When you can’t decide between a candy bar and a cookie, bake Candy Bar Cookie Bars instead!
These Candy Bar Cookie Bars have a peanut butter-oatmeal cookie crust. The candy bar layer is on top. It’s a chocolate and peanut butter mix. The chips and peanuts added in just add to the candy bar vibe. They’re much different than my sugar cookie bars. But cookie bars are a great idea in general for an all-around great, hand-held dessert.
How to make Candy Bar Cookie Bars:
Oats are mixed with butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, peanut butter and vanilla. The cookie layer is baked for a short time before topping with the candy bar layer.
Chopped peanuts are scattered on top of a baked crust. A simple mix of chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and more peanut butter are all melted together and then spread on top of the peanuts. A scattering of peanuts and chips top it all off.
Lining the pan with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick spray allows you to take the whole pan of bars (chilled) out of the pan, and the foil easily peels off.
And it’s sooooo easy to get nice, clean cuts when the bars are chilled.
This recipe makes a bunch… a whole 9×13-inch pan-full. And you’ll want to cut them into small bites for easy eating, and because they’re… um… candy-bar-ish and one little square will properly satisfy your chocolate-peanut butter craving.
These are some yummy little treats. I’d say they’re mostly for Chocolate-Peanut Butter Dessert Fans who like oatmeal cookies too. That’s just about everyone, right? 🙂
The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Recipes:
- Reeses Stuffed Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
- Disneyland Peanut Butter Bars
- Chocolate Kiss Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Candy Bar Cookie Bars
Ingredients
COOKIE LAYER:
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ⅔ cup butter
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3½ cups quick-cooking rolled oats
CANDY BAR LAYER:
- 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
TOPPINGS:
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup peanut butter chips
- ⅓ cup chopped peanuts
Instructions
MAKE THE COOKIE LAYER:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray foil with nonstick spray.
- In a medium saucepan, stir the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup over medium heat until combined. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla; stir until smooth.
- Place the oats in a very large bowl. Pour the brown sugar mixture over the oats; stir to combine. Press the oat mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Don’t over-bake (you don’t want it to brown) or it will be on the crunchy side. Let the cookie layer cool for about 15 minutes on a wire rack.
ADD THE CANDY LAYER AND TOPPINGS:
- In the same saucepan, stir the chips and peanut butter over low heat until melted and smooth.
- Sprinkle ½ cup of chopped peanuts over the baked cookie layer. Pour the chocolate over the peanuts; spread to make an even layer. Sprinkle the chocolate and peanut butter chips and remaining peanuts over the top; press lightly into the chocolate layer.
- Refrigerate until firm; cut into squares.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these over the weekend with my daughter and brought them to work today..everyone is raving about them!
I made these this weekend and they are delicious!
Wow… all I can say is… wow. (Okay… so maybe I can say Yum, too)
they look amazing. nice clean slices. impressive!
Oh boy oh boy these look sinfully delish! As do soooooo many of your other recipes as well. You are a great Baker/Cook 🙂
I’m sooo addicted to your website!
I used to make these years ago, but recently, I’ve been wanting to make them again. These look so good, I think I’ll have to give them a try!