If you find yourself with way too much candy after trick or treating and fall parties this week, these cookie bars are a great way to use it up! I love making cookie bars to use up leftover candy.
Cookie bars are so easy to whip up and bake, and they just taste good! Thick, chewy and loaded with candy. . .what’s not to love?!
We don’t eat much candy around here, so if I get a bag of candy around the different holidays, I usually end up baking with half of it.
That’s what happened with my last bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups. If you don’t have Reese’s, any other chocolate candy would work just as well.
I just happen to have a love for all things peanut butter and find myself stuffing as much peanut butter as possible into my baked goods, especially these peanut butter overload cookie bars.
That’s why you’ll find lots of peanut butter, lots of chopped peanut butter cups, and lots of peanut butter chips in the ingredient list! Mix them all together and you have a peanut butter lover’s dream cookie bar!
- ¼ C butter, softened
- ¾ C peanut butter
- ½ C brown sugar
- ¼ C sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ C all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ C quick oats
- ¾ C peanut butter cups, chopped
- ⅓ C peanut butter chips
- Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray an 8x8 or 9x9 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of stand mixer (or with an electric mixer), cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well-combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat to combine. Stir in oats.
- Add chopped peanut butter cups and peanut butter chips. Stir to combine.
- Press dough into the bottom of prepared baking dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges start to turn golden brown and center is set.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes before cutting into bars and serving.
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Joanne says
I’m pretty sure I’ve never felt anything akin to “peanut butter overload”. I just can’t get enough of it! These need to be made.
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
I’m all about overloading on peanut butter. Pinned.
Carrian says
These look absolutely amazing! I want these right now!
Ashley says
I only buy halloween candy now that I can bake with later : ) We always have so much leftover! And these bars sound amazing!
Abby says
My hubs loves peanut butter, this would be such a fun surprise for him! And I’m loving your mani!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
Peanut butter AND candy? Swoon.
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! says
You can never have too much peanut butter! 🙂
Meagan @ A Zesty Bite says
I am a big sweets person but my husband is not. Around halloween I have to stick the candy out of sight so I don’t munch on it.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
Peanut butter overload? More like peanut butter perfection!
Liz says
You can’t go wrong with adding PB into anything….well, almost anything! 🙂
Rina@Itheecook says
My son would go crazy over these!
Jackie @ Domestic Fits says
I love these! I’ve been all about peanut butter and chocolate these days, keep it simple and I’m happy!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
ha! Love that your nail polish matches these bars 🙂
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
Mmmm I can picture it now: these cookie bars stuffed to the brim with any and every type of candy I’ve got left after Oct 31st….Is it bad I want there to be less trick or treaters so I have more candy options?! Heehee jk I can share cookie bars I GUESS. 😉
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
Favorite. Bars. EVER!
Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen says
I end up baking with candy too, and for some weird reason I feel less guilty eating candy when it’s baked in something! LOL these look great love me some chocolate and peanut butter!
Jess says
These look incredible! What’s not to love?
Jamie@Milk 'n' Cookies says
This is peanut butter overload, indeed! I love how moist and chewy these look!
Tanya Schroeder says
Unfortunately we DO eat a lot of candy around here-but that also means I have everything I need to make these fabulous bars! I love peanut butter-this is such a good dessert!
Nicole @ The Marvelous Misadventures of a Foodie says
What a yummy looking cookie bar! I usually have to find some way to incorporate all the left over Halloween candy into baking…otherwise I’ll end up eating half of it 😉 And I totally agree peanut butter in baked goods is always a win!
Ashley - bakerbynature says
I am all over these peanut butter packed bad boys!!!
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says
Great thing to do with the leftover Halloween candy…that is if there’s any left! These look great Jessica 🙂
Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch says
These look amazing! I love all the peanut butter and chocolate!
Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef says
i’m pretty sure i’ll buy some reese’s just for this. yum!
Tracey says
Fellow peanut butter lovers unite! I could eat the entire pan of these, they look perfect!
Kristy @ Sweet Treats & More says
I’ve got to have these! Holy mother of peanut butter cookie bars! Yum!
renee@chocolatepeanutbutterohmy says
Of course I LOVE chocolate and peanut butter!! yuummmy!!
Laura Dembowski says
I love pb so I know I would love these! The oats are a great texture addition.
Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray says
ALL of the love for these!!!! 😀
Carolyn says
Wow, Jessica! These look IN-TENSE! Pinning…
Lily says
Beautiful recipe but I need a little help! I don’t have an 8×8 pan so I doubled the recipe and they taste amazing but are a bit dry and crumbly. Should I add more peanut butter or use less flour? Thank you!
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
I’m sorry they turned out dry! I would recommend using a bit more peanut butter, or if your peanut butter is on the dry side, add a couple of tablespoons of milk. Also, it may help to not cook them as long. I know that I’ve had bars like this dry out when I’ve cooked them a little too long. I hope that helps!
Maria Boero says
I’m from Argentina and my english isn’t good… I’m not sure if I get it right when I read the ingredients so if you can tell me what it means “C” and “tsp I would be grateful as I would love to try this awesome recipe. Thank you :)p
Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction says
Sure! “C” stands for cup. “tsp” stands for teaspoon. “tbsp” stand for tablespoon. Hope that helps! Let me know if you need anything else!
Victoria says
Reese’s never last long enough at my house to be used in a recipe! We eat them way too fast. But I might have to get an extra bag just for these 🙂 they look delicious!