Graduation Cookie Bars White (Printable Version)

Chewy cookie bars with chocolate chips and a smooth white chocolate drizzle, perfect for festive occasions.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
05 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Mix-ins and Toppings

09 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 - 1/2 cup colored candy-coated chocolates
11 - 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon vegetable oil for melting white chocolate
13 - Optional: colored sprinkles for decoration

# How-to Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
04 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
05 - Stir in chocolate chips and colored candy-coated chocolates until evenly distributed throughout dough.
06 - Spread dough evenly into prepared baking pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean.
08 - Cool bars completely in pan on a wire rack before proceeding with drizzle.
09 - In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate with vegetable oil in 20-second increments, stirring until smooth and glossy.
10 - Drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled bars using a spoon or piping bag in thin, decorative lines. Add sprinkles if desired.
11 - Allow white chocolate drizzle to set completely before lifting bars from pan. Cut into 16 equal squares.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They bake in one pan and require zero fancy techniques, so even if you've never made bars before, you'll nail it.
  • The white chocolate drizzle looks showstopping but takes about three minutes, which is my kind of effort-to-impact ratio.
  • You can swap in literally any colored candies to match school colors, team colors, or just whatever makes you happy that day.
02 -
  • Don't overbake these or they'll become cake-like instead of chewy; pulling them out when they still look slightly underbaked is the secret I learned the hard way after my first batch turned into hockey pucks.
  • The white chocolate will seize up and turn grainy if it gets too hot, so those short microwave bursts aren't laziness—they're actually the only way to get it smooth enough to drizzle.
  • Room temperature matters more than you'd think; if your kitchen is cold, the white chocolate drizzle might not flow smoothly, so don't hesitate to give it a few extra seconds in the microwave.
03 -
  • Lining your pan with parchment paper and letting it overhang is the difference between bars that come out whole and bars that crumble into frustration.
  • If your white chocolate is being stubborn and won't melt smoothly, add a tiny bit more vegetable oil—coconut oil works too and adds a subtle sweetness.
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