Description
Deliciously rich and chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars that combine creamy peanut butter and melty chocolate chips for an irresistible treat. Perfect for sharing, these bar cookies bake up soft with golden edges and a perfect balance of sweet and nutty flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (128g) creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Sugars and Chips
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (165g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 cups (255g) peanut butter chips
- 1 1/2 cups (255g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal of the bars.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Cream Butter and Peanut Butter: In a separate large bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter and creamy peanut butter. Mix until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Sugars: Gradually add the granulated sugar and light brown sugar to the butter mixture, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, which incorporates air and ensures a tender texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time to the mixture, mixing well after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla extract to deepen the flavor profile.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the dry flour mixture into the wet mixture. Mix gently until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which can make the bars tough.
- Fold in Chips: Gently fold in the peanut butter chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips to distribute them evenly throughout the dough.
- Press Dough into Pan: Evenly press the cookie dough into the prepared 9×13 lined baking pan, ensuring an even thickness for uniform baking.
- Bake: Bake the bars in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the cookie bars to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, use the parchment paper to lift the bars from the pan and slice into 16 squares for serving.
Notes
- Softened butter is essential for proper creaming with peanut butter and sugars.
- Overmixing the dough after adding flour can result in tough bars—mix just until combined.
- Using parchment paper helps to easily lift the bars from the pan and makes cleanup quicker.
- Check the bars at 25 minutes to prevent overbaking; they should be soft but set.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage.
