Peanut butter cookie bars are a classic peanut butter cookie in bar form. Tender and chewy on the inside, they have a slight crisp and golden brown color on the edges. Try them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Do you love cookie bars? Try these s’mores cookie bars, chewy turtle cookie bars, or peppermint bark cookie bars next!
Do you love dessert bars? Try chai blondies, gluten-free lemon bars, or apple pie bars next.
Ingredients You need
Here are the simple ingredients for this easy peanut butter bars recipe. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- All-purpose Flour: Sub gluten-free flour if needed.
- Baking soda: Check the expiration date on it and make sure it’s not older than 6 months.
- Cornstarch: For an extra chewy texture!
- Unsalted butter: Plant-based vegan butter works too.
- Creamy no-stir peanut butter: Not drippy peanut butter with oil.
- Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar works too.
- Granulated sugar: White sugar, organic cane sugar, or coconut sugar and any of its substitutes are all options.
- Salt & vanilla: For flavor
- Egg: Use room temperature to mix into the dough better.
- Milk: Use any kind like skim milk, whole milk, or almond milk.
- Peanut butter chips: I used Reese’s Pieces, but white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or chocolate chips work as well.
Want to make peanut butter chocolate chip bars? Swap the peanut butter chips for regular chocolate chips!
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this peanut butter cookie bars recipe. Jump to the recipe card for printable version.
Step 1. Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2. Wet ingredients: Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla, egg, egg yolk, and then the milk.
Step 3. Finish Cookie Dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together until combined. The dough will be very soft and thick.
Step 4. Add Peanut Butter Chips: Fold in the peanut butter chips.
Step 5. Press into Dish: Transfer the dough to the baking dish and press it into all four corners of the pan.
Step 6. Bake: Bake for 32-35 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. Insert a toothpick into the center of the bars to test for doneness.
Add Some Chocolate!
Want to make chocolate peanut butter cookie bars? Use regular chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips for peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars! You could even drizzle melted chocolate on top of the bars.
Recipe FAQs
There could be a number of reasons that your cookie bars turn out dry. Be careful not to overmix or overbake the bars, to use enough fat, and not to overdo it on the flour.
Excessive peanut butter can make the cookie dough too soft and sticky, resulting in flat cookies. It can also make the cookies overly greasy, but can also make them dry and crumbly. Be sure to follow the recipe’s measurements to avoid these issues.
If you expect to finish the cookies within a few days, you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container. If you want to keep the cookies for more than a few days, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freezing and Storing Tips
To store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. After freezing, allow the dough to come to room temperature and continue baking. Baked cookie bars freeze well wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months. Thaw peanut butter cookie bars overnight in the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature before serving.
Feels like Breakfast on the Beach!
- Thick and delicious with tons of coconut flavor
- Takes 5 minutes to make
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
- Full of healthy fats
- Add protein powder for a complete breakfast
- Sweet tropical flavors
Love refreshing smoothies? Try this pitaya smoothie bowl, blueberry raspberry smoothie, or tropical kale smoothie next!
Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl
- Thick enough to scoop with a spoon. Not a drink.
- 5 minutes from freezer to bowl.
- One blender, no extra dishes.
- Add 25g of protein with a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Full breakfast, full morning.
- Naturally Gluten-Free, Paleo, Dairy-Free, and Vegan. No swaps needed.
- Pre-portion the fruit ahead so weekday mornings are zero decisions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen banana. One whole. Banana is the texture anchor; don’t skip.
- Frozen pineapple. ¾ cup. Pre-cut from the freezer aisle works.
- Frozen mango. ½ cup. Same rule.
- Full-fat coconut milk. ⅓ cup, from the can. Shake the can well before measuring or you’ll pour off only the watery part.
- Coconut extract. Optional, ¼ teaspoon. Boosts the coconut flavor without making it taste like sunscreen. A little goes a long way.
- Vanilla protein powder. Optional, one 25g scoop. I use Be Well by Kelly because the ingredient list is short. If you add protein powder, add an extra splash of coconut milk to keep it blendable.
