15 Easy Chocolate Chip Recipes Beyond Cookies (2026)

Most of these 15 easy chocolate chip recipes beyond cookies come together faster than a tray of cookies, and most are more forgiving about timing. Muffins, pancakes, blondies, banana bread, scones, fudge and frozen treats all start from the same bag of chips and a bowl you already own.

That makes this list good for a Tuesday when the bag of chips is already open and the oven is not what you want. Every recipe below gives you exact quantities, a real cook time, and a doneness cue you can see rather than guess at.

They are grouped by what you want out of the evening: a breakfast, a bar you can cut into squares, a no-bake dessert for a hot day, or something to send home with guests. Start with the table, then pick one.

15 Easy Chocolate Chip Recipes Beyond Cookies at a Glance

Recipe	Time	Difficulty	Best for
1. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread	1 hr 10 min	Easy	Afternoon snack, lunchbox
2. Chocolate Chip Muffins	25 min	Easy	Breakfast on the go
3. Chocolate Chip Pancakes	20 min	Easy	Saturday morning, kids
4. Chocolate Chip Waffles	30 min	Easy	Brunch centerpiece
5. Chocolate Chip Blondies	35 min	Easy	Potluck, party bar
6. Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Bars	35 min	Easy	Snack squares, lunchbox
7. Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars	20 min + chill	Medium	No-bake dessert, warm day
8. Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding	50 min	Easy	Comfort dessert, use-up bread
9. Chocolate Chip Scones	35 min + chill	Medium	Tea time, brunch
10. Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls	2 hr 40 min	Medium	Weekend baking project
11. Chocolate Chip French Toast	20 min	Easy	Breakfast or dessert
12. Chocolate Chip Rice Cereal Treats	15 min + set	Easy	Kid snacks, no-bake
13. Chocolate Chip Fudge	15 min + 4 hr set	Easy	Small batch, gifting
14. Chocolate Chip Ice Cream	20 min + freeze	Medium	Frozen treat, no cooking
15. Chocolate Chip French Bread Pizza	25 min	Easy	Kid dessert, use-up bread

How These 15 Easy Chocolate Chip Recipes Beyond Cookies Compare

Five of these are breakfast foods you can finish before noon, and five are bars or squares that cut cleanly and travel well to a potluck. Three need no oven at all, which is the answer on a July afternoon when turning it on feels like a punishment.

Nothing here takes more than an hour from start to finish except the banana bread and the cinnamon rolls, and both are mostly waiting time. If you want a table full of guests to be happy, start with the blondies. If you want the whole house awake and smiling, make the pancakes.

1. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is the recipe I make when there are two black bananas sitting on the counter. The batter comes together in one bowl and the loaf stays tender for days, which matters more than it sounds like it should.

Yield: 1 loaf (about 10 slices) · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 55 min · Total: 1 hr 10 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup, 250 g)
• 115 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 150 g brown sugar (3/4 cup)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 220 g all-purpose flour (1 3/4 cups)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350F (175C). Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment, letting it hang over both ends.
2. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla together in a large bowl until smooth and slightly thickened.
3. Add the mashed banana and whisk again until no streaks remain.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt over the wet ingredients.
5. Fold with a spatula until the last streak of flour disappears, then stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Pour into the pan and tap it twice on the counter to settle the batter into the corners.
7. Bake for 50 to 55 min, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and the top is deep golden.
8. Cool in the pan for 10 min, then lift out by the parchment and cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Tip: The loaf is done when a skewer comes out with no wet batter clinging. If you pull it at 45 minutes because the top already looks brown, the middle will still be raw.

Swap it: Replace half the flour with 110 g almond flour for a gluten-free version that is slightly denser and nuttier. Let it cool fully before wrapping, or condensation will make the crust soggy.

Storage: Wrapped tightly it keeps 3 days at room temperature, about 5 days refrigerated, and 3 months frozen. Slice before freezing and thaw a slice at a time in the toaster.

For the classic version, my soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies is still the one I keep on hand. This loaf is what I make when I want the same chips in something that lasts.

2. Chocolate Chip Muffins

Bakery-style muffins with a domed top and a soft crumb inside, ready in about 25 minutes including the bake. The secret is resting the batter for ten minutes before it goes in, which lets the flour hydrate and the tops dome properly.

