fold in the Mini Chocolate Chips
Tip in those mini chocolate chips and gently mix them through the dough. The mini size ensures each bite gets the perfect ratio of dough to chocolate pieces, so every bar tastes like pure, edible-cookie-dough heaven.
Step 6: Press the Dough Into the Pan
Scoop the dough into your prepared baking pan and press it into an even layer. Take a few extra seconds to smooth the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon—this will make your topping look even more beautiful later on.
Step 7: Make the Chocolate Topping
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the semisweet chocolate chips and coconut oil or butter. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring every time until melted and glossy. Pour this decadent mixture over the pressed cookie dough, spreading with an offset spatula to cover every inch.
Step 8: Chill and Slice
Pop the pan into your refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours. This sets the bars and gives you those lovely layers. Once set, lift out the slab using your parchment handles, slice into 16 irresistible bars, and get ready for some serious “wow” factor.
How to Serve No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert
Garnishes
For a finishing flair, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt or a shower of more mini chocolate chips on top of the melted chocolate before it sets. Edible glitter or colored sprinkles are especially fun if you’re making these bars for a party or special occasion. A light dusting of cocoa powder adds elegance and amps up the chocolatey vibe.
Side Dishes
No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert are a showstopper on their own, but they pair beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. For an afternoon treat, serve them alongside strawberries or fresh berries to cut through the richness and add a pop of color to your dessert spread.
Creative Ways to Present
These bars look gorgeous stacked on a tiered dessert platter or nestled into cupcake liners for easy serving at potlucks and get-togethers. Try cutting them into mini squares for a bite-sized party treat, or layer them with other no-bake sweets for a dramatic dessert board. For summer birthdays, arrange them in a checkerboard pattern with colored sprinkles on alternating bars—it’s guaranteed to make everyone smile!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keeping leftovers of these bars (if you can resist eating them all at once!) is a breeze! Store No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. This keeps them perfectly firm and fresh, with that craveable, fudgy texture.
Freezing
Feel free to make a batch ahead! Once set and sliced, pop your bars into a freezer-safe container, separating the layers with parchment paper. They’ll keep for up to 2 months—just thaw them in the fridge before serving for best texture and taste. These are a lifesaver when you need a quick, crowd-pleasing dessert in a pinch.
Reheating
Since No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert are meant to be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature, there’s no need to reheat. If your bars are frozen, let them thaw in the fridge for a few hours or on the counter for 20–30 minutes before serving—they’ll be just as perfect as the day you made them!
FAQs
Can I use regular-sized chocolate chips instead of mini?
Definitely! While mini chips give a more even chocolate distribution throughout each bar, regular chips (or even chopped chocolate) work well in a pinch. Just chop them slightly if you want a more balanced bite.
Do I have to use coconut oil for the chocolate topping?
Nope! You can use an equal amount of butter if you don’t have coconut oil on hand. Both options help the chocolate melt smoothly and make the topping easier to slice without shattering.
How do I heat-treat flour for this recipe?
To keep your No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert safe and delicious, heat-treat the flour by microwaving it for about 1 minute 15 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, or baking it at 350°F for 5 minutes. Let it cool completely before adding to the dough to avoid melting the chocolate chips.
Can I make these bars gluten-free?
Absolutely! Simply swap the all-purpose flour for a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend, making sure to heat-treat it first. The taste and texture stay just as cookie-dough-delicious, and everyone can enjoy them.
What mix-ins can I use instead of chocolate chips?
Feel like mixing it up? Try swapping some or all of the chocolate chips for chopped nuts, white chocolate chips, toffee bits, or even rainbow sprinkles for a playful twist. The base recipe is endlessly adaptable!
Final Thoughts
No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert are the kind of treat you’ll want to make (and share) again and again. Whether it’s a quick after-school snack or the star of your next party tray, these bars deliver pure cookie dough bliss in every decadent bite. Give them a try, and don’t be surprised if they disappear almost as fast as you can make them!
Print
No Bake Cookie Dough Bars: Easy Recipe & Delicious Dessert Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes (includes chilling time)
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in these no-bake cookie dough bars for a delightful treat that combines the flavors of cookie dough and chocolate in every bite. These bars are easy to make and perfect for satisfying your sweet cravings.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (heat-treated)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Add Milk and Vanilla: Mix in the milk and vanilla extract.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the heat-treated flour and salt, stirring until a soft dough forms.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Press Into Pan: Press the dough evenly into a parchment-lined 8×8-inch pan.
- Melt Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the semisweet chocolate chips and coconut oil in 20-second intervals, stirring between each until smooth.
- Assemble and Chill: Pour the melted chocolate over the cookie dough layer and spread evenly. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until set.
- Serve: Slice into bars and serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- To heat-treat flour, microwave it in a bowl for 1 minute 15 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, or bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes.
- You can swap mini chocolate chips for chopped nuts or white chocolate chips for variation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
