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These peanut butter cookie bars are thick, chewy, and perfectly gooey. They’re made with simple ingredients and come together in less than 30 minutes.
Love simple dessert bars? Try my chocolate chip cookie bars, oatmeal chocolate chip bars, and monster cookie bars next.
If you’ve tried my peanut butter blondies before, my peanut butter cookie bar recipe has to be next on your baking list. While they share similar qualities, the cookie bars have firmer and crisp edges while keeping the middles perfectly gooey. With the addition of chocolate chunks, they never last long!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- 6 simple ingredients. Nothing complicated here, just basic, easy-to-find ingredients, most of which you probably have on hand.
- Peanut butter chocolate flavor in each bite. If you love the peanut butter chocolate combo as much as I do, then you’ll love these cookie bars.
- A make-ahead treat. These bars taste just as good fresh as they do on day one or two, so feel free to make them in advance and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- Quick and easy. From prep to plate, these bake up in under 30 minutes.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“My husband actually asked me if I accidentally used sugar to make these. These are AMAZING! Thank you for yet another fantastic recipe. You are fabulous.” – Kim
Ingredients needed
- Butter. I used unsalted butter, so I have complete control over how much salt gets added to the bars.
- Coconut sugar. I enjoy coconut sugar for its subtle caramelized notes, but you could use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. While you technically can use white sugar, your bars won’t be as gooey throughout.
- Maple syrup. For extra sweetness and to bind the ingredients together.
- Peanut butter. Smooth, drippy peanut butter with no sugar added.
- Vanilla extract. A key ingredient to any good baking recipe!
- Egg. Room-temperature eggs are best.
- Self-rising flour. I used self-rising flour specifically because baking powder and salt had already been added to it. If you’re using all-purpose flour, add 2 teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Chocolate chips. Optional, but I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use whatever chocolate chips you have on hand.
How to make peanut butter cookie bars
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Cream butter. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. Beat until creamy and fluffy.
Step 2- Add the rest of the ingredients. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, and egg. Mix until combined. Add the flour then stir the chocolate chips into the flour mixture.
Step 3- Transfer, bake, cool. Transfer the batter to the lined baking dish and bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cookie bars cool completely before slicing.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use good-quality peanut butter. Trust me, now is not the time for Skippy or Jif. You’ll want to use your best peanut butter since it’s the bulk of these cookie bars.
- You’ll know the bars are done when they’re golden brown on top, slightly crisp on the edges, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Avoid overbaking. The bars will continue to cook after they’ve been removed from the heat, so if you wait until they’re firm in the middle, they can become overcooked.
- Cover in foil. If the tops of the cookie bars brown too quickly, you can cover them in foil to prevent burning.
Variations
- Make them vegan. Use plant-based butter and vegan chocolate chips, and swap the egg for 1 flax egg made with 3 tablespoons of flaxseed and 1 tablespoon of water.
- Make them gluten-free. Use gluten-free self-rising flour.
- Experiment with mix-ins. Fold in some Reese’s pieces, M&Ms, chopped nuts, peanut butter chips, or top them with chocolate frosting.
- Swap the peanut butter. If you’re not a peanut butter fan or you have an allergy, use other nut butters like almond butter or cashew butter. For a nut-free recipe, use sunflower seed butter or tahini.
How to store leftovers
To store: Store the leftover peanut butter bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the fridge for 2 weeks.
To freeze: Let the bars cool completely, then wrap them in foil or plastic wrap and freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Thaw the bars overnight before enjoying them, or pop them in the microwave and heat them in 15-second intervals.
More dessert bar recipes to try
Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer, add the butter, coconut sugar, and maple syrup and beat together until creamy and fluffy. Add the peanut butter and vanilla, and egg until combined. Slowly add in the flour until combined, then fold through the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the mixture into the lined pan and bake for 25 minutes.
- Let the cookie bars cool completely, before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published May 2019, updated and republished April 2024
What can I use instead of maple syrup? I dont like it actually
Your peanutbars are great and also your lemon cheesecake you are great cook thank you
Thanks, Maurreen
You mention vanilla extract but it’s not listed on the recipe card. How much should be used?
