Melt-in-Your-Mouth Ghirardelli Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars: An Easy & Decadent Recipe
These Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are truly amazing. They melt right in your mouth, offering a luxurious combination of rich cream cheese and premium chocolate chips.
When Valentine’s Day approaches, my mind instantly drifts to one thing: chocolate. Not just any chocolate, but rich, intensely flavorful, deeply satisfying chocolate. As a self-proclaimed dark chocolate aficionado, I’m always seeking new ways to incorporate that bittersweet goodness into my treats. For me, chocolate isn’t just a dessert; it’s an experience, an emotion, and undeniably synonymous with Valentine’s Day. It’s a tradition in our household, and last year, a generous selection of premium chocolates was a centerpiece of our celebration. Let’s just say, my love for chocolate runs deep.
Beyond the confectionery delights, there’s a certain magic in the air around Valentine’s Day. The open expressions of love, the thoughtful gestures, the sheer romance – it all captivates me. I’m one of those people who gets teary-eyed watching romantic comedies or iconic love scenes in classic films. Call me a hopeless romantic, but there’s something beautiful about celebrating love in all its forms, and food, especially dessert, is often an integral part of that celebration.
Why Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?
So, when the opportunity arose to create a show-stopping recipe using Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips, the idea of Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars immediately sprang to mind. Why cookie bars? They offer all the beloved flavor and texture of traditional chocolate chip cookies, but with significantly less effort. Imagine the simplicity: no individual scooping, no chilling the dough, no waiting for multiple batches to bake. Just press the dough into a pan, bake, and voilà – a perfect slab of cookie goodness!
The beauty of these bars lies in allowing the high-quality Ghirardelli chocolate to truly shine. Unlike some recipes where chocolate chips can get lost, here they are the stars, providing a generous burst of rich flavor in every bite. To elevate these bars even further, I incorporated cream cheese into the dough. This seemingly simple addition works wonders, making the bars incredibly soft and light, yet retaining that satisfyingly chewy cookie texture we all adore. After a bit of experimentation, I discovered a precise combination that delivers a truly melt-in-your-mouth experience – a texture so heavenly, it’s almost impossible to stop at just one.
The Ghirardelli Difference: Premium Chocolate for Perfect Baking
It’s no secret that I consistently reach for Ghirardelli premium baking chips for all my baking endeavors. There’s a noticeable difference in quality that translates directly into the final taste and texture of baked goods. Their chips melt beautifully, distribute evenly, and offer a depth of flavor that can’t be matched. I confess, over the past month, I may have single-handedly (and quietly) devoured a bag of Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips that conveniently resided in my desk drawer. They were my go-to “work-harder” snack, which, in my mind, perfectly justified a handful a day. Don’t judge!
I was particularly thrilled to discover that their 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Chips were even larger than their standard chips! This was fantastic news for two reasons: firstly, it allowed for some “casual snacking” while creaming the butter and sugar (a baker’s prerogative, right?), and secondly, it ensured that every single bar was absolutely packed with substantial, rich chocolate. This generous size means more chocolate impact per bite, creating a truly luxurious experience.
The Secret Ingredient: Cream Cheese for Unbeatable Texture
The inclusion of cream cheese is what truly elevates these Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars from great to extraordinary. While butter forms the backbone of any good cookie, cream cheese introduces a subtle tang and a remarkable tenderness that profoundly impacts the texture. It contributes to a lighter, softer crumb, making each bite incredibly tender and moist. This is the secret behind that elusive “melt-in-your-mouth” quality. It prevents the bars from becoming too dense or overly chewy, instead providing a delicate chewiness that yields effortlessly. The cream cheese also helps to maintain moisture, ensuring the bars stay soft and fresh for longer, a crucial factor for any homemade treat.
From Oven to Plate: A Decadent Experience
These Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are, without exaggeration, *ah-mazing*. Fresh from the oven – because a good baker always “test tastes” – they are incredibly warm, soft, and gooey, literally melting on your tongue. The combination of rich cream cheese, sweet butter, and perfectly smooth Ghirardelli chocolate chips creates an immediate wave of pure satisfaction. The bittersweet notes of the 60% cacao chips balance the sweetness beautifully, ensuring each bite is perfectly harmonious. It’s a moment of sheer indulgence that’s hard to beat.
But the deliciousness doesn’t stop there. After they’ve had sufficient time to cool (and you’ve perhaps, um, enjoyed four bars prior), these cookie bars begin to evolve. They take on the classic character of a traditional chocolate chip cookie – wonderfully soft and delightfully chewy. Yet, thanks to the cream cheese, they retain a decadent, almost fudgy melt-in-your-mouth quality that sets them apart. And with those generous Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips, every square inch is bursting with deep, robust chocolate flavor. You’ll truly taste the difference that quality ingredients make.
Tips for Perfect Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Achieving these perfectly soft and chewy Ghirardelli Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars is simple with a few key tips:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature. This allows them to cream together smoothly with the sugars, creating an emulsified, airy base for your dough, which is essential for a light texture.
- Don’t Overmix the Flour: Once you add the flour mixture, mix just until it’s incorporated. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to tough, dry bars instead of tender ones.
- Quality Chocolate Matters: As emphasized, using high-quality Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Chips makes a huge difference. Their superior melt and flavor will elevate your bars.
- Don’t Overbake: For that ultimate melt-in-your-mouth texture, it’s crucial not to overbake. The edges should be golden brown, but the center might still look slightly soft when you pull them out. They will continue to set as they cool. Overbaking leads to dry, crumbly bars.
- Cool Completely (Mostly): While it’s tempting to cut into them immediately, allowing the bars to cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack will help them set properly and prevent them from falling apart. For neat squares, let them cool completely.
- Storage: Store leftover cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. They also freeze beautifully for up to 2-3 months.
Serving Suggestions & Variations
These Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are fantastic on their own, but they can also be dressed up for any occasion. Serve them slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for an extra indulgent dessert. A light dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of homemade chocolate ganache can also add an elegant touch. For variations, consider adding a sprinkle of sea salt on top before baking to enhance the chocolate flavor, or experiment with other Ghirardelli baking chip varieties like milk chocolate, white chocolate, or even a mix of different chips for a multi-layered chocolate experience. Chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts can also be folded into the dough for added crunch and flavor. These bars are perfect for potlucks, birthday parties, holiday gatherings, or simply as a comforting treat with your afternoon coffee or milk.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. 
Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
24
servings
15 minutes
25 minutes
40 minutes
Pin Recipe
Leave a Review
Prevent your screen from going dark
Ingredients
- 2 cups Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips, 10 ounces
- 2 cups pastry/AP flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 oz unsalted butter, softened
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, cream cheese and the sugars until smooth and creamy, about 7 minutes. Scrape down bowl and add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. The mixture should look light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix for 5 seconds.
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix for 15 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Fold in Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips.
- Spread the mixture into the pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes until edges are golden brown.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, and then remove from the pan unto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
American
Desserts
Jessica Hylton