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These peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars turn your favorite cookies into easy-to-share treats with a mouthwatering mix of sweet and salty. They're wonderfully chewy and loaded with chocolate and peanut butter chips, making them impossible to resist no matter the event.
I whipped these up for the first time when some neighbors dropped by unexpectedly. They were gone in minutes! Now I always keep the stuff to make them on hand for when dessert cravings strike.
What You'll Need
- Smooth peanut butter: stick with big brands like Skippy or Jif for the right consistency
- Unsalted butter: make sure it's softened so it mixes well with other ingredients
- White sugar: gives sweetness and helps create crispy edges around your bars
- Light brown sugar: adds moisture and a hint of caramel that works magic with peanut butter
- Large eggs: these hold everything together and give your bars structure
- Vanilla extract: brings out all the other flavors, try to use real vanilla if you can
- All purpose flour: forms the backbone of your bars, unbleached tastes better
- Baking powder: creates just enough rise without making them too puffy
- Fine sea salt: cuts through sweetness and makes the peanut butter pop
- Peanut butter chips: amp up that nutty flavor throughout
- Semi sweet chocolate chips: offer the ideal sweet contrast to the peanut butter
Easy Directions
- Get your pan ready:
- Put parchment paper in a 9x13 inch baking dish with extra hanging over the sides. This makes it easy to lift out the bars when they're done.
- Combine dry stuff:
- Stir flour, baking powder and salt together in a big bowl until they're all mixed up. This spreads the baking powder evenly through the mix.
- Beat the butters:
- In another bowl, mix the soft butter and peanut butter until they're smooth. Take about 2 minutes with an electric mixer to get them really fluffy.
- Mix in sugars:
- Slowly add both sugars to your butter mixture and keep beating for about 3 minutes until it looks light and fluffy. This puts air in the mixture for better texture.
- Add wet ingredients:
- Drop in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Then stir in the vanilla until everything looks the same throughout.
- Put it all together:
- Slowly add the flour mix to your wet ingredients, mixing on low just until you can't see dry flour anymore. Don't mix too much or your bars will be tough.
- Toss in the chips:
- Use a rubber spatula to gently stir both kinds of chips into your dough. Make sure they're spread out evenly so every bite has both flavors.
- Fill your pan:
- Push the dough into your lined pan, using slightly wet hands or a spatula so it doesn't stick. Take time to make it even for the best baking.
- Bake them up:
- Put the pan in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the edges look golden and a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let them rest:
- Let your bars cool completely in the pan on a rack before lifting them out and cutting them up. This cooling time helps them set up nicely.
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The thing I love most about these bars is how the peanut butter chips and chocolate chips melt differently, giving you little bursts of separate flavors. I brought them to my kid's soccer game once, and even the fussiest children came back asking for more.
Incredible Texture Advice
Don't leave these in the oven too long if you want them perfect. Take them out when the edges look golden but the middle seems a bit undone. They'll keep cooking from the leftover heat and firm up while cooling. This gives you that awesome chewy center with slightly crisp edges that everybody wants.
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Keeping Them Fresh
These bars stay fresh about 3 days when kept in a sealed container on your counter. If you want them to last longer, stick them in the fridge for up to a week. You can also wrap each bar in plastic and toss them in a freezer bag. Just let frozen bars sit out for an hour before eating.
Fun Twists
You can change up this recipe really easily. Try using white chocolate chips instead of peanut butter ones for something sweeter. Toss in a cup of chopped roasted peanuts if you want some crunch. For parties, mix in colorful candy-coated chocolates. In the fall, add some cinnamon and swap in butterscotch chips for a taste of the season.
Ways To Enjoy
These bars taste great on their own, but they're extra special when warmed up and topped with vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate sauce. For lunch boxes, wrap single bars in parchment paper with a bit of string. They also make wonderful gifts during the holidays when packed in pretty tins.
Common Questions
- → How can I store peanut butter cookie bars?
Keep them in a sealed container at room temp for about 5 days or stick them in the freezer to make them last longer.
- → Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy?
You can totally use crunchy peanut butter. It'll give your bars some extra bite but might make your batter a bit thicker.
- → Can I substitute chocolate chips with other mix-ins?
You bet! Try white chocolate pieces, chopped nuts, or even some dried cranberries for something different.
- → What can I do if I don't have parchment paper?
Just coat your pan really well with butter or cooking spray so nothing sticks.
- → How do I know when the bars are done baking?
Look for golden brown edges and stick a toothpick in the middle. It should come out almost clean.