Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars

Name: Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups salted butter, (softened); 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup light brown sugar, (packed); 3 eggs, (room temperature); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 3½ cups flour; 1½ teaspoons baking soda; ¾ teaspoon salt; 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips; 24 standard Reese’s peanut butter cups

Peanut butter cup cookie bars are the ultimate in decadence with the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

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Table of Contents

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Why We Love This Recipe
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE
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When it comes to these insanely delicious peanut butter cup cookie bars, the name says it all. Soft and chewy cookie bars, studded with rich and creamy chocolate peanut butter cups and chocolate chips, make the perfect decadent treat.

a close up shot of Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars stacked on top of each other

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars raw ingredients that are labeled

The rich smoothness of the peanut butter combines with the gooey chocolate chips to create an irresistible flavor.

The soft, chewy cookie base and peanut butter cup center provide a delightfully comforting contrast, ensuring a truly indulgent experience.

To make this delicious treat, you’ll need:

1½ cups of salted butter softened
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of packed light brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3½ cups of all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons of baking soda
¾ teaspoon of salt
3 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
24 standard Reese’s peanut butter cups

Substitutions And Additions

MIX-INS: Add even more peanut butter flavor to this easy recipe by substituting a portion of the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips.

PEANUT BUTTER CUPS: Instead of the regular-sized Reese’s peanut butter cups, you could substitute miniature peanut butter cups.

CHOCOLATE CHIPS: For a different chocolatey experience, consider using dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or even butterscotch chips.

These alternatives can lend a unique flavor dimension to the bars without altering the baking process.

PEANUT BUTTER: While peanut butter is the star of the show, you can experiment with different nut butter like almond butter, cashew butter, or even sunflower seed butter.

Keep in mind that different nut butter might have varying levels of sweetness and texture, so adjustments to the sugar content might be necessary.

These cookie bars are quick and easy to make. All you need to do is whip up the delicious peanut butter and chocolate chip batter.

Layer half of it in the pan before adding a decadent layer of peanut butter cups and the remainder of the batter. That’s all there is to it!

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

This chewy cookie bar recipe yields more dough than a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe, which lends itself nicely to fully covering the pan for the base and then has enough cookie dough to cover the peanut butter cups, too.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9×13 metal baking pan (with square edges preferred) with parchment paper.

STEP TWO: Add butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat together until creamy.

STEP THREE: Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then continue beating until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes), scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

STEP FOUR: Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Whisk the flour mixture together.

STEP FIVE: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat just enough to incorporate.

STEP SIX: Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir with a large spoon to mix.

semi sweet chocolate chips added to the mixture and fold in a bowl

STEP SEVEN: Add half of the chocolate chip cookie mixture to the prepared pan. Flatten evenly into the pan.

PRO TIP:

Use a piece of plastic wrap or a spatula sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to press the dough into the pan. It tends to be a bit sticky.

chocolate chip cookie mixture added to the baking pan

STEP EIGHT: Remove the wrappers from the Reese’s peanut butter cups and place them into the pan over the bottom layer of chocolate chip cookie dough.

If needed, cut peanut butter cups in half to fill as much of the space as possible.

PRO TIP:

Refrigerate the peanut butter cups for about ten minutes to make them easier to cut.

Reese's peanut butter cups placed into the bottom of a pan

STEP NINE: Spoon the remaining dough over the peanut butter cups and press to spread it to cover.

dough spooned over the peanut butter cups on a baking dish

STEP TEN: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until almost fully set. The top should be evenly golden brown, and the center should not jiggle much.

These cookie bars are best just a little undercooked.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your bars at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

STEP ELEVEN: Once the cookies have cooled completely, lift them from the pan and cut them into bars on a cutting board.

How To Serve

Peanut butter lovers will enjoy these delicious bars, along with a glass of milk or homemade hot chocolate to wash it down.

If you are looking for an even more indulgent dessert, try adding a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side and a dollop of whipped cream on the top.

Our salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars and magic cookie bars are two more easy cookie bar recipes to satisfy your cravings.

MORE COOKIE BAR RECIPES

Dessert Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Dessert Bars

Sugar Cookie Bars

Storage

To ensure they stay fresh and delicious, follow these simple storage guidelines:

MAKE AHEAD: If you’re planning ahead for a special occasion or just want to save time, you can definitely make these cookie bars in advance.

Simply bake according to the recipe instructions, allow them to cool completely, and then store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

They’ll remain tasty for up to three days.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store chewy peanut butter cookie bars in an airtight container for up to five days.

IN THE FREEZER: You can also freeze these peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars for up to three months.

Store the cookie bars in an airtight container labeled with the best-by date. Thaw on the counter overnight before serving.

Why We Love This Recipe

IRRESISTIBLE FLAVOR COMBINATION: Peanut butter and chocolate are a classic and beloved flavor pairing. These cookie bars offer a rich and satisfying combination of sweet, nutty peanut butter and the indulgent sweetness of chocolate chips.

EASY TO MAKE: Cookie bars are generally easier and less time-consuming to make than traditional cookies because you don’t need to scoop and bake individual cookies.

CHEWY AND MOIST TEXTURE: The texture of these bars is chewy, moist, and dense, which many people find incredibly satisfying.

overhead shot of Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars stacked on top of each other on a wooden board

These peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars are absolutely delicious and come out nice and thick and just slightly gooey. They are loaded with peanut butter cup goodness and are the perfect treat for when sweet cravings strike.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I store these peanut butter chocolate chip bars?

This cookie bar recipe can be stored in the fridge for up to five days, so they don’t get too gooey.

Can I mix in other ingredients for these peanut butter cup chocolate chip cookie bars?

Add other types of chocolate chips or nuts to your cookie bars for even more richness.

Can I freeze these peanut butter cup gooey cookie bars?

These peanut butter cup bars will keep well in the freezer for up to three months.

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5 from 30 votes

Peanut butter cup cookie bars are the ultimate in decadence with the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings

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Ingredients

1½ cups salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3½ cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
24 standard Reese’s peanut butter cups

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9×13 metal baking pan (with square edges preferred) with parchment paper.
Add butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use a standing mixer or hand mixer to beat together until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla extract, then continue beating until light and fluffy (2 to 3 minutes), scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Add flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Whisk together.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat just enough to incorporate.
Add semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir with a large spoon to mix.
Add half of the chocolate chip cookie mixture to the prepared baking pan. Flatten evenly into the pan.
Remove the wrappers from the Reese’s peanut butter cups and place them into the pan over the bottom layer of chocolate chip cookie dough. If needed, cut the peanut butter cups in half to fill as much of the space as possible.
Spoon the remaining dough over the peanut butter cups and press to spread it to cover.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until almost fully set. The top should be evenly golden brown, and the center should not jiggle much. These cookie bars are best just a little undercooked.
Once the cookies have cooled completely, lift them from the pan and cut them into bars.

Notes

This chewy cookie bar recipe yields more dough than a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe, which lends itself nicely to fully covering the pan for the base and then has enough cookie dough to cover the peanut butter cups, too.
Use a piece of plastic wrap or a spatula sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to press the dough into the pan. It tends to be a bit sticky.
Refrigerate the peanut butter cups for about 10 minutes to make them easier to cut.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your bars at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Rhadonda Sedgwick Creative Director
Stefanie Knaus Photographer
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant
Andra Willits Writer + Editor

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Substitutions And Additions

How To Serve

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Sugar Cookie Bars

Storage

Why We Love This Recipe