This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
I know, you’re probably tired of gooey bars at this point, but you must make room for one more recipe. These Peanut Butter Cookie Gooey Bars combine my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe and gooey chocolate for the most decadent gooey bar EVER!
For the longest time I have wondered why people tell me I don’t look like my profile picture. I’ve wondered why, when I’m with people like Hayley, strangers flock to her at every step but when I’m alone I seem to repel people like opposites of a magnet. Last week I finally figured out the answers to these problems:
I have RBF, otherwise known as “Resting B****y Face”. It’s a real thing, RBF, and I have it. I have it bad.
I happened to be talking about this last week in Carmel with Lisa and Cathy and Cathy said, “You know, when I first got out of the car I thought you didn’t like me.”
Apparently, until I smile I look like an enormous you-know-what. When I smile, my face lights up and I become the Dorothy that everyone knows (and, I guess, the Dorothy of that profile picture up there on the sidebar).
RBF, an affliction that answers so many questions. How do you cure RBF? I’m not sure.
The “mini smile” seems fake and it looks like I’m telling you to go do something to yourself while I smile at you.
Walking around with a full smile just makes me look like I’m on something. No one is that happy all of the time.
So, the moral of the story is that, if you meet me and don’t recognize me, make me smile at you. And know that I’m really not a bitch, just my face is.
Thank goodness I can bake goodies like these gooey bars; they have redeeming powers.
So, these peanut butter cookie gooey bars. Really, they’re one of the best things ever.
First, know they’re like a meal. Forget the protein bar, have a gooey bar instead. Swallow it down with some milk and you have the lunch of champions.
Second, I know these are super amazing because I brought them on my trip last week an 9 other food bloggers tasted them. Not one spit one out and told me they sucked, so I think I have a pretty good recipe on my hands. 🙂
These bars start with my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. I’ve used that same recipe for so many things, including s’mores, caramel cookie bars, and stuffed cookies.
{Hey, when you find a recipe that works, why break it?}
Instead of making cookies out of the dough, I spread about 2/3 of it into the bottom of a 9×13″ pan. Then I poured chocolate chips and a can of sweetened condensed milk over the top and spread the remaining dough over that.
Once they bake they’re ooey gooey chocolatey peanut butter heaven. I think they’re the cure for RBF, what do you think?
At least they make me smile…and that makes me look like me. Peanut butter FTW.
Peanut Butter Cookie Gooey Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13” pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Cream butter, peanut butter, and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add egg, vanilla, milk, salt, and baking soda. Mix until combined. Slowly add flour and mix until dough comes together.
- Press 2/3 of the dough in the bottom of the pan. The dough is very sticky so spray your hands with cooking spray first. It’ll look like you don’t have enough dough but spread it into a thin layer.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the bottom layer. Pour the sweetened condensed milk (SCM) over the chocolate chips. Try to give a 1/2 inch border around the edges where the SCM does not touch the edge of the pan. This prevents bubbling edges.
- Spoon tablespoon drops of your remaining dough over the top of the SCM layer. Spray your hands again with cooking spray and gently flatten the dough with your fingers. I sort of spread the dough a bit while I was flattening. It won’t completely cover; you’ll still see the filling.
- Bake for about 30-36 minutes, until the bars begin to brown on top. Cool completely before slicing. These are gooey when you cut them unless you chill them first. (They taste better gooey!)
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They can be frozen in sealable containers or ziploc bags between layers of paper towels for up to one month.
Recipe Nutrition
Click here to see more PEANUT BUTTER recipes!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Gooey Bars
Butterscotch Blondie Gooey Bars
Sweets from friends:
Oatmeal Cream Pie Gooey Bars by Life, Love, and Sugar
Butterfinger Ooey Gooey Bars by The Gunny Sack
Red Velvet Almond Joy Gooey Cake Bars by Mandy’s Recipe Box
Should these be refrigerated?
They don’t need to be.
So… I read a step wrong and mixed the condensed milk into the batter.
Yeah, still delicious.
Your bars brought back memories of my childhood. Mom made these for special occasions. On another note, I also have a RBF and get asked “are you mad at me?” or “Is everything all right?” No, I’m just concentrating on something and, thanks to you, I have a name for this process. Happy to know I’m not the only one.
Just made these today and thought they were great! Thank you!
These look amazing and I’m literally about to make them! Can I make one suggestion? I find it very helpful when photos of the process are included rather than several photos of the final product. That way I know I’m doing it right. Can’t wait for these to come out of the oven! Thanks for posting, just what I was looking for today!
Featured In
Rate This Recipe
Recipe Ratings without Comment