Sorry 1/2 teaspoon 🙂
Wow so good. Didnt know peanut butter can be used in cookies!
verna not 98 sorry arman no 8″ pan
sounds good. Don’t have a 98″ pan,what can I use,a pie glass dish?
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but have loved your other recipes🥰 thank you for re-introducing me to baking…with way more fun!
Cheers,
Jill
Wow
This can be amazing after dinner, usually have protein bar store bought!
The best Keto/low carb dessert I’ve made! The texture is great. I made them in a mini muffin pan with paper liners for portion control.
Hi! Can i replace almond flour or part of it with all-purpose? (I don’t follow keto). Thanks a lot in advance!!
I haven’t tried- I don’t see why not though 🙂
I haven’t tried them yet but they look great! However I prefer fluffy bars and these are rather flat. Would you suggest I could use baking powder in the next round?
Hi Jill- Double the amount or bake them in a small loaf pan (this yields even thicker and fluffier ones!)
I’m confused, i see mentions of almond flour in the comments but the recipe calls for self rising flour. Is there a keto alternative to this recipe that I’m not seeing.
Hi, thank you for the recipes. Ive tried a few of your recipes now and these look really yummy. Cant wait top try them. Question, i know how to do the blanched almond flour on my own, but is superfine almond flour the same thing. Im assuming it is, but just wanted to check. Thanks.
Hi 🙂 Yes the same 🙂
My husband actually asked me if I accidentally used sugar to make these. These are AMAZING! Thank you for yet another fantastic recipe. You are fabulous.
You are a gem, Kim!
I just made these… and they are soooooo good!!!!
I’ve used almond milk and put 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 regular white sugar. it’s delicious 🙂
Just made these…I think next time I’ll use 1/2 cup of sugar…but too sweet with a full cup otherwise very yummy.
I’m going to make it
It gives all the nutritional information for one bar, but how big of a bar? How many servings is it?
12 bars per recipe!
what would be the difference between using flaxseed and not?
The egg bakes up better 🙂
Any replacement for the coconut flour for allergies?
Not for this recipe!
Can I use coconut sugar?
Yes!
The dough came out very crumbly is it supposed to be that way?
It should be thick but not crumbly- add more milk if needed
I’m 11, and I love to bake! So I decided to make these, they were delicious! Thank you for putting them out there, and keep making recipes like this!
Is that sea salt sprinkled on top?
Sure is- I always add it to everything 🙂
Did you use salted or unsalted peanut butter?
Hi! I used salted, because I love sweet/salty, but feel free to use all natural 🙂
Hello Arman! Just did the recipe! The result doesnt look like the one on the photo but nevertheless its amazing!!! Thanks so much for sharing! Again, greetings from Cyprus! 🙂
So welcome, Eliana!
Hi Arman, these look great. Can I use Almond Milk instead of the Coconut Milk?
That should be fine!
These look so good! Is there a substitute for almond flour for those of us that can’t have almonds?
I’ve only tried the recipe as written. Feel free to experiment and see!
Thank you so much! XO 😊
Could you tell me if I could use 1 egg instead of the flaxseed?
You sure can!
Still gooey after 35-40 minutes. No top crust forming. Weird. Any idea what happened?
Arman, I made these about an hour ago. Ha! I could hardly wait for them to cool. They are so delicious. I was worried that 1 cup of Pure granulated sweetner would be too much, but they really hit my sweet tooth cravings. If you are using Pure, and you don’t like things too sweet, I would use a bit less, but WOW! Thanks Arman. 🙂
These bars look delicious! Have to try them out–gotta love peanut butter for any recipe! It’d be hard for me to only enjoy one bar though XD
These are in my oven right now and I can’t wait to see my kids faces when they’re done! I’m hoping to trick my hubby into eating these secretly healthy cookie bars too, he sure won’t guess they’re healthy, they look just like the old grain-filled, sugar packed ones! Thanks for the recipe and tips!
You are so welcome! Hope everyone enjoys them 🙂