Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars (7 Ingredients!)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars — These peanut butter chocolate bars are loaded with chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter. This is a one-bowl dessert you’re bound to love!

Addicting Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

I have so many peanut butter dessert recipes on my blog, but you can never have too many. That’s what I tell myself anyway.

Check out the Related Recipes below for a small sampling of all the peanut butter bars I’ve made on my blog. And there’s at least a dozen more in my cookbook, Peanut Butter Comfort. 

When I want an easy, fuss-free recipe that I know everyone will love, I call upon my trusty blondie base. With 35+ versions and counting, it never lets me down.

It’s an easy recipe to memorize because everything is ‘one’. In the 1 bowl used, melt 1 stick of butter, stir in 1 egg, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and 1 cup flour. 

For these peanut butter chocolate chip bars, I added 1 cup chocolate chips and peanut butter. The only thing that’s not ‘one’ is the amount peanut butter (1/3 cup).

I made these peanut butter chocolate bars in a hot, un-airconditioned kitchen which contributed to the melty look!

These peanut butter chocolate chip bars are super soft, slightly chewy, buttery, and peanut buttery. Between the butter and the peanut butter, they’re super moist and just melt in your mouth. 

There’s an abundance of chocolate in every bite. There’s no other way to do chocolate other than in abundance. These peanut butter bars were definitely worth heating my house up for.

What’s in Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars? 

For this chocolate peanut butter dessert recipe, you’ll need: 

• Unsalted butter
• Peanut butter
• Egg
• Brown sugar
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Chocolate chips

How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

I love how quick and easy these chocolate chip peanut butter bars are to whip up! Here’s an overview of how the bars come together:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, vanilla, brown sugar, and peanut butter.
2. Stir in the flour and chocolate chips and mix until just combined.
3. Turn the batter into a greased 8×8-inch pan and sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top for good measure. 
4. Bake the peanut butter chocolate chip bars until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. You’ll need to let them cool in the pan for 30 minutes before slicing and serving (I took these photos in Aruba on a very hot day, so my bars were pretty melty). 

Can I Double This Recipe? 

Yes, you can easily double the ingredients in this recipe and bake these peanut butter chocolate bars in a 9×13-inch pan. Just note that the bake time will differ, so keep an eye on your bars near the end of their bake time. 

Can I Bake the Bars in a 9×9-Inch Pan?

This recipe calls for an 8×8-inch metal baking dish. If you only have a 9×9-inch pan on hand, that’s fine. Just note that the bars will be thinner and that you’ll need to reduce the bake time.

Can I Use Oil Instead of Melted Butter? 

No, oil can’t be substituted for the melted butter in this recipe. Your bars won’t have the correct texture if you use oil!

Can I Use Another Kind of Chocolate Chips? 

Of course! You can use peanut butter chips as well in these peanut butter bars, or you can chop up a chocolate bar if you don’t have chips on hand. 

White chocolate chips are also tasty with peanut butter.

Can I Use a Natural Peanut Butter?

No, you don’t want to use natural peanut butter for these peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars as it has a tendency to be too oily or to separate.

You want to use a peanut butter brand like Jif, Skippy, or Peter Pan. 

Can I Use Another Nut Butter? 

I’ve only made the peanut butter bars recipe as written. You might be able to use another nut butter if it’s a no-stir variety, but I can’t say for sure.

Cookie butter and almond butter would by my two suggestions.

Leave me a comment below if you try it out and the recipe works for you! 

Tips for Making Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Glass vs. metal pans: For this recipe, I used a metal 8×8-inch pan. If you bake with a glass pan, it may alter your bake time since metal conducts heat better than glass. 

Flour: I’ve never made these peanut butter chocolate chip bars with anything other than all-purpose flour, so I can’t speak to whether gluten-free flour or whole wheat flour would work for this recipe. Same thing goes for egg replacers.

Vanilla: If desired, you can scale back on the amount of vanilla you add to these bars. I always add at least 2 teaspoons of vanilla to my baked goods because I love the flavor it lends to any bar or brownie I make, but feel free to adjust the amount to suit your personal tastes. 

What Readers Are Saying

This recipe was originally published in August of 2014 and I am sharing it again in June 2022 for newer readers. At that time I had a small child and now I have a high schooler. Time truly does fly!

Readers love these peanut butter chocolate chip bars! Here are just a few of the 5-star reviews that have been left on this recipe.

“I’ve made these twice in the last 2 weeks and they are easy, absolute yumminess! I used 2 tsp. vanilla extract, and definitely be sure to cool (though it was hard for my sweetie to resis!) at least 30 minutes before serving to give the bottoms time to cool and set up a bit. Great recipe I will make and share again and again!” — Amy Miller

“10/10 recommend!!! Came together super fast and was delicious! Thank you!” — Jerica Debruzzi

“These are amazing! Rich and delicious. I doubled the recipe for a 9×13 pan. Based on a previous suggestion in the comments, I used a full cup of Jif vs 2/3 cup (for the doubled recipe). The edges baked up perfectly crispy and the middle was rich and kind of fudgy. Make it and enjoy!” — Jen

“Amazing!!! I’ve already made this 3 times and they are just so delicious. Thank you for the recipe.” — Eva

“I made this recipe for the first time today. I love it! I did use natural PB but it was a no stir version. I had to bake them for closer to 30 mins where I live. Definitely going to use this one again! Thanks for the recipe.” — Alicia

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
• 1/3 heaping cup peanut butter*
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips + 2 tablespoons, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
3. Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the peanut butter, egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the flour and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
5. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips.
6. Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
7. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, smoothly the top lightly with a spatula.
8. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until done. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
9. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Notes

*I use Jif, Skippy or similar; natural PB can separate and/or be too oily.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

9

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 379Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 63mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 2gSugar: 31gProtein: 5g

More Peanut Butter Desserts: 

ALL OF MY PEANUT BUTTER RECIPES! 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars — Can’t decide if you want PB or chocolate? Make these easy no-bake fudge bars! Chocolate + PB is sooo irresistible!!

Loaded Peanut Butter Cookie Cake — Peanut butter is used 3 WAYS: In the dough, with peanut butter cups, and Reese’s Pieces!! EASY, no mixer, super soft center with chewy edges, and tastes AMAZING!!

Easy 4-Ingredient Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies — The cookies are impossibly easy and can be made in advance with ingredients you likely already have on hand! 

Peanut Butter Cup Peanut Butter Bars — The bars are super soft, slightly chewy, buttery, and have plenty of peanut butter flavor with enough chocolate to balance it.

Better Than Anything Peanut Butter Cake — This Peanut Butter Cake is a super easy poke cake recipe. It’s packed with peanut butter flavor and topped with a mix of peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups. 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars — he bars are soft, chewy, and filling. They’re definitely on the denser side and if you’re looking for a hearty, comfort food breakfast, you’ve found it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars — You don’t have to pick between a peanut butter or a chocolate dessert in these no-bake, one-bowl, gluten-free, fast, and easy bars.

Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Cup Swirl Cake — Yellow cake  is spiked with peanut butter, hot fudge, topped with a peanut butter glaze, more hot fudge, and sprinkled with peanut butter cups!

Loaded Peanut Butter Cookie Pie — The cookie pie is slightly crisp around the edges and buttery soft and chewy in the center. There’s lots of texture from the sprinkles, the crunchy Reese’s Pieces shells, and it’s exploding with bigtime peanut butter flavor.

Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies – These chocolate-dipped peanut butter pudding cookies are SOFT AND CHEWY on the inside thanks to the addition of pudding mix in the cookie dough!

Originally posted August 29, 2014 and reposted June 17, 2022 with updated text.

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