November 12, 2023
Review RecipePeanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Table of Contents
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.
Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars Ingredients
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.
How To Make This Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars Recipe
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.
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.
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.
STEP NINE: Spoon the remaining dough over the peanut butter cups and press to spread it to cover.
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
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.
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
This cookie bar recipe can be stored in the fridge for up to five days, so they don’t get too gooey.
Add other types of chocolate chips or nuts to your cookie bars for even more richness.
These peanut butter cup bars will keep well in the freezer for up to three months.
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Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars
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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- Reese’s Peanut Butter Banana Bread
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Comments
Alissa says
Definitely ice cream and chocolate syrup when serving. Need some Reese’s cups so I can try them.
Gene Reams says
I can’t wait to make this I,m a peanut butter lover .
Karen says
I would serve these with vanilla ice cream drizzled with a peanut butter sauce and a chocolate sauce drizzled on top !! I am making these today !!
Shanon says
I would add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and have the perfect little treat! Yum
Brenda Childers says
Thank you so much..I have been looking for this..
Tiffany says
These look so yummy!! My boyfriend absolutely loves peanut butter and this is the perfect way to surprise him with something sweet for our date this weekend💜 I would most definitely pair this with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream, while it’s still a little warm so it’s rich and creamy!
Elizabeth M Heimlich says
I would definitely add a scoop of ice cream with these!
NICOLETTE VAN RENSBURG says
I would not change anything to this recipy it is a perfect combination of sweet and salty.So chewy and absolutely delicious!
Shirley says
I believe I would add a dollop of sugar free Vanilla Ice Cream to even out the flavor a little bit!
Joanne Kane says
These look so yummy and I would serve with vanilla ice cream for desert with family and friends and just make them to have to snack on for an afternoon delight treat. I would not add more peanut butter chips just the Choc. chips. So good!!!!