Yield: 12 muffins · Prep: 12 min · Cook: 13 min · Total: 25 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 200 g all-purpose flour (1 2/3 cups)
• 150 g granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 170 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled (3/4 cup)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 240 ml milk or buttermilk (1 cup)
• 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400F (205C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin and set it on a baking sheet.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a second bowl, whisk melted butter, eggs, vanilla and milk until fully combined.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold just until no dry streaks remain.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips, then rest the batter for 10 min at room temperature.
6. Divide batter between the cups, filling each about two-thirds full and level.
7. Sprinkle a few extra chips on top of each muffin so they show on the crown.
8. Bake for 12 to 14 min, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out with just a moist crumb.
9. Cool in the tin for 5 min, then turn out onto a rack.

Tip: The 10-minute rest is the step people skip. Skimping it gives you flat-topped muffins that spread into one another.

Swap it: Use 240 ml buttermilk with 1 tsp lemon juice stirred in and let it sit 5 min. The tang gives the crumb a little lift and keeps it tender for a day.

Storage: Best the same day. Keep at room temperature in a covered tin for 2 days, refrigerate up to 5 days, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature rather than in the microwave.

3. Chocolate Chip Pancakes

These are the pancakes my kids ask for by name, which is a high bar for something made from scratch in twenty minutes. You are looking for bubbles that stay open and edges that look matte and dry before you flip.

Yield: 8 pancakes (4 servings) · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 20 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 200 g all-purpose flour (1 2/3 cups)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 240 ml milk (1 cup)
• 60 ml melted butter (1/4 cup), cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120 g semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
2. Beat the egg yolks with milk, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
3. Fold the wet mixture into the dry just until combined. A few lumps are fine.
4. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then fold them into the batter in two additions with a spatula.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips right at the end so they stay whole.
6. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium and brush with a little butter.
7. Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles open and the edges look dry, about 2 min.
8. Flip, cook 90 seconds more, and repeat with the rest of the batter.
9. Hold finished pancakes on a warm plate in a low oven rather than stacking them, which steams the bottoms.

Tip: Medium heat, not high. A hot griddle browns the outside before the middle sets, and the pancake splits when you try to turn it.

Swap it: For gluten-free pancakes, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and rest the batter 10 min before cooking. Add a tablespoon of cornmeal if the blend needs a little more structure.

Storage: Pancakes reheat well: lay them in a single layer in the fridge and warm in a dry skillet, 2 min per side. Freeze in a single layer on parchment for up to 1 month.

4. Chocolate Chip Waffles

Crisp-edged waffles that work as breakfast, as the centre of a brunch table, or as dessert with a scoop of ice cream. The bowl needs a full 10-minute rest before it goes into the waffle iron, otherwise the batter runs loose and the pockets fill in.

Yield: 4 waffles · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 15 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 220 g all-purpose flour (1 3/4 cups)
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 300 ml milk (1 1/4 cups)
• 115 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled (1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Unsifted confectioners’ sugar, for serving

Instructions

1. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
2. Beat egg yolks with milk, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
3. Fold the wet mixture into the dry until just combined, then rest the batter 10 min.
4. Whip the whites to soft peaks and fold them in gently in two additions.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Heat the waffle iron to medium-high and brush the plates with butter.
7. Pour about 3/4 cup of batter per well, close the lid, and cook until the indicator light comes on, about 4 min.
8. Repeat with the remaining batter, then dust with confectioners’ sugar while hot.

Tip: Level the batter in the well with the back of a spoon before you close the iron. An overfilled well pushes batter out the sides and the waffle sticks.

Swap it: Swap half the milk for buttermilk and add 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon for a breakfast waffle. Fresh raspberries on top balance the sweetness well.

Storage: Waffles turn soft overnight in a sealed container. Store at room temperature for a day, or freeze on a rack for up to 1 month and reheat in a toaster until crisp.

5. Chocolate Chip Blondies

A one-bowl bar with a chewy middle and edges that pull away cleanly from the pan. Blonde in the chocolate sense only: there is no cocoa, just brown sugar and vanilla holding everything together.

Yield: 16 squares · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 35 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 170 g unsalted butter, melted (3/4 cup)
• 200 g brown sugar (1 cup, packed)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 150 g all-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Flaky salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350F (175C). Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment, overhang on two sides.
2. Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together until glossy and thick, about 1 min.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, until the mixture is smooth and pale at the edges.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the top.
5. Fold until just combined, then stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Spread into the pan and press a few extra chips into the surface so they show on the cut face.
7. Bake 22 to 25 min, until the top is set and shiny and a toothpick inserted near the edge comes out clean.
8. Cool completely in the pan, at least 2 hours, then lift out and cut into 16 squares.

