These soft and chewy Peanut Butter Cookie Bars are a delicious dessert that you and your family will love! This pantry friendly recipe will become your next favorite treat to make for any occasion.
What’s the Best Peanut Butter for Baking?
It is recommended to use a creamy and thick peanut butter for baking. Brands like Jif, Skippy and even the Reese’s Peanut Butter will add the perfect creamy texture to these Peanut Butter Cookie Bars.
Natural peanut butter can also be used, but it does not have the added salt and sugar that makes regular peanut butter so flavorful. Read more here and decide which option is best for you! If you prefer natural peanut butter for its healthier profile, check out these Healthy Peanut Butter Balls.
What We Love About This Recipe
- Easy Ingredients: The ingredients for these cookie bars are very pantry friendly.
- Family Friendly: This recipe makes 24 bars! Enough for your family to enjoy.
- Adaptable: The chocolate chips are optional in this recipe.
If you’re looking for more Peanut Butter Dessert recipes, try these Chocolate Peanut Butter Dump Cake, Butterfinger Cupcakes, and 25 Cake Mix Crinkle Cookies.
Ingredient Notes
Find most of these baking ingredients already in your pantry! The items you may need to purchase are below.
- Creamy Peanut butter: Use your favorite brand of peanut butter! Creamy peanut butter is what gives these cookie bars their soft and chewy consistency.
- Hershey’s Kisses: One unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss is placed on top of each cookie bar to garnish.
- Chocolate Chips: While this ingredient is optional, chocolate chips add a rich flavor and add a different texture to this peanut butter dessert.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Subsitutions
This recipe can be altered so that it is perfect for you!
- Peanut Butter: Natural or regular peanut butter can be used to fit dietary needs.
- Chocolate: Both the chocolate chips and Hershey’s Kiss are optional! Try adding crushed peanuts on top of these peanut butter bars for a crunchy topping without the chocolate.
Equipment
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
This peanut butter dessert comes together in just 6 simple steps!
These are the basic steps for making Peanut Butter Cookie Bars. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
STEP 1: Make The Batter
After preheating the oven to 350ºF and greasing the pan, add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer until well combined.
STEP 2: Add Wet Ingredients
Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract to the bowl and continue to mix until combined.
STEP 3: Add Dry Ingredients
Stir the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the mixture. Mix until the batter is smooth.
STEP 4: Fold in Chocolate Chips
Using a spatula, fold the chocolate chips into the mixture. Then, put the batter into the greased baking pan. Spread the batter out evenly edge to edge.
STEP 5: Bake the Cookie Bars
Bake in the oven at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
STEP 6: Finishing Touches
After the Peanut Butter Cookie Bars are finished baking, allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Cut bars into 24 even squares and place an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss in the center of each one. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
- This Recipe Can be Doubled: This is a great peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars recipe for a crowd. Simply increase the ingredients proportionately and split it into two baking dishes before baking.
- Add Sugar Before Baking: Sprinkle granulated sugar on top of the batter before it goes into the oven to add a sweet crunch on the top!
- Shortcut Tip: Unwrap the Hershey’s Kisses while the Peanut Butter Cookie Bars bake in the oven… you’ll thank us later.
- Store This Recipe: These cookie bars can be kept sealed at room temperature for 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months!
What to Serve with Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Electric Mixer
- Spatula
- Knife
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Butter, softened
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar, packed
- ½ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- 1 Egg, large
- ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
- ¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ⅛ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips, semi sweet or milk chocolate
- 24 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined.
- Add peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract to the mixture and mix until well combined.
- Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Fold the chocolate chips into the batter with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly edge to edge.
- Bake at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow cookie bars to cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 24 even squares and top each bar with a Hershey's Kiss.
- Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- This Recipe Can be Doubled: This is a great recipe for a crowd. Simply increase the ingredients proportionately and split it into two baking dishes before baking.
- Add Sugar Before Baking: Sprinkle granulated sugar on top of the batter before it goes into the oven to add a sweet crunch on the top!
- Shortcut Tip: Unwrap the Hershey’s Kisses while the Peanut Butter Cookie Bars bake in the oven… you’ll thank us later.
- Store This Recipe: These cookie bars can be kept sealed at room temperature for 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months!