Description
These Nutter Butter Cookie Bars are a delightful twist on classic blondies, packed with creamy peanut butter, crunchy Nutter Butter cookies, and melty peanut butter chips. Perfect for peanut butter lovers, they offer a chewy, buttery texture with chunks of cookies throughout, baked to a perfect golden brown.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Base:
- Cooking spray
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (180 g) all-natural chunky peanut butter
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
Mix-ins and Topping:
- 8 Nutter Butter cookies, (about 4 oz), coarsely chopped
- 5 whole Nutter Butter cookies (divided)
- 1 cup peanut butter chips (about 6 oz), divided (2/3 cup plus 1/3 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 13″ x 9″ metal baking pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two long opposite sides. Grease the parchment with cooking spray to ensure easy removal of the bars later.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed to beat the packed brown sugar, melted butter, chunky peanut butter, vanilla extract, and kosher salt until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Add Eggs and Leavening: Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition to incorporate fully without overmixing. Then add the baking powder and continue beating until the mixture is well blended.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Mix-ins: Using a flexible rubber spatula, gently fold the all-purpose flour into the batter just until a few flour streaks remain to avoid overmixing. Fold in the coarsely chopped Nutter Butter cookies and two-thirds (2/3) of the peanut butter chips evenly throughout the batter.
- Assemble in Pan: Pour and scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to level the surface. Carefully twist apart the remaining whole Nutter Butter cookies and press the separated cookie halves, peanut ridged side facing up, into the top of the batter. Sprinkle the remaining one-third (1/3) of the peanut butter chips evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven until the edges and top are light golden brown and a toothpick or tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 23 to 27 minutes.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars from the pan and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into 15 squares and serve.
Notes
- Ensure the eggs are at room temperature for better incorporation and texture.
- Do not overmix the flour to maintain a tender, chewy texture in the bars.
- The parchment paper overhang is key for easy removal without breaking the bars.
- Leftover bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- For a more intense peanut butter flavor, use natural or all-natural peanut butter with no added sugars.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/15th of the recipe)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
