Description
These Peanut Butter Cookie Bars are soft, thick, and chewy with rich peanut butter flavor, topped with a smooth chocolate layer and finished with mini peanut butter M&M’s for the perfect sweet and crunchy bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226g) salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (440g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240g) creamy peanut butter (not natural)
- 2 1/2 cups (350g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups mini peanut butter M&M’s
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon butter (for topping)
- 1/2 cup mini peanut butter M&M’s (for decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and 1 1/4 cups mini peanut butter M&M’s.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and eggs until smooth. Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until fully combined.
- Add the creamy peanut butter and whisk until smooth and thick.
- Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the top is set and golden brown. Allow the bars to cool almost completely in the pan.
- For the topping, melt the chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave in 20-second intervals at 50% power, stirring between each, until smooth.
- Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the cooled bars and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mini peanut butter M&M’s.
- Allow the chocolate to set completely before slicing into 24 bars.
Notes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 40mg