Congo Bars

5 minutes read

Congo Bars are thick, chewy brown sugar cookie bars loaded with both semisweet chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chips. They have golden, slightly crisp edges with a soft, gooey center that makes them somewhere between a blondie and an extra-thick chocolate chip cookie.

Brown sugar is the key to their texture and flavor. Using a generous amount gives the bars plenty of moisture along with a deep caramel-like sweetness that works beautifully with all that chocolate.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These bars give you everything you love about chocolate chip cookies without scooping and baking multiple trays. The entire dough goes into one 9×13-inch pan and comes out ready to slice and share.

The texture is especially good. The edges become golden and set while the center stays softer and slightly gooey, giving you different textures depending on which piece you grab.

And with both semisweet chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chips, there’s plenty of chocolate in every square. They’re an easy choice for parties, bake sales, potlucks, or an everyday dessert.

I especially like the combination of two kinds of chocolate here. Semisweet chunks create rich pockets of melted chocolate, while milk chocolate chips bring a sweeter, creamier bite throughout the bars.

The center should still look slightly underbaked when the pan comes out of the oven. That’s exactly what you want. The bars continue setting as they cool, leaving you with that wonderfully chewy, gooey center.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll need familiar baking ingredients and two kinds of chocolate:

Butter
Brown sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Kosher salt
Baking powder
All-purpose flour
Semisweet chocolate chunks
Milk chocolate chips

How To Make Congo Bars

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and lightly coat it with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2: Add the room-temperature butter and packed brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Step 3: Add the eggs, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and baking powder. Mix until thoroughly combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 4: Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the all-purpose flour. Mix only until the flour has disappeared into the dough.

Step 5: Fold in the semisweet chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed throughout the thick dough.

Step 6: Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish. Use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly from corner to corner.

Step 7: Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden. The center should still appear slightly underbaked and gooey.

Step 8: Let the bars cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then use the parchment to carefully lift them out.

Step 9: Allow the Congo Bars to cool completely before slicing. The center will continue setting as the bars cool.

Congo Bar Variations

Dark Chocolate Congo Bars

Replace the milk chocolate chips with dark chocolate chips for a less-sweet, more intense chocolate flavor.

Triple Chocolate Congo Bars

Use a mixture of semisweet, milk, and dark chocolate for even more chocolate variety.

Walnut Congo Bars

Fold chopped walnuts into the dough for some crunch alongside the soft chocolate.

Pecan Congo Bars

Add chopped pecans for a buttery nut flavor that pairs especially well with brown sugar.

Extra-Chocolate Congo Bars

Scatter a few additional chocolate chunks over the surface before baking for even more visible pockets of chocolate.

Storing Congo Bars

Once completely cool, keep the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4–5 days. Place parchment between the layers if you need to stack them.

FAQ

What Are Congo Bars?

Congo Bars are chewy brown sugar dessert bars loaded with chocolate. They’re similar to blondies or chocolate chip cookie bars, with a rich caramel-like flavor from the brown sugar.

Why Should The Center Look Slightly Underbaked?

The bars continue cooking and setting from residual heat after leaving the oven. Removing them while the center is still slightly gooey helps preserve their soft, chewy texture.

Can I Use Chocolate Chips Instead Of Chocolate Chunks?

Yes. You can use all chocolate chips, although the chunks create larger pockets of melted chocolate throughout the bars.

Why Are My Congo Bars Dry?

They were probably baked too long. Start checking around the 30-minute mark and remember that the center shouldn’t look completely firm when you remove the pan.

Why Should The Eggs Be At Room Temperature?

Room-temperature eggs combine more easily with the butter mixture and help create a smoother, more uniform batter.

Can I Make Congo Bars Ahead?

Absolutely. They’re excellent for making a day ahead because they slice particularly well after completely cooling.

For longer storage, freeze the sliced bars in a freezer-safe container. Let individual pieces thaw at room temperature before serving.

What To Serve With Congo Bars

Cold milk: A glass of cold milk is a classic pairing for the rich brown sugar and melted chocolate.

Hot coffee: Coffee balances the sweetness of the milk chocolate and caramel-like brown sugar.

Vanilla ice cream: Serve a slightly warmed bar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an especially indulgent dessert.

Fresh strawberries: Their fresh, slightly tart flavor contrasts nicely with the rich chocolate bars.

Fresh raspberries: Raspberries work particularly well with semisweet chocolate and add brightness to the plate.

Whipped cream: A small spoonful adds a light, creamy contrast to the dense, chewy bars.

Don’t overmix after adding the flour. Mix only until everything comes together, then fold in the chocolate by hand to help keep the bars tender.

And resist the temptation to bake until the center looks completely done. A slightly underbaked-looking middle is exactly what gives Congo Bars their signature soft, chewy texture once cooled.

This Congo Bars recipe is rich, chewy, and packed with buttery brown sugar flavor and plenty of chocolate chips. These easy dessert bars come together quickly and bake up with crisp edges and soft, gooey centers.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings: 24 bars

Calories: 87 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
2 cups packed brown sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and grease with nonstick spray.
Beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add the eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking powder. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Reduce the mixer to low and add the flour. Mix just until combined.
Fold in the semisweet chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chips.
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges are set. The center should still look slightly underbaked and gooey.
Let the bars cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully remove them.
Cool completely before slicing and serving.

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