Graduation Cookie Bars White (Printable version)

Chewy bars with chocolate chips and a white chocolate drizzle, perfect for festive gatherings.

# What You’ll 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 or chips
12 - 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
13 - Optional colored sprinkles for decoration

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang 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.
06 - Spread dough evenly into prepared baking pan, smoothing the top.
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 adding topping.
09 - Melt white chocolate with vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring until smooth.
10 - Drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled bars using a spoon or piping bag. Add sprinkles if desired.
11 - Allow drizzle to set completely before lifting bars from pan and cutting into 16 squares.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're forgiving enough that a distracted baker (or a kid helping out) can still nail them completely.
  • The white chocolate drizzle hides any imperfections and makes people think you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • You can swap the colorful candies for your school colors and suddenly it feels personalized and thoughtful.
02 -
  • Don't open the oven door before 23 minutes—I learned this when I peeked and ended up with slightly sunken bars that still tasted perfect but looked a little deflated.
  • White chocolate seizes up instantly if it touches water, so make sure your bowl and spoon are completely dry before melting, or the whole thing turns grainy and unusable.
03 -
  • Slightly cool your melted butter before mixing it with the sugars and eggs—boiling hot butter can cook the eggs and throw off your texture.
  • If you don't have colored candies, you can use regular chocolate chips and then add sprinkles after the white chocolate drizzle sets, which still gets you that festive look.
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