Gooey Peanut Butter Bars (Printable Version)

Soft, chewy bars combining creamy peanut butter and melted chocolate for a decadent finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup creamy peanut butter
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
09 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Chocolate Layer

10 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
11 - 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
03 - Add eggs and vanilla extract to the wet mixture and whisk until fully combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir gently until just combined; avoid overmixing to maintain texture.
06 - Spread half of the batter evenly into the prepared pan, then sprinkle semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips evenly over the layer.
07 - Drop spoonfuls of remaining batter over the chocolate layer and gently spread to cover most of the chocolate, allowing some to peek through.
08 - Bake for 23 to 25 minutes until edges are golden and center is just set; do not overbake to keep bars gooey.
09 - Allow bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting out and cutting into 16 portions.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Rich, decadent dessert bars
  • Soft, chewy texture with creamy peanut butter and chocolate
02 -
  • For extra gooeyness slightly underbake and allow to cool fully before slicing.
  • Swap in dark chocolate chips for a richer flavor or add chopped roasted peanuts for crunch.
03 -
  • Use parchment paper with overhang for easy bar removal.
  • Do not overmix the batter to maintain a soft chewy texture.
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