Peanut butter, peanut butter cookies, and chocolate is always a win. The bars are dangerously fast and easy to make, come together in one bowl, no mixer required. They’ve got a nice peanut butter flavor, but it’s not overpowering, and the buttery, rich dough is allowed to shine. The semi-sweet chocolate balances the sweetness of the Nutter Butters, and chocolate and peanut butter are made for each other. The cookie chunks are a wonderful contrast to the otherwise smooth, dense dough, and give the bars a serious dose of texture. If you can’t find Nutter Butters, substitute with another peanut butter or vanilla-sandwich cookie, like Golden Oreos.
Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
Add the peanut butter and stir until smooth.
Add the flour and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
Stir in most of the chopped Nutter Butters, reserving about 1/4 cup to be sprinkled on top.
Stir in most of the chocolate chips, reserving about 2 tablespoons to be sprinkled on top.
Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
Evenly sprinkle the reserved Nutter Butters and reserved chocolate chips over the top, lightly pressing them down with your finger or a spatula.
Bake for about 28 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center (if you can find a bare patch to test) comes out mostly clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.