Description
These are THE BEST chocolate chip cookie bars that you'll never know are gluten-free and vegan! This Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar bar recipe is easy to make and results in a gooey, chewy inside perfectly frosted with vegan buttercream frosting and sprinkled with your favorite sprinkles, perfect for birthday parties, Christmas, baby showers, and more!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup peanut butter*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free baking flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon plant milk
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Vegan Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
- pinch cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered (confectioners’) sugar
- 3–5 teaspoons plant milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together the vegan butter and sugars, then add the peanut butter and the pure vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free baking flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and beat on low until crumbs form, then add one tablespoon of plant milk and the cookie dough will come together nicely. Turn the beater off and then stir in the chocolate chips. Press the cookie dough evenly into an 8×8 parchment-lined baking pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookie bars cool completely before frosting.
To Make the Frosting
- In a stand mixer (alternatively you can do this with a hand blender or mixer), cream the butter, vanilla, and cinnamon on medium speed until creamy, then slowly add the powdered sugar and keep blending until it thickens and looks like frosting. You'll then add plant milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you achieve the desired thickness.
Notes
* may sub with another nut or seed butter
** NOTE: These cookies use light brown sugar and granulated sugar to help them rise, so they are pretty sweet. You can absolutely cut down on the sugar if you want or choose not to frost them.
*** Recipe adapted from Joy Food Sunshine
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 397
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 257
- Fat: 27
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 19
- Trans Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 36
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 1