Tip: Do not cut them warm. The bars are still setting, and early cuts collapse into crumbs. Two hours on the counter changes the texture completely.

Swap it: Use 150 g oat flour in place of half the flour and add 1/2 cup rolled oats for a chewier, more substantial bar. Halve the baking powder.

Storage: Cut squares keep 3 days at room temperature in a covered container, 5 days refrigerated, and 3 months frozen between layers of parchment.

6. Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Bars

A snack bar with no refined flour, real oatmeal texture, and just enough banana to hold it together. These are the ones I bake when I want something that feels a bit more responsible than a blondie but lands in the same square.

Yield: 16 bars · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 35 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 115 g unsalted butter, melted (1/2 cup)
• 150 g brown sugar (3/4 cup)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 200 g rolled oats (2 cups)
• 60 g all-purpose flour (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup)
• 120 g semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350F (175C). Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment.
2. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla together until smooth.
3. Stir in the rolled oats, flour, baking soda and salt until coated.
4. Add the mashed banana and mix well, pressing the mixture into itself so it clumps.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips, then press the dough firmly and evenly into the pan.
6. Bake for 25 to 28 min, until the top is golden brown and the edges pull away from the pan.
7. Cool in the pan for 20 min before lifting out and cutting into 16 bars.

Tip: Press the dough down firmly with the back of a cup. Loose oat dough bakes into a crumbles, not a bar, and half of it ends up stuck to the parchment.

Swap it: Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup dried cranberries, or 1/2 cup peanut butter chips. All three keep the same 25-minute bake.

Storage: Store covered at room temperature for 4 days, refrigerate for a week, or freeze for up to 3 months. They are good cold straight from the fridge.

7. Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

A no-bake bar that looks like it took far more effort than it did. The filling is 500 g of cream cheese beaten smooth, so use pasteurised cream cheese and pasteurised milk if you are serving anyone who is pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised.

Yield: 16 bars · Prep: 20 min · Cook: none · Total: 20 min plus 4 hr chill · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 200 g graham crackers, roughly crushed
• 80 g unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine salt

For the filling:

• 500 g full-fat cream cheese, room temperature, pasteurised if possible
• 150 g granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 60 g pasteurised sour cream
• 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus a few extra for the top

Instructions

1. Stir the graham crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt together until the crumbs look damp and clump when squeezed.
2. Press firmly and evenly into the base and a little up the sides of an 8-inch square pan.
3. Chill the crust in the fridge for 15 min while you make the filling.
4. Beat the cream cheese on medium for 2 to 3 min, scraping the bowl twice, until completely smooth with no lumps.
5. Add the sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and sour cream and beat on low until just combined.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips, then spread the filling over the chilled crust and smooth the top.
7. Scatter the extra chips over the surface and chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
8. Cut with a hot, clean knife between each bar, wiping the blade after every cut.

Tip: Take the cream cheese out of the fridge 60 min early. Cold cream cheese beats up lumpy, and lumps are the one thing you cannot stir out of a no-bake filling.

Swap it: Swap the graham crust for crushed shortbread and use dark chocolate chips. Add 1/4 cup chopped candy canes at holiday time and cut back the sugar to 100 g.

Storage: Refrigerate and eat within 4 days. Do not freeze, because the cream cheese filling goes grainy when it thaws. Keep it covered so it does not pick up fridge smells.

8. Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

Stale bread, a warm oven, and a custard that sets just enough to scoop. This is my favourite way to finish a loaf that is a day past its best, and the chocolate chips melt into little pockets through the middle.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 35 min · Total: 50 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 400 g day-old white bread, torn or cubed (about 6 cups)
• 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 500 ml whole milk or cream, pasteurised
• 3 large eggs, pasteurised if available
• 150 g granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, for the dish

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350F (175C). Butter a 2-quart baking dish generously.
2. Scatter half the bread and 85 g of the chocolate chips in the dish.
3. Whisk the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a jug until the sugar dissolves.
4. Pour the custard over the bread, press it down gently so every piece soaks, and let it stand 10 min.
5. Scatter the rest of the bread and remaining chips on top.
6. Dot with 1 tbsp butter and bake 32 to 38 min, until the edges are set and puffed and the centre still trembles slightly when you nudge the dish.
7. Rest for 10 min before serving. The middle finishes setting as it sits, so it is looser straight from the oven than it will be on the plate.

