This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
My Peanut Butter Cookie Bars have a chocolate fudge topping! They are a combination of the best peanut butter bars and rich fudge for the ultimate cookie bar. If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you’re in the right place.
There is nothing I love more than a dessert mash-up, and, y’all, these bars are INSANE. Rich peanut butter cookies paired with chocolate fudge make an epic dessert bar mash-up. Which, if you know anything about me, is right up my alley!
BEST Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
These bars are amazing – it’s my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe topped with an EASY fudge! Obviously, I started with peanut butter cookies. Have you read this blog? It should be called Crazy for Peanut Butter.
These cookie fudge bars please everyone – the cookie and candy lovers alike. Plus: PB&C, you can’t go wrong.
I love that these chocolate fudge bars are made as cookie bars because, come on. Sometimes scooping cookie dough is just too hard. Bars are so much easier! Basically, you bake the cookie bars, let them cool, and then make an easy fudge recipe that spreads all over the top. Your entire family will love these bars!
They are a riff on these cookie fudge bars. When I made the funfetti version, I told myself every cookie needs a fudge topper. Am I right or am I riiiiiight?
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Butter – use unsalted butter and let it soften at room temperature
- Peanut butter – I like to use creamy but crunchy works too!
- Sugar – for my cookies I love using a combination of brown sugar and granulated suga
- Egg, Vanilla, Salt, Baking Soda, Flour – typical cookie ingredients
- Milk – my secret to soft peanut butter cookies
- Chocolate chips – either semi-sweet or milk chocolate
- Sweetened condensed milk – to make the fudge topping
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Bars
1. Cream: Cream the butter, peanut butter, and both kinds of sugars in a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
2. Mix: Add the eggs, vanilla, milk, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined, and then slowly add the flour and mix just until the dough comes together.
3. Bake: Press the dough into a prepared 9×13” baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 18 to 24 minutes or until golden. Let the peanut butter bars cool completely.
4. Fudge: Once the cookie bars are cooled, make the fudge topping. Place the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan. Heat them over low heat, frequently stirring, until smooth.
5. Top: Pour the mixture over the cooled bars and sprinkle the nuts and sprinkles over the top, if using. Let the fudge cool so it can set up before slicing the bars.
These are like having a peanut butter cookie bar with chocolate fudge frosting!
Recipe Tips
- The toppings are optional, but I like to add some sprinkles and nuts for decoration. Any color sprinkles you like will work, and chopped peanuts add some crunch.
- I think it’s easier to make the fudge on the stove, but you can use the microwave, too. If you use the microwave, you will need to melt the chocolate with the milk in one-minute increments stirring between each. It takes a while to do it this way, and be careful because the bowl gets very hot.
- Storing cookie bars: Once the bars are cooled, you can store them in an airtight container. They will keep well for up to three days at room temperature – if they last that long!
- Can you freeze cookie bars? Yes you can – these can be frozen with or without the fudge topping.
More Mashup Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Have you made this recipe?
Tag @crazyforcrust on Instagram or hashtag it #crazyforcrust
Peanut Butter Cookie Fudge Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup (200g) peanut butter
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (510g) chocolate chips semi-sweet or milk
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13” pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Cream butter, peanut butter, and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg, vanilla, milk, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined. Slowly add flour and mix until dough just comes together.
- Press the cookie dough into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 18-24 minutes, until it gets golden on top. Let cool completely before making fudge for the top.
- Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk slowly over low heat, stirring often in a saucepan. Once it’s smooth, remove from heat and immediately pour and spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle with sprinkles or chopped nuts, if desired. Cool completely before cutting into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- You can make the fudge portion in the microwave using a microwave safe bowl and stirring every minute until melted and smooth. It’ll take awhile, be careful the bowl is hot!
Recipe Nutrition
These Cookie Fudge Bars are a combination of the best peanut butter bars and rich fudge for the ultimate cookie bar. If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you’re in the right place today!
Oh man do these look good! Can’t go wrong with pb and chocolate!
Hahahaha! “Outside” is a dirty word to me too! Loving those indoor s’mores too 🙂
You’re killing me, girl! I want the whole pan of these fudge bars. One of my favorite desserts are the no bake chocolate peanut butter bars that are like a Reese’s cup. I think I need to try these.
Chocolate & PB, can never go wrong…and I love the little chocolate sprinkles on top. The texture can’t be beat and everything’s better with sprinkles 🙂
This sounds like one epic mashup ( I don’t even like the word epic but these bars called for it!) I better hop over to eBay now!
Featured In
Rate This Recipe