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These Peanut Butter Cookie Bars are perfectly thick, soft, and chewy! Make plenty – they disappear fast! Quick and easy recipe.
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Peanut Butter Cookie Bars Recipe
If you’re craving something sweet but want a super duper easy recipe – then this one is for you! Think peanut butter cookies – but so much faster because they’re pressed into a pan to make bars!! Genius, right?
I’ll be the first to admit that although I enjoy cookies, I don’t particularly like making them. I hate babysitting them. I need to get on with the program and all that scooping … nobody has time for all that. And by nobody, I mean me.
Please give me all the cookie bars recipes! I’ll leave the actual cookie making to my kids. 😉
Recipe for Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Ingredients for the bars
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- salt
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- peanut butter
Ingredients for the frosting
- powdered sugar
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- butter
- vanilla extract
- water
How to make Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Time needed: 1 hour
How to make Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
- Preheat the ovem.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the cookie dough and press it into a baking pan.
Cream butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter together until creamy. Add in eggs, vanilla, and salt. Combine flour and baking powder with dough and continue mixing for another 30 seconds, dry ingredients are mixed in with the dough. Using a rubber spatula, spread the dough mixture into a lightly sprayed 13×9 inch baking pan.
- Bake.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the dough sets. (It will begin to turn golden brown).
- Remove and cool.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before frosting.
- Prepare frosting and frost bars.
In a medium bowl, cream powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and butter. Add in vanilla and water. Mix until all ingredients are well combined and frosting will be smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of water to thin. Use a rubber spatula to frost bars.
- Cut and serve.
Cut bars into squares. Serve.
Peanut Butter Cookie Bars: FAQs
Bar cookies may be stored in their baking pan tightly covered with aluminum foil if they will be eaten in a few days. Bar cookies removed from the pan should be stored in an airtight container.
These are best eaten within 5-7 days.
Yes! Cool the bars completely before wrapping and freezing. To protect the flavor and prevent the cookies from drying out, wrap them tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer wrap, or pack in freezer bags or plastic freezer containers with tight-fitting lids. Separate bars with waxed paper between the layers. Remove as much air as possible and seal tightly. Be sure to use them within three months.
Top with Reese’s pieces, chopped peanut butter cups, M&M’s candies, or chocolate chips.
Frosting and toppings are not needed. These bars are delicious by themselves.
If using salted butter, you could omit the salt from the recipe, or lower it to just a pinch.
I have never made this recipe with crunchy peanut butter because my family likes smooth cookies, but I would imagine it would also work.
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Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the cookie bars
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup peanut butter
For the chocolate frosting
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
For the cookie bars
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cream butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter together until creamy. Add in eggs, vanilla, and salt. Combine flour and baking powder with dough and continue mixing for another 30 seconds, dry ingredients are mixed in with the dough. Using a rubber spatula, spread the dough mixture into a lightly sprayed 13×9-inch baking pan.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the dough sets. (It will begin to turn golden brown).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool before frosting.
For the frosting and topping
- In a medium bowl, cream powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and butter. Add in vanilla and water. Mix until all ingredients are well combined and frosting will be smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of water to thin. Use a rubber spatula to frost bars.
- Cut bars into squares. Serve.
Notes
- If desired, top with Reese’s pieces, chopped peanut butter cups, M&M’s candies, or chocolate chips.
- Frosting and toppings are not needed. These bars are delicious by themselves.
- If using salted butter, you could omit the salt from the recipe, or lower it to just a pinch.
- I have never made this recipe with crunchy peanut butter because my family likes smooth cookies, but I would imagine it would also work.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
