Paula Deen Chocolate Chip Brownie Bars

Paula Deen chocolate chip brownie bars are a fudgy swirled dessert with cookie dough, boxed brownie mix and semisweet chocolate morsels that cooks in 40 minutes plus chilling. Try this easy brownie cookie bar recipe for potluck, game day or a holiday table, since it uses one 13x9 pan and feeds 24.

Let the pan cool for a full hour and then chill the bars for 4 hours before cutting. Cut them warm and the soft cookie layer and the brownie layer smear together instead of slicing clean.

Paula builds the bars from two batters, a butter and brown sugar cookie dough and a brownie mix loosened with oil and water, so you get a chewy base under a fudgy top. A knife swirl marbles them together in the pan, and a foil sling with a 2-inch overhang lets you lift the whole slab out for tidy squares.

Paula Deen Chocolate Chip Brownie Bars

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

280

kcal

A chewy chocolate chip cookie layer sits under a fudgy brownie top, swirled together with a knife and baked in one pan. Once chilled, the slab lifts out on a foil sling and cuts into 24 neat bars.

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened Butter
  

• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  

• 4 large eggs
  

• 2 cups all purpose flour
  

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
  

• 1 (18.4 oz) box brownie mix
  

• 1/3 cup Vegetable oil
  

Directions

• Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang, then spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
• Cream butter and sugar: Beat 1 cup softened butter and 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar in a large bowl at medium-high speed until fluffy. Then add 2 eggs and beat until well blended.
• Mix the cookie dough: Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add it gradually to the butter mixture, beating until a soft dough forms, then stir in 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels.
• Make the brownie batter: Combine the 18.4-ounce box of brownie mix, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup water and the remaining 2 eggs in another large bowl. Beat until well blended.
• Layer and swirl: Spread the cookie dough in the prepared pan, then pour the brownie mixture over it. Drag a knife through both layers to swirl them together.
• Bake the bars: Bake for 40 minutes, until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Then let it cool in the pan for 1 hour.
• Chill and cut: Cover the pan and refrigerate for 4 hours. Once it is firm, lift out the foil sling and cut into bars.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer, OXO silicone spatula set. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Why do the bars need to chill for 4 hours?

The cookie layer and the brownie layer are both soft when they come out of the oven. Chilling firms them up so the bars slice cleanly instead of smearing.

Can I use homemade brownie batter instead of a boxed mix?

The recipe is written for an 18.4-ounce box of brownie mix, and I would stick with that so the batter amount fits the pan. A from-scratch batter will bake differently, so I can't promise the same timing.

How should I store the brownie bars?

Keep them covered in the refrigerator, since they are chilled before cutting anyway. Let them sit out for a few minutes before serving if you like them softer.

Do I really need the foil sling?

I would use it. The 2-inch foil overhang lets you lift the whole chilled slab out of the pan, which makes cutting 24 even bars much easier.

What is the most common mistake with these bars?

Cutting them too soon is the big one, because the layers are still soft and the swirl turns into a mess. The other is over-swirling, so a few passes with a knife is plenty.