Silky chocolate chip cookie dough bars topped with a rich chocolate are guilt free and utterly delicious. This is the ultimate safe edible cookie dough recipe!
Completely safe to eat cookie dough bars
Eating traditional cookie dough is a no-no, and for good reason. We all knew the risks of eating raw eggs, but did you also know that eating raw flour is just as dangerous? No treat, however delicious, is worth the risk of getting food poisoning, so I had to do some research to figure out a way to make a safe and delicious cookie dough bar. This recipe is a-mazing!
What I love about these edible cookie dough bars:
- They’re no-bake ~ perfect for a spring and summer dessert.
- The edible cookie dough is the best ever, silky doesn’t even begin to describe the texture.
- There are no risky ingredients in the recipe.
- I’m not even a cookie dough fanatic and I’m obsessed with these bars.
raw flour facts
- Flour is a minimally processed agricultural ingredient and not a ready-to-eat product.
- As it grows wheat can come into contact with harmful bacteria like E. coli or Salmonella via animal waste.
- Flour is safe in baked products; the baking temperatures will generally kill any pathogens in the flour.
- But uncooked flour can contain harmful bacteria that can cause illness or worse.
so how do I make safe cookie dough bars??
- No raw eggs in these bars, so no worries there.
- We replace regular flour with commercially heat treated flour ~ it’s been heated to kill any potential pathogens so you can safely eat it raw. It’s not widely available, but if you love cookie dough, it’s worth tracking down. You can buy it here.
- You can also use non-wheat flours like oat flour, or finely ground almond flour, both of which are safe to eat raw. But be aware that using these flours will alter the flavor and texture of your bars.
Where to find heat treated flour
Heat treated flour for edible cookie dough can be hard to find. I think we may start seeing it in supermarkets soon, but for now I suggest buying online, here. These cookie dough bars are so delicious it’s worth the effort to track this flour down (see my heat treated flour buying guide, below the recipe card*)
Remember you can use heat treated (pasteurized) flour just as you do regular flour, so you don’t have to save it for just cookie dough.
It’s not safe to heat treat flour at home
Many cookie dough recipes will tell you that you can heat treat your own flour in the oven or microwave, but this is not safe and the FDA advises against it. Here’s why:
Home heat-treating flour can be unreliable because most ovens donโt heat evenly, making it hard to guarantee all parts of the flour reach the necessary 160ยฐF to kill harmful bacteria like E. coli. Workarounds like stirring during baking help distribute heat, but they still canโt guarantee that every bit of flour reaches and holds 160ยฐF evenly.
how to store edible cookie dough bars
The bars are best kept in the fridge until ready to serve, and best eaten while still chilled. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
The texture is like fudge when cold, but will soften as it sits at room temperature and becomes more cookie dough-ish. Both ways are extremely deliciously irresistible.
My grandson said, โThese are the best things youโve ever made, Nonna.โ Pretty high praise. But when my husband said the same thing, I knew I really had a winner! ~ROSEMARY
Edible Cookie Dough Bars
Equipment
- 9×9 square baking pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups heat treated flour*, buy heat treated flour here.
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
- 10 ounces mini chocolate chips
frosting
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
Instructions
- Cream the 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/4 tsp salt together until fluffy. I use electric beaters. Just beat it really good so it's light and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in the 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Blend in the 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk and then the 2 cups heat treated flour*.
- Fold in the 10 ounces mini chocolate chips.
- Spray a 9×9 square baking pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper with long ends so you can lift out the bars for easy cutting later. You can skip the paper if you want to cut and serve them right out of the pan.
- Turn the dough out into the pan and pat down evenly with your hands. You may want to flour your hands as the dough is sticky. Smooth it out evenly, I used an offset spatula to finish the job.
- Cover and refrigerate until firm, (about 2-3 hours.) The texture will be similar to a fudge.
- To make the chocolate topping, put the 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp neutral oil in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and microwave for 45 seconds. Stir until all the chocolate is completely melted.
- Let the chocolate cool for about 5 minutes, and then pour onto the dough. Spread out evenly. Allow the chocolate to set up before slicing. Cut into 16 squares.
- Keep the bars in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Notes
Nutrition
*Heat treated flour buying guide
- Dล, Cookie Dough Confections
- Offers heat-treated flour in various sizes, perfect for baking and edible doughs.
- Available for pre-order on their website.
- Honeyville’s Page House
- Provides consumer-packaged heat-treated flour, ensuring safety for raw consumption.
- Available through the Honeyville website.
- Amazon
- Search for heat-treated flour on Amazon
- Ensure the product description specifies “heat-treated” or “safe for raw consumption.”
- Local Sources
- Check your local bakery supply shops ~ if they don’t carry it, request it!
My family loves these bars! We make them every Christmas. We use gluten free flour.
I made this for my block cookie exchange my only complaint is when I went to cut this the chocolate on top all broke apart Iโm not sure how youโd get around this! If tasted awesome but no do pretty.
I followed the recipe but the “bars” were just mush and the “frosting” was hard. At least they tasted good!
It’s kind of the nature of the beast here, Mat. The texture is meant to be just like cookie dough, and the oat flour work-around does make them soft. I’m glad you loved the flavor!
Can u put into freezer I’m trying to get them ready in couple hours
Yes, that will be fine.
I followed this to the T, used condensed milk, not evaporated milk, and it still won’t set after 8 hours.
The texture should be like a soft fudge, Melissa. It’s possible you used more condensed milk than I did, I purposely didn’t use the entire can. If you try them again, use a little less and your finished product should be firmer.
Can you make this without condensed milk?
The condensed milk is kind of central to this recipe Lola, not sure what else would work.
I just made these and then read the listeria posts, is there any truth behind that? I am 21 weeks pregnant so it worries me and now I’m afraid to eat them ?? and i want to soooo bad !
Unfortunately Amanda, there is a real risk, you can read about it here from the USDA. The risk is very small, but since you are pregnant, you should steer clear of uncooked flour.
Could you freeze these? I have a friend who loves cookie dough and I can talk until I’m blue in the face about the chance he’s taking. So I’d love to make these and mail them to him but they’d have to be frozen in order to survive a couple of days in the mail.
I think these would freeze well, Cheryl.
How about taking crushed chocolate chip cookies and adding the sweetened condensed milk? I know it’s an extra step, but it does solve the flour controversy.
That might just work, Rosemary ~ thanks for the idea ๐ I’ve seen people make Oreo ‘truffles’ like that, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t work here.
You used all purpose flour. Isn’t that dangerous? I have seen similar recipes made with the special pre baked flour because of all of the listeria in so much flour issue.
I’ve just updated with a warning about that, Mary. I think there may be some pasteurized flours coming out on the market, soon, and that would help!
The raw flour issue can be easily resolved … Just preheat oven to 350?F/175?C then evenly spread flour on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes prior to using in your recipe.
Hi Sue, thank you for the recipe……. I jst plan to make this good chocolate bars on the weekend , and I agree too bake the flour for couple minutes before mix in the chocolate cream…
Hope you like them, Sinar.
Many recipes will tell you that you can heat treat your own flour in the oven or microwave, but this is not safe and the FDA advises against it.