The perfect combination of creamy peanut butter and crunchy Oreos create the soft, melt-in-your-mouth Oreo Peanut Butter Cookie Bars. These bars are easy to make, perfect for almost any occasion, and guaranteed way to satisfy any chocolate and peanut butter craving. Whether you are a peanut butter lover, an Oreo fan, or just someone who loves to bake, these cookie bars are sure to become a new favorite in your household
RECIPE NOTES FOR PERFECT OREO PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE BARS:
- Creamy Peanut Butter: Use a creamy peanut butter for this recipe. Chunky peanut butter won’t create the same melt in your mouth texture.
- Cook Time: We cook these for closer to 25 minutes since we like them on the soft, underdone side. This gives them a melt in your mouth, chewy yet soft texture. For a more done cookie, increase the bake time slightly.
- Metal Pan: Metal pans conduct heat more than a glass pan so the bake time is lower. This is also what creates the perfect chewy, crisp edges on brownies and bars. We prefer using a metal pan, but if a glass pan is used, increase the bake time.
Key Steps:
- Softened butter: Be sure to use room temperature butter for easier creaming with the peanut butter and sugars.
- Creaming the butters and sugar: Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy for a softer texture in the cookie bars.
- Mixing the dry ingredients: Mix the flour and salt on low speed until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can result in a tougher texture.
- Pressing in the oreos: Press the Oreos slightly into the batter to help them adhere during baking and prevent them from falling off when cutting the bars.
- Cooling: Allow the cookie bars to cool completely before cutting to ensure clean slices.
Ingredient Details:
To make these Oreo Peanut Butter Cookie Bars, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Salted butter: Butter adds richness and flavor to the cookie bars, and using salted butter adds a hint of saltiness that complements the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Creamy peanut butter: Peanut butter is the star ingredient in these cookie bars, providing a creamy and nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the Oreos. Look for a creamy peanut butter that has a creamy, soft texture like Skippy or Jif versus a natural peanut butter.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar provides sweetness to the cookie bars and helps with the texture and browning during baking.
- Dark brown sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and a slight caramel note to the cookie bars. Dark brown sugar, which has molasses, gives a richer flavor and chewy texture.
- Eggs: Eggs act as a binder and add moisture to the cookie bars, helping them to set properly during baking. We use large, room temperature eggs.
- Pure vanilla extract: Vanilla makes everything better in our book. The extract enhances the overall taste of the cookie bars.
- All-purpose flour: Flour provides structure and helps to bind the ingredients together, giving the cookie bars their chewy texture.
- Salt: Salt enhances the flavors in the cookie bars and balances out the sweetness of the other ingredients. Diamond kosher salt is recommended in the recipe, but if using Morton salt, a smaller amount is needed due to its higher saltiness.
- Oreos: Oreos providing a sweet and crunchy contrast to the soft cookie base. We like to break some in half before placing them on top, but all can also be left whole.
These ingredients work together to create a delicious and indulgent dessert that combines the classic flavors of peanut butter and Oreos in a convenient and irresistible cookie bar form.
Oreo Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Servings 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt diamond kosher ½ teaspoon if morton
- ~16 oreos
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper
- On medium speed in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars for 2 minutes until fluffy
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix on medium for 1 more minute
- Add in the flour and salt and mix on low until just combined (~20 seconds)
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula to form an even layer
- Break up some of the oreos into halves while leaving some whole (we prefer them not to all be the same size/shape). Place the oreos on top and press in slightly
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the center is no longer jiggly but soft (note this bake time is for a 9×13 inch metal pan – if using a glass pan or smaller pan, the time will need to be increased)
- Let cool for ~1 hour before cutting
