Description
These Peanut Butter Cup Gooey Cookie Bars combine the rich, creamy flavors of peanut butter and chocolate in a delightfully chewy bar. Featuring mini peanut butter cups and semisweet chocolate chips layered within a buttery cookie dough, these bars deliver a luscious gooey center with a golden-brown crust—perfect for dessert or an indulgent snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix-ins & Toppings
- 1 cup mini peanut butter cups (halved)
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to easily lift out the finished bars.
- Cream Butter, Peanut Butter, and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which ensures a tender texture in the final bars.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract thoroughly, making sure everything is well combined for a smooth batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt to distribute the leavening agent and seasoning evenly.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms, being careful not to overmix.
- Add Peanut Butter Cups and Chocolate Chips: Fold in half of the halved peanut butter cups and semisweet chocolate chips evenly into the dough for bursts of flavor throughout.
- Press Dough Into Pan: Take about two-thirds of the dough and press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, creating the base layer.
- Drizzle Condensed Milk: Spread the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the dough layer using the back of a spoon, which will create the gooey center.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle the remaining peanut butter cups and chocolate chips over the condensed milk layer for extra texture and taste.
- Crumble Remaining Dough: Crumble the leftover dough over the top, leaving some parts uncovered to ensure a gooey, soft texture once baked.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set but still slightly soft for optimum gooeyness.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan to set properly before using the parchment overhang to lift them out and slicing into 16 bars.
Notes
- For cleaner, neater slices, chill the bars in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cutting.
- You can substitute mini peanut butter cups with chopped full-size peanut butter cups if preferred.
