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A thick peanut butter cookie bar, just like your favorite thick and chewy peanut butter cookie, but only in easy cookie bar form.
This is the ultimate recipe for any peanut butter lover. My kids go crazy over these chewy Peanut Butter Cookie Bars!
We all love a good peanut butter cookie. In fact, this happens to be the best ever peanut butter cookie recipe on the planet. And today, I’m showing you how to make them in bar form.
Because sometimes, there just isn’t enough time in the day to make traditional cookies and the cookie craving still must be satisfied!
Chewy Peanut Butter Bars
There are no dry, crunchy peanut butter cookies allowed on my watch. Baking these Chewy Peanut Butter Cookie Bars in a pan ensures they will be thick and chewy – and slightly doughy if that’s your thing – take care not to over bake them!
I like to under-bake mine just a bit. They turn out nice and chewy every time.
This is one of the easiest recipes you make ever make and it’s sure to become a favorite. These cookie bars don’t require any special ingredients, so you likely always have everything you need on hand to make them.
That makes this recipe perfect for when you need a last minute treat to take somewhere or just have a late night baking craving.
Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, stir in dry ingredients, bake, and ta-da! Peanut Butter Cookie Bars. They really are that easy.
We like to enjoy our peanut butter cookies around here in many different ways. I don’t think you can ever can have too many peanut butter desserts.
Creamy, fluffy peanut butter mousse (and this chocolate mousse too!) are no-bake summer desserts that get made frequently. This is the perfect after-dinner treat with friends, but it is also a fun dessert for no special occasion at all.
We like these No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies and these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies too.
For times when you’re feeling like something extra special, these Buckeyes (aka Peanut Butter Balls) are amazing on their own or when paired with these Buckeye Brownie Bites.
Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats are another easy peanut butter dessert that won’t even require you to turn on the oven.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls pack a punch of rich peanut butter with the earthy taste of oats and that hint of sweetness we all crave.
Peanut Butter Cookie Bar Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until well combined.
- Spread the batter in the 9×13 baking pan. Bake for about 28-32 minutes or until just set. But DO NOT overbake. They will firm up as the cool. Let cool before cutting into bars.
- Store tightly covered on the counter for a day or two or freeze for up to a few weeks.
If you make this recipe, let me know how you liked it. Leave a comment below or give it a rating in the recipe card. Happy Baking!
Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1¼ cups white sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until well combined.
- Spread the batter in the 9×13 baking pan. Bake for about 28-32 minutes or until just set. But DO NOT overbake. They will firm up as the cool. Let cool before cutting into bars.
- Store tightly covered on the counter for a day or two or freeze for up to a few weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 9/16/19 – recipe notes and photos updated 7/1/21}
I made these today and they are very very good. A keeper.
I’m so glad you like the cookie bars, Eunice!
Hi Can you cut back on the white sugar and add more brown sugar??\ Thanks for the nice easy recipe.I hope I get a reply.
We made these for Christmas and we are all in love with them!!! I love bar recipes it makes it easy for my little ones to help. I was wondering if you thought we could use this recipe and make these in a cupcake pan as my son wants them for his birthday?
Yes, you can bake them in a muffin tin. They won’t puff up like cupcakes, but you can make cookie cups that way. I’m so glad that you like the cookie bars, Holly!
I made these bar cookies last night. Really easy recipe which I followed to the letter. Unfortunately I think my oven temperature may be off, as I only baked them for 20 mins. as indicated… let them cool … went to cut them into bars and they were very under baked and were still like cookie dough. Will try again, but will probably leave in for longer bake time.
Wish I would have read this before I made them. I also followed the recipe for 20 minutes, then added another 4. Was afraid to let them go longer. Once they cooled and I cut them, I could only use the edge ones, as the rest were like dough. The ones on the edge were really good though. Probably try again and go 25 – 30.
can crunchy peanut butter be used
I have made these twice now and they are a group favorite. I bake every day for our noon meeting and since COVID hit bars have been my go to. They are easier to cut and individually wrap. My son is in the Army. I vacuum sealed and sent them to South Korea. He said they were soft and delicious.
You should only be using organic ingredients. Better for your health and a crowd pleaser!
Definitely needs to cook more than 20 minutes. 35 minutes was perfect.
I made these cookies this afternoon and they were, like you said, dangerously simple to make. I added chocolate chips during the last 5 minutes of baking and spread the chocolate over the top. Super yummy and so simple! Thank you for adding a new recipe to my list of favorites.
I made mine in a glass Pyrex as it was all I had. I put it in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes because it didn’t seem done in the middle. I took it out and let it cool for 15 minutes and the center was still raw. A little disappointed but I put it back in the oven for 10 more mins at 400 and it still was raw in the center. Was it because I used glass???
Bars are so much easier than cookies! A peanut butter version might be my new favorite treat. Thanks.
Mmm these really do look soft and chewy! I never thought to turn peanut butter cookies into bars! I have to try these right away!