Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars

A stack of cookie bars with a bowl of peanut butter and Reeses peanut butter cup behind them.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars are chocolate chip cookie bars filled with creamy peanut butter and Reese's peanut butter cups! They're the perfect treat for chocolate + peanut butter lovers.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars, peanut butter cup cookie bars

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Cooling Time 1

Total Time 1 35

Servings

Calories 385kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt (I use kosher salt or sea salt)
2 cups miniature Reese's peanut butter cups, halved (reserve some for the top of the bars, about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips (reserve some for the top of the bars, 2 tablespoons)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
^{*I recommend using parchment paper, with an overhang, for easy removal.}
In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, or use the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the melted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low to medium speed just until combined and no flour pockets or streaks remain in the dough.
2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
Add the miniature Reese's peanut butter cups and the mini chocolate chips. Beat on low speed just until they're incorporated evenly into the dough.
2 cups miniature Reese's peanut butter cups, halved, 1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Use a spatula, spoon or clean hands to smooth out the top. Sprinkle and gently press the reserved Reese's and chocolate chips over the top of the dough.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only moist crumbs and not wet dough.
Allow the bars to cool completly inside the warm pan, at room temperature, before cutting into squares. Enjoy!

Notes

Melted & Cooled Butter : Add the butter to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 45-50 seconds. You should end up with half melted + half soft chunk butter. Use a fork to stir the butter until completely melted and combined. If the chunks are not melting in, put it back into the microwave for 3-5 seconds to help it.

If using unsalted butter increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.

Use any variety of Reese's that you want! The ones called for in the recipe are the miniature unwrapped Reese's. If you're using a different size then just make sure they're chopped small before adding them into the cookie dough. I have made these bars using white chocolate Reese's and then I also used peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips.

You can add various mix-ins such as nuts, other chocolate chips, coconut flakes, different kinds of Reese's, but make sure you keep the mix-in measurement the same (2.5 cups total).

Nutrition