Graduation Cookie Bars White Chocolate (Printable version)

Chewy bars with chocolate chips and colorful drizzle, perfect for celebratory occasions.

# What you need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
05 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Mix-ins and Toppings

09 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 - 1/2 cup colored candy-coated chocolates
11 - 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon vegetable oil for melting white chocolate
13 - Colored sprinkles for decoration, optional

# Steps to follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
05 - Stir in chocolate chips and colored candy-coated chocolates until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
06 - Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan, ensuring uniform thickness.
07 - Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
08 - Remove from oven and cool the bars completely in the pan on a wire rack.
09 - Melt white chocolate with vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring until smooth.
10 - Drizzle the melted white chocolate over the cooled bars using a spoon or piping bag. Add sprinkles if desired.
11 - Allow the white chocolate drizzle to set completely before lifting the bars from the pan and cutting into 16 equal squares.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • They're genuinely foolproof—no fancy techniques, just fold and bake.
  • The white chocolate drizzle looks like you spent way more time than you actually did.
  • You can swap in your school colors with candies, making each batch feel personal and fun.
02 -
  • Melting white chocolate is temperamental—use vegetable oil and the gentle 20-second bursts, or it'll turn grainy and unusable.
  • Don't cut these bars while they're warm; they'll crumble and fall apart, and you'll be sad.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper or sharp chef's knife to cut clean squares, wiping between cuts with a warm damp towel for professional-looking edges.
  • If you're melting white chocolate and it starts to seize, add a tiny drop more vegetable oil and stir gently—don't panic and add water, which makes it worse.
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