Chocolate chip cookie brittle is a crisp, buttery twist on classic cookies. Packed with chocolate chips and easy to make, it's the perfect snackable treat!
If you love thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies, you'll absolutely adore this chocolate chip cookie brittle! It's crispy, crunchy, and has the classic chocolate chip cookie flavor we all know and love.
Plus, this version is topped with a thin layer of melted chocolate and flakey sea salt, for a delicious and even more decadent treat (although you can totally skip it, and it's still delicious!)
Why You'll Love It:
- Easy: this recipe uses melted butter for a simple and easy twist on chocolate chip cookies!
- Delicious: Who doesn't love fun and unique chocolate chip cookie recipes? This brittle version is such a tasty take on the classic cookie, plus it makes a great gift!
- Versatile: You can do so much with this brittle! Add nuts or sprinkles, or adding peanut butter before the chocolate. Check out the variation section for fun ideas!
Ingredients
- Butter: This recipe calls for unsalted butter, but you can substitute salted butter by reducing the added salt by ¼ tsp.
- Brown Sugar: While this recipe calls for light brown sugar, you can use dark brown sugar if that is what you have on hand.
- Chocolate Chips: Mini chocolate chips help for getting a thin and even layer of brittle, but you can use whatever type you'd like.
How to Make
Step 1: Make Cookie Dough
Mix Butter and Sugars: In a medium bowl gently mix or whisk together the melted butter, brown and granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla. It should be a smooth and creamy mixture. It's okay if the mixture is still a little bit separated (it's also okay if it thickens up a bit).
Add Flour: Using a spatula or whisk, mix in the flour until just combined.
Add Chocolate: Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 2: Bake
Roll or Press Dough Evenly: Add a piece of parchment paper to a baking sheet and add the cookie dough. Add another piece of parchment paper or wax paper, and using the bottom of a cup or your hands, press down until the dough is an even 1/4 to 1/2 inch layer. For thinner brittle, use mini chocolate chips. Regular chocolate chips make for a thicker brittle.
Pro-Tip: If using a larger baking sheet, be sure to trim the edges or push the cookie dough into a straight edges, so the thickness is even all around. Otherwise, thinner edges will burn before the center of the brittle is done.
Bake: Remove the top layer of parchment and bake in the middle rack of a 350 ℉ preheated oven for 12-16 minutes, until the edges are slightly brown and the middle has firmed up. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through to ensure even baking.
Cool: Once done, remove from the oven and let cool completely before breaking apart or adding chocolate.
Step 3: Add Chocolate (optional)
Melt: Melt chocolate according to package instructions. If desired or needed, mix in 1-2 tsp of coconut oil or vegetable shortening to thin out the chocolate to spreading consistency.
Add to Bark: While melted, pour onto the cooled bark and spread around with an offset spatula.
Add Sea Salt: While the chocolate is still melted, sprinkle on flakey sea salt.
Let Dry: Let the chocolate dry completely, then break it apart, and enjoy!!
Tips and Tricks
- For firm and crisp chocolate, temper the chocolate or use melting wafers such as Ghirardelli wafers.
- Mini chocolate chips will allow you to get the brittle thinner than regular chocolate chips.
- Cut off any uneven or thinner edges or use a spatula to press back into the cookie dough to ensure an even layer of brittle and even cooking (otherwise the edges will burn before the rest of the brittle is done).
- Adding more melted chocolate and flakey sea salt is optional, but in my unofficial taste test, 100% of participants preferred it this way.
Fun Variations
- Nuts: fold in 1/3 cup chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, or peanuts in addition to the chocolate chips. And add extra to the melted chocolate!
- Funfetti: For a funfetti or sprinkle brittle use white chocolate chips, and add in 2 tbsp sprinkles to the cookie dough. Then, use melted white chocolate on top with more sprinkles.
- Holidays: Top with holiday sprinkles and candy on top of the melted chocolate (like this Halloween chocolate bark!).
FAQ
If you want a thin bark, it really helps to use mini-chocolate chips. The larger chocolate chips can make it harder to press down to a thin layer. The recipe works either way and is still delicious using both regular and mini chocolate chips, but if you prefer your brittle on the thinner side, use mini chips.
Make sure you are getting even edges so that the bark is all one height. You can either use a spatula to press the edges in, or use a knife to cut off the thinner edges and press the excess back into the rest of the brittle.
If the edges are thinner than the rest, they'll burn while cooking.
Yes!
This is because the chocolate bloomed! You can read more about chocolate blooming on Wikipedia (they have a whole page about it!).
This can happen if the chocolate melts and then resolidifies too fast or there is too much moisture around it, such as putting the cookies in the fridge or freezer to firm up quickly instead of having them firm up at room temperature. You can try to fix it by remelting the chocolate with a hair dryer on a low heat. But know, the chocolate is still edible and tastes fine! It is just not as pretty.
If you are gifting this chocolate and want to keep the chocolate firm, glossy, and crisp, either temper the chocolate or you can use candy melts such as Ghirardelli melting wafers.
Yes, it’s freezer-friendly.
Storing and Making Ahead
- Storing: Keep the baked and cooled cookie brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezing: The brittle can also be frozen in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap up to two months.
Looking for More Unique Cookie Recipes? Check these out!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 125g
- 1/4 tsp salt decrease to just a pinch if using sea salt below
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips mini or regular
For Topping (optional)
- 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips or melting wafers such as Ghirardelli
- 2-3 tsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening to thin chocolate if needed
- flakey sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone baking mat.
- In a medium bowl gently mix or whisk together the melted butter, brown and granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla.
- Using a spatula or whisk, mix in the flour until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Add the cookie dough to the prepared baking sheet.
- Add another piece of parchment paper or wax paper, and using the bottom of a cup or your hands, press down until the dough is an even 1/4 to 1/2 inch layer,
- Remove the top layer of the parchment paper and gently press in the cookie dough to make sure the edges are an even thickness, otherwise they'll burn.
- Bake in the middle rack of a 350 ℉ preheated oven for 12-16 minutes, until the edges are slightly brown and the middle has firmed up.
- Rotate the baking sheet halfway through to ensure even baking.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking apart or adding chocolate.
Chocolate Layer
- Melt chocolate according to package instructions. If desired or needed, mix in 1-2 tsp of coconut oil or vegetable shortening to thin out the chocolate to spreading consistency.
- While melted, pour onto the cooled bark and spread around with an offset spatula.
- While the chocolate is still melted, sprinkle on flakey sea salt.
- Let the chocolate dry completely, then break apart, and enjoy!!
Notes
- Mini chocolate chips will allow you to get the brittle thinner than regular chocolate chips.
- Cut off any uneven or thinner edges or use a spatula to press back into the cookie dough to ensure an even layer of brittle so there is even and cooking (otherwise the edges will burn before the rest of the brittle is done).
- For firm and crisp chocolate, temper the chocolate or use melting wafers such as Ghirardelli.
- The brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
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