Chocolate Chip Pan Chewies

These were born out of pure laziness. I wanted cookies—but not the scooping, spacing, multiple baking sheets, cooling racks, “don’t overbake the edges” kind of cookies. Just something warm, chewy, chocolatey… and easy. Like really easy. One bowl. One pan. No fancy anything.

And you know what? These turned out to be dangerously good. Like, “standing over the stove with a butter knife and eating the corner straight from the pan” good.

I’ve made them for everything now—school bake sales, Friday night “oops, we didn’t eat dinner” moments, and even once when my neighbor locked herself out and came over almost in tears. I handed her a square of these and she sat on my porch and said, “Okay yeah, life isn’t so bad.”

They’re humble, gooey, and completely perfect.

Why You’ll Be Making These Forever

Let’s not overthink it. Here’s why these bars are magic:

• Takes 5 minutes to mix, max (unless you get distracted mid-stir—guilty).

• No mixer, no chilling, no weird ingredients.

• Sweet, rich, chewy middle. Golden, buttery edges.

• Just enough chocolate to make you feel hugged.

• Everyone loves them. Even picky eaters. Even your aunt who “doesn’t like sweets.” (She’s lying.)

What You’ll Need (and What to Do If You Don’t Have It)

Here’s the lowdown on the ingredients—and a few of my “real life” substitutions if you’re in a pinch:

• ½ cup melted butter
  Unsalted is ideal, but if you’ve only got salted, use it and just cut the added salt in half. Don’t stress.

• 1 cup brown sugar
  Light or dark—either works. I’ve even done half brown, half white when I was running low and it still turned out great.

• 1 egg
  Big, small, whatever. As long as it’s not cracked and leaking in your fridge, it’s fine.

• 2 tsp vanilla extract
  You know that bottle you’ve had since 2018? Go ahead and use it. Just don’t skip this—it adds depth.

• 1 cup flour
  Regular all-purpose. I don’t level it perfectly, and neither should you. Eyeball it. We’re baking, not doing surgery.

• ½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp baking soda
  They work together. One lifts, one tenderizes. Science, baby.

• ½ tsp salt
  You need it. Trust me. It keeps things from being “sweet-sweet” and gives balance.

• 1 cup chocolate chips
  Honestly, I eyeball this. A little more if I’m sad, a little less if I ran out. Use chunks, bars, M&Ms, whatever’s in the pantry.

The (Very Chill) Directions

You don’t need a stand mixer. You don’t even need clean countertops. Just follow the vibe:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F
   Spray a 9×9 pan with nonstick spray, or rub it down with butter if you’re feeling romantic.

2. Mix your wet stuff
   In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Just stir until it’s smooth-ish. No need to overthink it.

3. Add your dry stuff
   Dump in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until it all looks like cookie dough that’s slightly too thick. It should feel kinda dense and sticky.

4. Fold in the chocolate
   You can save a few to sprinkle on top for “presentation,” or you can be like me and forget and dump ‘em all in.

5. Spread into pan and bake for 20–25 minutes
   You’re looking for golden brown edges and a soft center. Slightly underbaked is fine—they firm up as they cool. (Unless you plan to eat them warm with a spoon… which, honestly, is a power move.)

6. Cool (or don’t)
   You should wait 15 minutes. I never do.

Variations (AKA: “I Was Bored and This Is What Happened”)

• Swirl in a spoonful of peanut butter before baking = amazing.

• Add chopped nuts if you’re feeling earthy.

• A little sea salt on top? Yes, yes, yes.

• Sub white chocolate or toffee chips for a little drama.

• Make a double batch and bake in a 9×13 pan—same bake time.