No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars ~ an easy no egg and no raw wheat flour recipe for cookie dough lovers of all ages. This stuff is safe and irresistible!
*NOTE: The FDA warns that while it is unlikely, eating raw flour can make you ill, therefore they recommend against eating raw cookie dough or other products made with uncooked all-purpose wheat flour. This recipe to use heat treated flour, oat flour, or fine almond flour for safety.
Eating cookie dough has gotten a bad rap lately, and for good reason. We all knew the risks of eating raw eggs, but did you also know that eating raw flour is 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.
raw flour facts:
Flour is classified as a minimally processed agricultural ingredient and is not a ready-to-eat product. Through the growing process, wheat can come into contact with harmful bacteria like E. coli or Salmonella via wild animal waste. If pathogens get into the wheat plant, they stay with the seed head in the milling process. When flour is used in baked products, the baking temperatures will generally inactivate any pathogens in the flour. However, harmful bacteria remain active in uncooked flour and when ingested will cause illness or worse. ~ source
how do we make cookie dough bars safe to eat?
- First we don’t use any raw eggs in these bars, so no worries there.
- We replace regular flour with one of three options: heat treated flour is flour that’s been heated to kill any potential pathogens. 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.
what you’ll need for safe cookie dough bars
- butter ~ unsalted
- brown sugar ~ gives that great cookie dough flavor
- heat treated flour, oat flour, or almond flour
- sweetened condensed milk
- chocolate chips ~ both for the dough and the chocolate glaze
- vanilla extract
- salt
how to make cookie dough bars
- Cream the butter and sugar together with the vanilla.
- Blend in the flour alternately with the condensed milk until the dough is smooth.
- Fold in the chocolate chips;
- Spread evenly into a prepared baking pan.
- Chill until firm.
- Spread with melted chocolate to form glaze.
how to store cookie dough bars
The bars are best kept in the fridge until ready to serve, and best eaten while still chilled. The texture will be like fudge when cold, but will soften as it sits at room temperature.
Obsessed with cookie dough?
- No bake peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough bars
- Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream
- No bake cookies and cream cookie dough bars
- I want to marry you cookie dough bars.
No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 1 stick 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, oat flour, or fine almond flour Note: regular flour is not safe to eat raw., Buy heat treated flour here.
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (no need to get out every last drop)
- 12 ounces or about 2 cups mini chocolate chips
frosting
- 12 ounce bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar and salt together until fluffy. I use my stand mixer, but you don’t have to. Just beat it really good so it’s light and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Beat in the condensed milk and the flour, alternately, mixing after each addition.
- Mix in the chocolate chips.
- Spray a 8×8 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 4 hours) or even overnight if you like. The texture will be similar to a fudge.
- To make the chocolate topping, put the semi sweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and microwave for one minute. Stir, and then return to the microwave for short bursts of 15 seconds until the chocolate is totally smooth and melted. Don’t over heat.
- Let the chocolate cool for about 5 minutes, and then pour onto the dough. Spread out evenly. Return to the refrigerator until the topping is firm. Cut into 16 squares.
- Keep the bars in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
The reason raw cookie dough isnt good for you is becuase it has raw eggs in it. This recipe doesn’t so i dont see the harm. Im going to try.
Actually, I understand raw flour is a big culprit for food illness.
I think that has been debunked, Rose, I did a bit of research and found that raw flour is not harmful, at least according the sources I read.
The raw flour issue can be easily resolved … Just preheat oven to 350F/175C then evenly spread flour on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes prior to using in your recipe.
Anyone who says they HAVEN’T had raw cookie dough WITH eggs (and raw flour) is a liar, unless they actually happen to have an allergy to eggs. I practically grew up on the stuff, and I am very much still alive. The only real reasons why you need to stay away from it are A: The aforementioned egg allergy (which is a thing that happens; my mother’s brother can’t go near eggs, or he’ll go into anaphylactic shock), or B: Celiac disease. If neither of these is a health issue, then you’re fine.
These look like pure heaven, got to try them, yum
Can I use Gluten Free Flour????
I’m sure you could Pauline, great idea!
I think this would be the perfect tasting cookie dough flavor if it had a dash of salt in it. For me something is slightly off and it’s not the flour flavor others have mentioned. I think it’s salt. You know how when you omit the salt from a cookie recipe they don’t taste quite right? I think that’s the case here, otherwise it’s a great consistency and a super easy recipe that I can see many people enjoying. I used Hershey milk chocolate for the top and a thinner layer because I was worried about it being sickening sweet. I’m glad I did, however I think I’ll stick w/semi-sweet chips next time. Thanks for the recipe! Gorgeous photos captured my attention!
Great point, Heidi, I’m going to make a note in the recipe, thanks!!
yes the salt will enhance the flavor! So its not too sugary sweet. It definitely makes a difference! Love this recipe the pic caught my attention real quick! TY! 🙂
I made these several weeks ago and took some to work for a few people… Oh my goodness were they yummy!!! One of the best comments was (while taking his second bite) “this thing owns me right now.” LOL I’d say they were a hit!! I am taking them again tomorrow for a going away party and this time I am using milk chocolate chips for the top. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!!
I’m so glad they were a hit – I think the milk chocolate will be great!
Any info on the calorie content?
I don’t have that Briana, but you can customize the calorie count depending on how small you cut these 😉
We loved these …. We cheated and used canned chocolate frosting instead! Wonderful and no worries about melting and/or chilling after frosting !!
Just finished and put in the fridge, do I need to wait the four hour before putting the chocolate topping? Also I noticed some said it tasted “floury” and you said be sure to put in the vanilla, guess what I forgot! The beater tastes a little floury but I think it will even out with the topping. I hope.
You probably don’t need to wait before putting on the topping, but I do think that they need to be really well chilled and firm to be at their best.
Made these for 4th of July picnic. I added red, white, and blue sprinkles to the dough. Also, since I am not suppose to have chocolate, I frosted them with cream cheese frosting. Cookies snd cream bars!
That sounds fantastic – I the sprinkles!
Do you use milk chocolate chips at all in these? Or only semi-sweet?
I used mini semi-sweet chips for the dough, and regular semi-sweet chips for the topping, Darren, but you can use any type you like.
I wonder if you can use gluten-free flour in these?
I assume you could, Kathy!