These Chocolate Halfway Bars feature a chewy blondie-like base studded with chocolate chips and finished with a golden, slightly chewy meringue on top. The combination delivers contrasting textures—chewy, crunchy and sweet—in every bite.
I have a soft spot for chocolate chips. Around midday I’ll snack on a few semi-sweet chips to punctuate the day with small bites of chocolate bliss. My fiancé suggests buying a chocolate bar instead, but as a baker I always prefer having chocolate chips on hand so I can turn out something delicious at a moment’s notice. Discovering this vintage recipe for Chocolate Halfway Bars made me even more grateful for a well-stocked pantry.
I found this recipe in my favorite Good Housekeeping Cookbook (1955 edition). Chocolate Halfway Bars are an old-fashioned treat with a soft, buttery base similar to a blondie, dotted with chocolate chips, and topped with a brown-sugar meringue. The contrast between the rich base and the light, sweet meringue is unexpectedly delightful—so much so that I wondered what “halfway” originally referred to, because their flavor is fully satisfying.
A few practical notes: these bars are best served the day they are baked. The meringue loses some of its crisp-chewy charm after traveling or sitting overnight, so serve them cooled the same day for the best texture. The blondie base is delicious on its own, and the brown-sugar meringue provides the perfect sweet finish.
It’s surprising these bars aren’t more common today. They deserve a place alongside other classic American bars such as Seven Layer Bars and Almond Bars on modern dessert tables.
Chocolate Halfway Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup soft shortening
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg, separated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons water
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I often use 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (for the meringue)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 12″x8″x2″ baking dish (or use an 8″ square pan for thicker bars). Lining the pan with parchment makes cleanup easier.
- Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.
- Cream the shortening with the granulated and 1/4 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, water and vanilla; mix well. Stir in the flour mixture until combined. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Beat the egg white until still peaks form, then gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar until the meringue is glossy. Spread the meringue gently over the chocolate chips.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden and set. Cut into bars while warm, then cool completely on a rack. Best served the same day.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 22 g |
Protein: 2 g |
Fat: 9 g |
Sugar: 15 g