Tip: The custard is safe once the centre reaches 160F (71C) and the dish is no longer glossy on top. Pull it while the middle still quivers, not after.

Swap it: Add 1/2 cup raisins soaked in 1/4 cup warm rum for a plainer version, or use challah and 1/2 cup chopped pecans for a richer one. Keep the total liquid at 500 ml so the bake time holds.

Storage: Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Reheat a portion in the microwave at 50% power for 90 seconds, or cover and warm in a 300F (150C) oven until the centre reaches 160F (71C).

If you want more ways to use up a half-finished loaf, the chocolate dessert recipes roundup has a few more in that vein.

9. Chocolate Chip Scones

Tender scones with crisp, dark edges and a crumb that shatters rather than crumbles. The single thing that matters is keeping the butter cold, which is why the dough goes back in the fridge before it goes in the oven.

Yield: 8 scones · Prep: 20 min · Cook: 15 min · Total: 35 min plus chill · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 250 g all-purpose flour (2 cups)
• 60 g granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 115 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 180 ml heavy cream plus 1 tbsp for brushing
• 1 large egg, beaten

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425F (220C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. Rub the cold butter in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized pieces.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips, then pour in the 180 ml cream and stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Do not knead it.
5. Turn out onto a floured surface, press into a 3/4-inch-thick round, and cut into 8 wedges.
6. Brush with beaten egg, top with a few extra chips, and chill 15 min.
7. Bake 13 to 16 min, until deep golden and risen, with no pale dough visible at the base.
8. Cool on a wire rack for 10 min. They are fragile straight from the oven and firm up as they cool.

Tip: Those rough, uneven edges are where the caramelisation happens. Cutting neat even wedges with a sharp knife gives you flatter, paler scones.

Swap it: For a savoury-leaning version, swap 100 g of the chocolate chips for 150 g grated cheddar and add 1 tsp Dijon mustard to the cream. Same method, same temperature.

Storage: Keep at room temperature in a cloth-covered tin for 1 day, ideally the day they are baked. Freeze for up to 1 month and refresh in a 350F (175C) oven for 8 min.

10. Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls

A dough you can mix the night before, so the rolls are done when the coffee is on. This version bakes in a 9 x 13-inch pan and pulls apart into twelve sticky, swirled squares.

Yield: 12 rolls · Prep: 25 min · Cook: 28 min · Total: about 2 hr 40 min with rising · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 300 ml whole milk, lukewarm
• 85 g unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 450 g all-purpose flour (3 3/4 cups)
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
• 1 tsp fine salt

For the filling:

• 85 g unsalted butter, soft
• 75 g brown sugar (3/8 cup)
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 120 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 60 ml cream or milk, for the pan
• 115 g powdered sugar, 60 ml milk and 1 tsp vanilla, for a glaze

Instructions

1. Mix the lukewarm milk, melted butter, sugar and egg. Add the flour, yeast and salt and mix to a shaggy, sticky dough.
2. Knead 8 to 10 min, until the dough is smooth and pulls cleanly away from the bowl.
3. Cover and let rise 60 to 90 min, until doubled and puffy. The dough is ready when a finger pressed in leaves a dent that springs back slowly.
4. Mix the soft butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and 80 g of the chips into a spreadable paste.
5. Roll the dough into a 12 x 18-inch rectangle, spread the filling to the edges, and roll it up tightly from the long side.
6. Cut into 12 rolls with unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife, and arrange cut side up in a buttered 9 x 13-inch pan with a little cream in the base.
7. Scatter the remaining chips on top, cover, and let rise 30 to 45 min while the oven heats to 350F (175C).
8. Bake 25 to 30 min, until the tops are golden and the center of the middle roll reaches 190F (88C).
9. Drizzle the glaze over the hot rolls and let it run into the seams for a minute before serving.

Tip: Glue the roll to the pan with a small dab of filling or butter before the second rise. Unanchored rolls straighten and slide into each other.

Swap it: Use 225 g whole-wheat flour for half the flour and add 1 tbsp honey. Or skip the glaze and dust warm rolls with powdered sugar instead.

Storage: Best the day they are baked. Refrigerate up to 3 days and reheat a whole roll for 60 seconds in the microwave. They also freeze for 2 months and reheat from frozen in a 350F (175C) oven wrapped in foil for 15 min.

