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Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Swirled Cookie Bars. Sweet, doughy, and buttery, filled with chocolate chips, and swirled with creamy peanut butter. If your day needs a sweet, chocolatey treat, you should be making these bars…because sometimes all you need to brighten your day is a really good cookie!

overhead photo of The Best Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Swirled Cookie Bars

You’ve probably guessed by now, but for whatever reason I am into baking at the moment. All summer long I’ve been baking up fresh fruit desserts (hello to this blueberry buckle, this peach cake, these raspberry bars, and this galette). But with school starting up again this week (Asher’s first day is Thursday), and feelings of fall beginning to settle in, I’m left craving some more classic recipes that remind me of being a kid.

Sooo. Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.

I’ve said this one times too many here on HBH, but when my brothers and I were kids my mom would make homemade cookies at least twice a week. We’d come home from school to cookie dough, eat some, and then help her bake fresh cookies. She’d always make a batch and half to ensure that there was enough dough to fill a 9×13 inch Pyrex pan with extra dough for eating.

She’s a smart thinker.

Honestly, baking cookies with my brothers and my mom are some of my best memories from growing up and it’s always so comforting to be reminded of them. It seems every single year that late August rolls around I love digging back up these memories. Do you guys ever do this? It’s kind of fun to feel like a nine-year old kid again, even if it’s only for five minutes while you stand over the mixing bowl and shovel in spoonfuls of homemade cookie dough…

photo of Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Swirled Cookie dough

Anyway, I’ve been really excited to share this recipe with you today. It’s one that has been requested over and over by friends, family, and you guys, so I’m glad to finally be sharing. Because let’s be real, the combo of chocolate and peanut butter is pretty unbeatable.

Let’s talk details.

It was really important to me that I keep this recipe as simple and classic as possible. There is a time and place for over the top desserts with crazy flavors and things, but sometimes you just need a good cookie bar. One with classic flavors, a doughy center, too many chocolate chips, and a ripple of peanut butter running throughout.

That is these bars.

overhead photo of Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Swirled Cookie Bars in baking pan fresh out of the oven

I used my mom’s base recipe for the cookie dough, which I do believe is the very same recipe that’s listed on the back of the Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. I think the only changes mom made was reducing the sugar and adding more chocolate chips.

My addition? Salted butter, which I swear is the secret to giving baked goods that extra special touch. If you haven’t tried it, you have to bake with salted butter. You have to.

And now that I think of it, I am 99.9 % sure my mom always bakes with salted butter too, and her desserts are nothing short of perfect. So bake with salted butter. You’re going to love it.

Moving on.

close up photo of Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Swirled Cookie Bars with flower and knife in photo

Cream the butter and sugar. Add your eggs, vanilla, and dry ingredients. Stir in lots of chocolate chips. You could also use dark chocolate chips, but then if you’re making cookie bars why not make them really good…

Hint, hint. Use semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Snack on some dough (only use pasteurized eggs and toasted flour). Then spread the dough in a baking dish. Dollop with peanut butter and add the remaining dough. Bake, smell the deliciousness coming from your oven. Wait (impatiently) for twenty minutes, find some cold milk, grab a fork and eat hot cookies, right out of the pan because it’s Tuesday and summer is coming to an end soon, and sometimes in life, you just need to live a little.

Today is a good day to live a little.

Eat hot cookies with a glass of cold milk and enjoy every last moment of it.

 

close up photo of Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Swirled Cookie Bars

Very dramatic aren’t I? But really, did I sell you? Pretty sure as my mom reads this that she’ll be hopping up from her computer, calling for Asher, and running to the kitchen to find herself some butter, sugar, eggs, flour, chocolate chips, and peanut butter.

Hoping you all have the same reaction, because like I said, sometimes you just have to do what sounds so amazingly good and comforting. Eat cookies now…have salad for dinner (new salad recipe coming Thursday!). And maybe even a smoothie for breakfast.

Balance, it’s all about balance.

And with that, enjoy your Tuesday…and make cookies!

close up of broken cookie bar

If you make these chocolate chip peanut butter swirled cookie bars, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. And of course, if you do make these cookies, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

The Best Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Swirled Cookie Bars

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Calories Per Serving: 1527 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
    2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar and sugar until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until combined and creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour, and baking soda, beat until combined. Stir in the the chocolate chips.
    3. Spread 1/2 the dough out in the prepared dish. Dollop and then gently swirl the peanut butter into the dough. Add the remaining dough overtop, don't worry if the dough doesn't fully cover the peanut butter. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, until just set in the center. Let cool and then cut into bars. Store for up to 5 days in an airtight container. 

Notes

*If you don't have salted butter, you can use unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt in place of the salted butter. 
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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I bake a lot and these are one of the biggest hits I’ve ever made. It’s so freaking simple, it’s almost surprising that this is the favorite. But this recipe is just phenomenal!

    1. Hey Blair,
      Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was delish! xx

  2. 5 stars
    I have made these several times to bring to gatherings, substituting almond flour and plant-based butter to make them available to those with allergies. Everyone LOVES them. So delicious!

    1. Hey Dawn,
      Happy Monday!!☃️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was enjoyed! xT

  3. 4 stars
    These were tasty. Like the other commenters, I had to bake for about 35 minutes to get them done in the middle. You might want to adjust the directions. Used baking spray on my hands to spread in pan.

    1. Hi Angela,
      Sure, almond butter would also be great for you to use! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT

  4. 5 stars
    Deliciously easy recipe. I had to cook for 30 minutes to get to golden brown and middle set.
    I chose to add microwaved melted marshmallows when I spread the peanut butter onto first layer. I had some forgotten, hard marshmallows found in the back pantry so this was a good way to soften and use up. Thanks for the salted butter tip too.

    1. Hey Chris,
      Happy Sunday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xT

  5. 5 stars
    These were so good! I took them to a party and they were the first of the desserts to go! I’m lucky I got to try one. Thanks so much!

    1. Hey Alison!!
      Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner:)

  6. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! I did have to double the cookong time but what a spectacular treat. Gooey and chewy yum!

    1. Hi Danielle,
      Happy Sunday!! Thanks for your comment and making this recipe:) I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx