Congo Bars
Congo Bars are soft, chewy cookie bars made with brown sugar, butter, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. They bake in one pan and are an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert for parties, potlucks, or everyday treats.
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Servings: 20 squares
Ingredients
- 3/4 c butter softened
- 2 1/2 c brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 3/4 c all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bars are set and lightly golden. Do not overbake.
- Allow the bars to cool in the pan before cutting into squares and serving.
Notes
To make this recipe gluten free, replace the all-purpose flour with a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum or a similar binder. Also verify that the baking powder and chocolate chips are certified gluten free, as ingredients and manufacturing practices may vary by brand. Because gluten-free flour blends can affect texture, check the bars a few minutes early and avoid overbaking to help maintain a soft, chewy result.