Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars Recipe
These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars combine rich, creamy peanut butter swirls with luscious semi-sweet chocolate chips in a soft, chewy bar. Perfectly baked to golden perfection, these bars offer the classic flavors of peanut butter and chocolate in an easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing treat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
- Category: Brownies and Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter (traditional, like Jif or Skippy, not natural)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
Mix-ins
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper to prevent sticking and set it aside.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with light brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is creamy and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract, beating until well blended and smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: Stir in the all-purpose flour and baking soda until just combined, careful not to overmix.
- Fold in chocolate chips: Gently fold the semi-sweet chocolate chips into the dough for an even distribution of chocolate.
- Assemble bars with peanut butter: Spread half of the cookie dough evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish using your fingertips. Dollop the creamy peanut butter over the dough using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or teaspoons, dropping it in small mounds without spreading it out.
- Add remaining dough: Carefully top the peanut butter dollops with the remaining cookie dough. It’s okay if some peanut butter shows through.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 24-28 minutes, until the bars are lightly golden and set.
- Cool and serve: Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan before slicing into bars to ensure neat cuts and perfect texture.
Notes
- Use traditional creamy peanut butter brands like Jif or Skippy instead of natural peanut butter for best texture and flavor.
- Do not spread out the peanut butter on the dough. Leaving it in dollops provides the perfect creamy swirl in each bite.
- Make sure bars are completely cooled before cutting to avoid crumbling.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- If using unsalted butter, add 1 teaspoon kosher salt with the flour for balanced seasoning.
Keywords: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars, Chocolate Chip Bars, Peanut Butter Bars, Easy Dessert Bars, No-Frosting Bars, Chewy Bars