11. Chocolate Chip French Toast

Day-old bread soaked in a cinnamon custard and fried until the outside is properly crisp and the middle still soft. It works equally well as a breakfast or as the dessert course at a late lunch.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 20 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 8 thick slices day-old brioche, sourdough or Texas toast
• 3 large eggs, pasteurised if available
• 240 ml milk or half-and-half, pasteurised
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 120 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a shallow dish until no streaks of egg remain.
2. Press 60 g of the chocolate chips into both sides of each bread slice.
3. Soak each slice in the custard for about 30 seconds per side, until saturated but not soggy.
4. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
5. Cook the slices 3 to 4 min per side, until deep golden and firm to the touch in the centre.
6. Keep finished slices on a rack in a 200F (95C) oven so the bottoms stay crisp.
7. Dust with powdered sugar and scatter the remaining chips over the top before serving.

Tip: Medium-low heat. Hot butter browns the custard before the bread cooks through, and you end up with a raw middle and a burnt shell.

Swap it: For a dairy-free version, use 240 ml oat milk and a tablespoon of ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp water in place of the eggs. Let it thicken for 10 min before whisking in the sugar.

Storage: Keep refrigerated up to 3 days in a single layer. Reheat on a rack in a 375F (190C) oven for 8 min so the crust comes back.

12. Chocolate Chip Rice Cereal Treats

Ten minutes of actual work and then an hour of doing nothing, which is the ideal ratio for a hot afternoon. The chocolate chips here melt slightly into the marshmallow and give the whole slab a subtle cocoa depth.

Yield: 16 squares · Prep: 15 min · Cook: none · Total: 15 min plus 1 hr set · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 170 g unsalted butter (3/4 cup)
• 300 g mini marshmallows (10 oz)
• 350 g crisp rice cereal (6 cups)
• 120 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 tsp fine salt, optional
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, optional

Instructions

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment, letting it overhang the sides.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat, without browning it.
3. Add the marshmallows and stir constantly until mostly melted and smooth, about 3 min.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips until they just soften, then the salt and vanilla.
5. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cereal until every piece is coated.
6. Press the mixture into the pan with buttered hands or a buttered spatula. Press firmly and evenly.
7. Let it cool and set at room temperature for about 1 hour before cutting into 16 squares.

Tip: Work the cereal into the pot off the heat. Cereal added straight to a hot pot goes soggy in the middle and turns the slab into one dense brick.

Swap it: For a dairy-free version, use a coconut oil or vegan butter substitute. Toasted coconut or puffed rice works in place of half the cereal.

Storage: Cut squares wrapped individually keep 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container, which is important in humid weather. They freeze for 2 months, though they lose a little of their crunch.

13. Chocolate Chip Fudge

A small-batch fudge that sets in the fridge in about four hours and needs only five ingredients. It is the right size for a tin of chips, which is what you have when you decide to make it at 9pm.

Yield: 25 pieces · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 15 min plus 4 hr chill · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 170 g semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups)
• 200 g sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
• 115 g unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• Chopped nuts or sprinkles, optional

Instructions

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment, leaving an overhang.
2. Put the chocolate chips, condensed milk, butter and salt in a microwave-safe bowl.
3. Heat in 30-second bursts on 50% power, stirring between each burst, until the chips are mostly melted. Do not let it boil.
4. Stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth and glossy with no lumps, then stir in the vanilla.
5. Pour into the pan and spread to the corners. Scatter nuts or sprinkles over the surface now, while it is wet.
6. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or until firm all the way through.
7. Lift out by the parchment and cut into 25 squares with a sharp knife dipped briefly in hot water.

Tip: If the fudge is still soft when you cut it, it will be firm in the fridge within an hour anyway. Wait rather than cutting early, and the pieces will come out clean instead of tearing.

Swap it: Swap in chopped nuts for half the chips and a swirl of 2 tbsp peanut butter. For a layered version, spread half in the pan, chill 30 min, then add the rest.

Storage: Store airtight in the fridge for 2 weeks, or at room temperature in a cool room for 1 week. Fudge that has sat in a hot car should go in the bin rather than back in the fridge.

14. Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

No cooking and no ice cream maker required, because the base is stirred until thick and then churned by hand in the freezer. Use pasteurised eggs, or leave them out entirely and lean on extra condensed milk for the body.

