Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Peanut butter cookie bars are soft, chewy and super easy to make from scratch. You can also add chocolate chips, m&m's or nuts to the dough!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup (130 g) creamy no-stir peanut butter
- ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¾ cup chocolate chips, m&m's or nuts, (optional)
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk, if needed (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 8x8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), combine melted butter with peanut butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix until well combined. Add vanilla and egg. Mix well, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients. Mix just until combined. The dough should be soft and slightly crumbly (that’s okay). If adding mix-ins, stir them in by hand.
- Place dough in prepared pan and press, smoothing out the top until dough is firm. Gently press into the dough.
- Bake bars at 350° F for 20 to 22 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Cut and serve.
Notes
Peanut butter: Use creamy no-stir peanut butter such as Skippy all natural peanut butter. I do not recommend the kind that is separated with oil.
Dry texture: Make sure you are measuring the flour properly by weighing with a kitchen scale or using the spoon and level method. If the dough is still dry, add 1-2 Tablespoons milk .
Metal vs. glass baking pan: Use a metal baking pan for this recipe. Glass retains heat longer and will cause the edges of the bars to dry out.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze for up to 1 month. Wrap bars in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag or airtight container.
Serving: 1bar, Calories: 199kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 183mg, Potassium: 81mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 146IU, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 1mg