So, these Red White and Blue Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are these wonderful, chewy, buttery cookie bars that have just the right balance of vanilla milk chips and chocolate chips.
A delicious layer of tempting vanilla buttercream and some high-spirited red, white and blue accessories to make it red, white and blue 'official' like this Red White & Blue Puppy Chow!
Ahhh...I'm so happy! Memorial Weekend will be coming up before you know it and I love patriotic desserts when we celebrate! Like a week and half from now. I need to get to crackin' on sharing some more patriotic treats with you that I know anyone in your circle will love!
Celebrate With Red White and Blue Chocolate Chip Bars
Those looking to celebrate patriotic desserts in a delicious way should try baking a batch of red, white, and blue chocolate chip bars!
This simple, yet impressive dessert combines the classic flavors of semi-sweet chocolate chip and white chocolate chips in the cookie bars with fun bursts of red, white, and blue mini m&ms and sprinkles loaded on top of a vanilla buttercream frosting! Perfect for any patriotic party or weekend!
Not to mention, they're a breeze to make and fun to customize with whatever candies you may have in your pantry. So grab a mixing bowl, pre-heat the oven, and get ready to make some patriotic desserts everyone will love!
Why I Went with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
You don't know how hard it was for me to make these with vanilla frosting versus chocolate frosting, because I usually vote for chocolate? But, I went with vanilla buttercream, the right choice! Plus, it goes with the theme of course! Red, white and blue! There's just something about vanilla buttercream that is just so classic.
You might think it's weird, but I like a little salt in my frosting. Especially in vanilla buttercream. It really brings out intense flavors of the vanilla extract and butter and cuts the sweetness a bit and I'm not a fan of super sweet frosting. Frosting is sweet enough as it is!
But tell me, do you love it when you can taste a tinge of salt in your cookies and vanilla frosting like me?
A little salt can take flavors to another level. ike this Best Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce. A lot of salt, is not good. But you know this already right?
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Ingredients You Need
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe
- butter, softened
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- baking soda
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- mini chocolate chips
- vanilla milk chips
or white chocolate chips
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- unsalted butter, softened
- powdered sugar
- heavy cream
- vanilla extract
- salt
How to Make Red White and Blue Chocolate Chip Bars
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, set aside
- Using mixer, add butter and sugars together in a mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy about 2 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add in the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix together until combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
- Press cookie dough evenly into pan. (I lightly spray my finger-tips with cooking spray to make it easier or you can do it with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 mins.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- While cooling, make the frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Using mixer, mix all the ingredients together until creamy and frosting consistency you like. You can add more powdered sugar if you need it to be a little stiffer or add in more cream if you need it more creamier.
- Frost cooled cookie dough bars with frosting and add decoratives immediately after frosting, because the top of the frosting will firm up, so they won't stick.
- Cut into small squares.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting frosts a 9x13 pan, about 1 ¼ cups of frosting.
Tips for Bars
Here are a few helpful hints to ensure you end up with perfectly chewy chocolate chip cookie bars every time.
- Properly measure the flour. Use the spoon and level method!
- Slightly underbake cookie bars. The edges should be slightly brown and the center set. For a gooier texture, remove the pan from the oven a minute or two early.
- Frost cooled cookie dough bars with frosting. That way the frosting doesn't melt on the cookie bars.
- Add decoratives immediately after frosting, because the top of the frosting will firm up, so they won't stick.
- Also, for the cleanest cuts, frost the bars and let them set until the frosting is set on top before slicing and wipe down the knife between each cut.
- You'll find it easier to cut these bars after removing from a pan lined with parchment paper
and then place them on a cutting board or counter top to slice!
How to Store Patriotic Cookie Bars
Room Temperature - These Patriotic Chocolate chip cookie bars will last for up to 5 days in an airtight container or keep the pan tightly covered.
So, this past weekend our son moved out, so I made these patriotic cookie bars for him as a going away 'yummy' to take along with him. Otherwise, I would have these staring me in the face for any number of days because you know why. I'm always giving desserts away or I'd eat them all!
Whip up a batch and see!
These are sincerely, the most perfect sweet treat to share when it comes to red, white and blue! Share these patriotic cookie bars at a picnic, a barbeque or those family gatherings for your weekend for sure! And remember all the red, white, and blue accessories!
For More Red, White and Blue Ideas!
- 20 Red, White & Blue Patriotic Desserts to Proudly Hail
- Retro Red White and Blue Explosion Cake
- 4th of July Oreo Truffles
- Red White & Blue Puppy Chow
- 4th of July - Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cup Double Stuffed Oreos!!
- Easy Berry Trifle
- 4th of July Cherry Bomb Cupcakes
- You may want to swoon over this amazing Chocolate Cream Layered Dessert! Definitely yummilicious!
Red White and Blue Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup vanilla milk chips or white chocolate chips
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, set aside
- Using mixer, add butter and sugars together in a mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy about 2 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add in the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix together until combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
- Press cookie dough evenly into pan. (I lightly spray my finger-tips with cooking spray to make it easier or you can do it with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 mins.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- While cooling, make the frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- Using mixer, mix all the ingredients together until creamy and frosting consistency you like. You can add more powdered sugar if you need it to be a little stiffer or add in more cream if you need it more creamier.
- Frost cooled cookie dough bars with frosting and add decoratives immediately after frosting, because the top of the frosting will firm up, so they won't stick.
- Cut into small squares.
Notes
These bars can also be found here: 16 Simple and Delicious Red, White, and Blue Recipes
ChocolaTess says
You are so sweet! Thank you so much Janine! xo
Janine says
All of your recipes are amazing thank you for always sharing
ChocolaTess says
Pat, thank you so much for letting me know, I don't know what happened, but it's updated now. I hope you enjoy them!!!
Pat says
In the instructions there's no mention of when to mix in the flour and salt.
ChocolaTess says
He better! I can take stuff to work too, thank goodness! Thank you Kelly!!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
I’m almost positive your son will be back over regularly to get some of your yummy treats (and a hug from his momma!). These bars look so yummy! I’ll take the leftovers 😉
ChocolaTess says
The texture of this is outstanding. Couching it with a big skillet of these sounds totally amazing! Ha! Great idea Maria!! Thank you!
Maria | kitchenathoskins says
Love the fun color themed buttercream but, I'm all over that cookie bar. The color and texture looks insanely delicious, I'm totally tempted to bake that dough in a skillet and settle on the couch with a long spoon:)
ChocolaTess says
Thank you so much Teresa!! They are pretty tasty!!
Teresa Ambra says
My mouth is watering. Love these.
ChocolaTess says
OMG yes for sure Katherine! I love it when you can change up the sprinkle colors for whatever occasion. I hope your enjoying your baby girl!! Awww...I remember those days, lots of snuggles and kisses.
ChocolaTess says
Yea I am glad I can pawn them off on him and his friends for sure! Thank you Kelsie and yes that little bit of salt is KEY! Happy Weds!!
Katherine I LOVe in my oven says
Yay for summer and all the festive recipes!! I might use this for Canada Day and leave out the blue 😉 Yum!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
I need a little salt in my sweets. The other day I was making frosting for cupcakes and when I tasted it something was off, so I looked at the recipe and realized I'd forgotten the salt. It's amazing how just a tiny bit makes the flavors pop! Your son is lucky that he can pop over any time and find some sweet treats--and you're lucky to have someone to pawn them off on , haha!