Chocolate-Chili Cookie Bars with Sea Salt

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Chewy chocolate cookie bars infused with a subtle kick of chili powder and topped with flaky sea salt for a bold dessert experience. This American-inspired recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 180 calories and feeds 16, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 25 min Serves 16 American cuisine 180 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

The bakeware we’d bake this in → Best Bakeware Sets in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Bakeware & baking tools → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder.
  2. Step 2: In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes using a mixer on medium speed. Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, then 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined.
  3. Step 3: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.
  4. Step 4: Spread the dough evenly into a greased 9x9-inch baking pan and sprinkle 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt evenly on top.
  5. Step 5: Bake for 22-25 minutes until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs but no raw batter. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Related recipes