Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bar Cookies

The peanut butter cookie bars are soft and chewy with lots of chocolate chips. These bars are perfect alongside a glass of cold milk!

Cookies on a plate next to a glass of milk and baking sheet.

Peanut butter cookies are one of my favourites and I find myself baking them quite often. Sometimes I do not have lots of time so I make cookie bars instead. These chocolate chip and peanut butter cookie bars are so good and you end up with 35 cookies in one batch!

A plate of cookies and milk.

What Are Bar Cookies?

Bar cookies are basically just cookies that are not individually shaped and baked. Instead, the dough is pressed into a baking sheet or dish and baked as a big slab. Once finished baking, the cookie slab is cut into individual bars. 

I love bar cookies because not only are they easy to make, the recipe can be baked in one batch since it is a slab. Typically, cookie recipes need to be baked in a couple batches slowing down the process.

Bar cookies are also quite soft and chewy, almost soft like a dense brownie but being a cookie instead. They are awesome!

A glass mixing bowl with butter, peanut butter, with white and brown sugars.

Ingredients You Will Need

Since these are essentially peanut butter cookies pressed into a baking sheet and cut into bars, the ingredients needed are typical for any classic peanut butter cookie.

  • Butter
  • Peanut butter
  • White sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla
  • Flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Chocolate chips

Mixing wet ingredients for the cookies in a glass bowl.

Beat The Wet Ingredients

I find that any time I bake cookies, I prefer to mix together the wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately. Then, they can be beat together which helps to ensure the cookie dough is smooth and creamy.

Start off by creaming the softened butter, peanut butter, white sugar and brown sugar. Once it is all smooth and creamy, mix in the eggs and vanilla.

Flour and other dry ingredients in a glass bowl being sifted with a spoon.

Sift The Dry Ingredients

Dump all the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl and sift them all together. This ensures that everything is evenly dispersed.

Cookie dough mixed in a bowl.

After the wet and dry ingredients have been combined separately, it is time to mix them together. Use an electric mixer to beat the dry into the wet. Peanut butter cookie dough is a little bit on the dry side, so the dough should look a little crumbly after everything has been combined. Finally, beat in the chocolate chips!  

Cookie dough pressing into a baking sheet.

Press The Dough

Take the dough and press it into a cookie sheet. It is important to make sure that the dough is as even of a layer as possible to ensure even and consistent baking. This is now ready to go into the oven for baking!

Baked cookie bars cut and divided.

How Long To Bake Cookie Bars?

Bake the cookie bars in a 375F oven. Depending on the size of the cookie sheet, the baking time will vary. 

  • 20-22 minutes for a 15×10 inch cookie sheet
  • 17-19 minutes for a 17×11 inch cookie sheet

As the cookies bake you should notice that the edges begin to brown and crisp up. Once the baking has finished, take the cookie sheet out of the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. After the cookie slab has had a chance to slightly cool down, you can cut it into bars. I cut it into 35 bars, but you can cut them into whatever size you prefer!

A close up picture of cookie bars on a plate.

Other Cookie Bar Recipes!

If you are a fan of cookie bars, then check out these other recipes. 

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bar Cookies

A close up picture of cookie bars on a plate.
5 from 1 vote
Print
Making cookies has never been easier than with this bar cookie recipe. The flavours of chocolate and peanut butter blend together to make a cookie that is simple yet delightful!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 35

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup butter , softened
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven for 375F.
  • Grease a cookie sheet - either a 15x10 or 17x11.
  • With an electric mixer, cream the peanut butter, butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
  • Whisk the baking soda, baking powder and salt in with the flour, then slowly beat the flour into the creamed ingredients until smooth and no longer lumpy.
  • With a wooden spoon or mixer on low, add the chocolate chips until evenly combined.
  • Press the cookie dough evenly on the greased cookie sheet.
  • Bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes if using a 15x10 cookie sheet or 17-19 minutes if using a 17x11 cookie sheet.
  • Cool on a wire rack and cut into bars.

Nutrition

Per serving:

Calories: 158kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 141mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13g

Nutrition Disclaimer

 

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Cookies on a plate next to a glass of milk and baking sheet.

Did you try this recipe?

Leave a comment and let me know how it turned out. Or, take a picture to share on Instagram and tag me @theblackpeppercorn.

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