- Toppings. Whatever’s in the kitchen: shredded coconut, chia seeds, fresh fruit, granola, nut butter.
How to Make a Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- Add the Frozen Fruit First. Dump all the frozen into a high-speed blender. Don’t add the liquid yet. Start dry.
- Add the Liquid Slowly. Add the coconut milk, coconut extract, and protein powder if using. Blend on low first, then high. Stop and stir or tamp down as needed. If the blender stalls, add coconut milk one tablespoon at a time until it moves. Don’t drown it.
- Pour and Top. Pile the toppings on, hit it with a drizzle of nut butter or honey if you want, and serve immediately. Smoothie bowls melt fast.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl Toppings
The toppings are where you make it yours. A few that work:
- Chia seeds: crunch and fiber. Half a tablespoon goes a long way.
- Granola: crunch. Use one with chunky clusters.
- Shredded coconut or coconut flakes: doubles down on the coconut.
- Nut butter: coconut almond butter, macadamia butter, or cashew butter for a tropical feel. Warm it slightly so it drizzles.
- Extra fruit: kiwi, banana slices, mango, fresh pineapple. Sparingly, because there’s already a lot of fruit in the bowl.
- Bee pollen, hemp hearts, or cacao nibs if you want to lean health-y.
Prefer a more decadent smoothie? Try our cake batter protein shake, chocolate peanut butter protein smoothie, or chocolate and cherry smoothie.
FAQS
Too much liquid. Add more frozen fruit a handful at a time and blend until it thickens. Or remember the rule for next time: 2 parts frozen fruit to 1 part liquid, max.
Not enough liquid, fruit not chopped small enough, or the blender isn’t powerful enough. Stop, scrape the sides, tamp the fruit toward the blades, and pulse instead of running on high.
Yes. The recipe works as-is without protein powder. If you do add protein, add an extra splash of coconut milk so it blends.
Yes. With coconut milk and a plant-based protein powder, it’s naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, and Vegan.
Yes. Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags. In the morning, dump one bag in the blender, add coconut milk and protein powder, and blend.
Store the smoothie base (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. After that, it separates and loses creaminess. Give it a stir or a quick re-blend before serving.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl
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Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk shaken
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract optional
- 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder optional
- Toppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a highs-speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until a smooth and thick consistency. If you don't have a high powered blender it may take a little longer or you may need to add another splash of coconut milk.1 frozen banana, 3/4 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk, 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder
- Pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppingsToppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Notes
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed to get the desired texture.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tips for Thick Smoothie Bowls
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Prep and Storage Tips
Prep ahead: Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags so weekday mornings are just dump-and-blend.
Storage: Store the smoothie base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. It separates after that.
Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, give it a stir, and pour into the bowl.
More Smoothie Recipes
Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
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Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (Note 2 Gluten-Free)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (Note 3. Dairy-Free)
- 2/3 cup (173g) creamy no-stir peanut butter
- ¾ cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk room temperature (Note 4)
- 2 Tablespoons milk any kind
- 1 cup peanut butter chips we used Reese’s chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a square 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan when cool.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the vanilla, egg, egg yolk, and then the milk. The mixture will be thick.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to mix together until combined. The dough will be very soft and thick. Fold in the peanut butter chips. The chips may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to evenly distribute them into the dough.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it into all four corners of the pan, smoothing out the top into an even layer.
- Bake for 32-35 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. Insert a toothpick into the center of the bars to test for doneness. If it comes out clean, the bars are done. Start checking for doneness around 30 minutes as every oven and baking pan varies and can affect the cook time.
- Allow the bars to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for at least an hour. Use the parchment paper to remove the bars from the pan. Cut into 16 squares and serve. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Notes
Video
Equipment
- 8×8-inch square baking pan (Note 1)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I used your recipe and the peanut butter bars were fantastic. Everyone loves them.
Please note, the instructions do NOT mention when to add the peanut butter. I added the PB after heating the butter and whisking the two sugars.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Thanks for calling that out, Bob! I updated the recipe. You were correct to add it with the butter and sugars! Glad you liked them:)