Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

It’s no secret I love a chocolate chip cookie. They’re, hands down, one of my favorite foods. And in bar form? Even better.

I first made these bars as a fun whole wheat option for cookies. “Healthier?” Not necessarily. Just delicious with a little boost of fiber and protein 🙂

The issue though – they didn’t work, like at all. They totally crumbled and had a really dry texture.

So I kept testing them. Like a lot. And finally, a really delicious cookie bar was form.

To be honest, I can’t remember why I originally opted for the whole wheat flour here. But I can tell you this: these aren’t some annoying high protein version of cookies.

They’re not sugar free or oil free. They really do taste like regular cookies (or uh, cookie bars) just with a little extra fiber from the whole wheat flour.

These make a great snack or dessert to keep on hand for when a dessert craving hits.

Because after all, it’s so important to honor cravings. Sometimes I feel like a broken record, but it really is so true.

Avoiding a craving will always only backfire. It leads to thinking about the food more, causing the craving to become even stronger.

Eventually, the craving gets uncontrollably strong to the point where you can’t ignore it. And often at that point, not only do we finally “give in” but we also end up eating fast, eating mindlessly, and often eating more than we wanted in the first place.

This means that we don’t feel great and we’re not even satisfied. And we’ve overeaten!

And so usually, what comes next is the guilt and punishment. “I shouldn’t have done that.” “I won’t do that again.” And so this restriction cycle continues when the next craving hits. And it will.

Instead, I really can’t urge you enough to honor your cravings. Health really does include all foods. It includes a healthy relationship with food.

And if eating a cookie bar or 2 in the middle of a Wednesday helps you to satisfy a craving, feel content, and then simply move on without obsessing over cookies – there’s something really healthy about that.

Notes

• Whole wheat flour: Whole wheat flour is dense and produces a denser baked good. Make sure to measure well so that you don’t use too much! For a less dense crumb, you can try using half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour.
• Peanut butter: I’ve used JIF peanut butter every time I’ve made these. A natural peanut butter or no sugar added version will work too.
• Egg: This is crucial to help bind the dough.
• Coconut oil: The oil should be melted, but not overheated. Overheated oil can make the dough crumbly once baked. You can also use melted butter instead.
• Maple syrup: You can add an additional 2-3 tablespoons for a more tender crumb, since sugar attracts moisture. Or you can add a little bit of milk to the dough. Again, these bars have more of a dense texture!
• Chocolate chips: Make sure to save some for the tops of the bars.
• Storage: Store these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze them for a few months and reheat when you’re ready to eat.