Yield: about 1 litre (4 cups) · Prep: 20 min · Cook: none · Total: 20 min plus 6 hr freeze · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 3 large pasteurised eggs
• 200 g granulated sugar (1 cup)
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 500 ml whole milk, pasteurised
• 360 ml heavy cream, pasteurised
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120 g chocolate chips, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Whisk the eggs, sugar and salt in a bowl until evenly yellow, no streaks of white left.
2. Warm the milk to about 160F (71C) with the vanilla, using a thermometer rather than guessing.
3. Pour a little of the warm milk into the egg mixture and whisk to temper it, then add the rest slowly while whisking constantly.
4. Stir the custard back into the warm milk and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 175F (80C) and coats the back of a spoon.
5. Cool the custard in an ice bath for 20 min, then refrigerate it fully, at least 2 hr.
6. Stir the cream into the cold custard, fold in the chopped chips, and pour into a shallow container.
7. Freeze for 2 hr, scrape with a fork into fluffy flakes, return to the container, and freeze 2 to 4 hr more.
8. Let the finished ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 min before scooping.

Tip: The thermometer matters. Custard that never reaches 175F (80C) will not thicken, and raw egg in a no-cook base is a real food safety risk.

Swap it: To skip eggs, use 400 ml sweetened condensed milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice, 500 ml cream and 1 tsp vanilla, then stir in the chips. Chill the mixture 4 hr before freezing.

Storage: Keep in the coldest part of the freezer for up to 1 month. Press a sheet of parchment directly onto the surface before refreezing so it does not form an ice crust.

15. Chocolate Chip French Bread Pizza

A French bread loaf, a sharp cheese, and chocolate chips under the broiler. It is a dessert pizza with none of the dough, which is exactly what you want when the evening is already long and the oven is still warm.

Yield: 4 servings · Prep: 8 min · Cook: 15 min · Total: 25 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 French bread loaf or thick sourdough, sliced 3/4 inch thick
• 115 g unsalted butter, soft
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 150 g sharp cheddar or Gruyere, grated
• 120 g semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp honey, for drizzling

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425F (220C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Whisk the soft butter with the sugar, vanilla and salt.
3. Spread the butter mixture over both sides of each bread slice and lay them on the sheet.
4. Scatter the grated cheese over each slice, then the chocolate chips.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 min, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling and the bread edges are golden.
6. Run under the broiler for 30 to 60 seconds, watching constantly, if you want the cheese browned in spots.
7. Drizzle with honey and slice each piece into smaller strips for serving.

Tip: Watch the broiler the whole time. It goes from golden to black in about fifteen seconds, and the sugar in the butter mixture browns faster than the bread does.

Swap it: Add 1/4 cup sliced bananas or a handful of cranberries to the cheese before the chips for a sweet-sharp version. Margherita is the other easy direction: mozzarella, sliced tomato, and 1/4 cup drained pineapple under the chips.

Storage: Best straight from the oven. Refrigerate leftover slices for up to 2 days and reheat in a 375F (190C) oven for 6 min, which softens the bread again.

Tips for Making These

• Measure chips by weight where you can. A cup of large chips and a cup of mini chips are not the same weight, and the difference shows up as a chip-heavy or chip-sparse bar. 170 g is roughly 1 cup of standard semisweet chips.
• Press chips into the surface of anything that bakes wet. Muffins, scones and quick breads hold their chips much better if you push a few into the top just before the oven goes on.
• Do not let chocolate chips sit against a hot oven element or an open flame. They contain very little cocoa butter to slow them down, so they scorch at a much lower temperature than a block of baking chocolate does.
• Grease and line pans you want to lift out of. Cheesecake bars, fudge, and blondies are all far easier to cut and serve when a sheet of parchment is underneath.
• Test doneness where the bake is least risky. For bars, probe near an edge. For loaves and muffins, probe through the deepest part of the centre. The edges set first, so an edge check tells you almost nothing.
• Serve bars in the pan you baked them in. It saves a washing-up job, and for a group of people the whole pan goes on the table and gets cut at the counter instead of in the kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Start with the blondies if you have a group coming over, the pancakes if the morning is yours, and the fudge if it is late and you want to use the last of the bag. Each of these 15 easy chocolate chip recipes beyond cookies takes less than an hour of real work, and none of them needs a mixer.

Whichever one you pick, make it twice. The second batch is always the better one, and the bag of chips in the cupboard finally disappears.