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Peanut Butter Cup Peanut Butter Bars

Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars — Loaded with peanut butter, peanut butter cups and chocolate!! Soft, gooey and totally irresistible! Everything’s better with peanut butter cups!!



Peanut Butter Cup Bars

There’s no shortage of peanut butter recipes and peanut butter bars on my blog or in my first cookbook, Peanut Butter Comfort, with over 75 peanut butter recipes. But there’s always room for one more.

The bars are a spinoff of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars with the addition of peanut butter cups.

When I want an easy, fuss-free recipe that I know everyone will love, I call upon my trusty blondie base. With 30+ versions and counting, it never lets me down. It’s an easy recipe to memorize because everything is ‘one’. In the 1 bowl used, melt 1 stick of butter, stir in 1 egg, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and 1 cup flour.

For this version I added peanut butter, peanut butter cups, and chocolate chips.

The bars are super soft, slightly chewy, buttery, and have plenty of peanut butter flavor with enough chocolate to balance it. Between the butter, the peanut butter, and the peanut butter cups the bars are super moist and just melt in your mouth.

What’s in Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars? 

To make these peanut butter cup bars, you’ll need: 

How to Make Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars

Whisk together the melted butter, peanut butter, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients, then fold in the chocolate chips. 

Turn the batter into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish and top with peanut butter cups. Bake until done, then let cool for 1 hour before serving. 

What Type of Peanut Butter Should I Use? 

I use Jif, Skippy or a similar brand. Don’t use natural peanut butter as it can separate and/or be too oily.

Can I Double This Recipe? 

Yes, you should be fine to double this recipe and bake it in a 9×13-inch pan. 

Tips for Making Peanut Butter Cup Bars

I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you’re welcome to use milk or dark if desired. 

For this recipe, you want to use mini peanut butter cups that come in wrappers. Don’t use the ones without wrappers that are labeled as “minis.” 

These peanut butter chocolate chip bars are best fresh but will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature or up to 4 months in the freezer.

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4.53 from 34 votes

Peanut Butter Cup Peanut Butter Bars

By Averie Sunshine
Loaded with peanut butter, peanut butter cups and chocolate!! Soft, gooey and totally irresistible! Everything's better with peanut butter cups!!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12
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Ingredients  

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, melted
  • heaping cup peanut butter, I use Jif, Skippy or similar; natural PB can separate and/or be too oily
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling on top
  • about 16 miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped (not to be confused with the smallest size that come unwrapped called ‘minis’)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
  • To a large, microwave-safe bowl add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute.
  • Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the peanut butter, egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
  • Add the flour and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
  • Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips and stir to combine.
  • Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
  • Evenly distribute the peanut butter cups over the surface of the batter, pushing each cup down as far as it will go.
  • Evenly sprinkle the surface with additional chocolate chips, about 1 tablespoon.
  • Bake for about 22 to 25 minutes, or until done. If you can find a chocolate chip-free patch to test, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
  • Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Bars are best fresh but will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container at room temp or up to 4 months in the freezer.
  • Adapted from Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 366kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 127mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 30g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

More Chocolate and Peanut Butter Desserts:

ALL OF MY PEANUT BUTTER RECIPES! 

Peanut Butter Brookies— These brookies are soft and chewy, with peanut butter and chocolate married together in every bite. All you need is two bowls, and no mixer is required!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Chip Cookies – Super soft, perfectly chewy, BROWNED BUTTER cookies that are LOADED with two kinds of chips!! An EASY one-bowl, no-mixer recipe for irresistibly DELISH cookies!!

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Brownies — Fudgy brownies with a layer of peanut butter cheesecake and topped with peanuts and peanut butter cups!! Rich, decadent, and amazing! A must-make for all peanut butter lovers!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars — Super soft bars that just melt in your mouth from all the peanut butter! And all the chocolate!

Caramel Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Gooey Bars – Keep the napkins handy for these soft, gooey bars dripping with the best caramel-peanut butter sauce!

Triple Peanut Butter Monster Cookie Bars – Peanut butter used 3 different ways. Great for pantry odds-and-ends clean out!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Nutter Butter Bars – Nutter Butters baked in along with peanut butter and chocolate chips for a very rich and decadent treat!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars — So much better than a bowl of plain oatmeal! Easy, portable bars perfect for snacks or breakfast on-the-go!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars — Nutter Butter crust, chocolate pudding, and peanut butter cream cheese filling! Easy, almost no-bake, and beyond amazing! Lives up to their dreamy name!