Emergency Study Session Cookie Bars

When i'm trying to finish homework for study for a test, I don't have time for fancy desserts, but I still want budget friendly fresh cookies. These Emergency Study Session Cookie Bars are my go to solution

Everything is mixed in one bowl, and bakes in a single slab in a rectangular pan and uses whatever toppings I have at home (chocolate chips, sprinkles, crushed cookies, etc). There is no chilling and no scooping individual cookies so this recipe is fast and beginner friendly!

This Instructable will show you how to make these bars step by step, so you can quickly make a shareable tray of cookies for study sessions, parties, or late night snacks all while doing minimal amounts of dishes and preparation!

Tools

1. Rectangular baking pan (about 9×13 in)
2. Parchment paper or cooking spray/oil
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Spoon or spatula (and whisk or hand mixer if available)
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Knife for cutting bars
7. Oven

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup (115 g) butter or plant-based butter, melted or very soft
2. 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3. 1/3 cup white sugar
4. 1 large egg
5. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
6. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
7. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (or 1/4 teaspoon baking soda)
8. 1/4 teaspoon salt
9. 3/4–1 cup mix-ins (chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, sprinkles, crushed cookies, nuts, etc.)

I start by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C) so it’s hot by the time the dough is ready.

Next, I grease the pan with cooking spray/oil so the cookie dough does not stick to the pan for easier removal afterwards. You can use parchment paper as an alternative, leave a bit of overhang on the side so you can easily lift the cookie out of the pan afterwards.

In a large mixing bowl I combine the melted butter (or plant butter), brown sugar, white sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.

I stir until the mixture is smooth and slightly glossy. This step helps dissolve the sugars and makes sure the bars bake up chewy instead of gritty.

Without dirtying another bowl, I add the flour, baking powder, and salt directly into the wet mixture.

I gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones until there are no visible dry patches of flour. I stop mixing as soon as everything is combined so the cookie bars stay soft and not tough.

Now I add about 3/4–1 cup of mix-ins. For this batch I used Brookside blueberry chocolate bits as my mix-ins. I stir until the mix-ins are spread evenly throughout the dough, so every bar gets a good amount of chunks.

I scrape the dough into the prepared pan and use a spatula or clean hands to press it into an even layer all the way to the corners. Keeping the thickness even helps the bars bake uniformly.

I bake the cookie bars at 350°F (175°C) for about 15–20 minutes. The exact time can vary by oven, so I watch for the edges to turn light golden and the center to look set but still soft. The bars will firm up more once they cool.

When the pan comes out of the oven, I let the cookie slab cool for at least 20 minutes so it doesn't fall apart when I cut it.

Once cooled, I flip the pan upside down to let the cookie fall out (or directly lift the parchment paper if you used it) and slice into bars or squares.

These cookie bars are easy to pack in a container and bring to school, share at a study session, or keep as quick snacks at home.

Variations:

1. Cookies and Cream: use crushed chocolate sandwich cookies as the mix-ins.
2. Rainbow Study Bars: stir in chocolate chips plus rainbow sprinkles.
3. Nutty Energy Bars: add chopped nuts and dark chocolate pieces.

This flexible base recipe lets me change the flavor depending on what I have in the kitchen without deviating from the one-bowl process.