Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookie Bars recipe

photo by:kraft

With flavor just like Grandma's chocolate-peanut butter cookies, these cookie bars start with a cake mix, making prep a breeze.

time

prep:

15 min

total:

5 hr 40 min

servings

total:

32 servings

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What You Need

pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix

pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

1/2

cup butter, melted

1/2

cup milk

1-1/2

pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate (6 oz.), chopped, divided

cup PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts, divided

cup PLANTERS Creamy Peanut Butter

Make It

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Beat first 4 ingredients with mixer until well blended. (Dough will be thick.) Press half onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 min.

SPRINKLE half each of the chopped chocolate and nuts over crust. Microwave peanut butter in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min., stirring after 30 sec.; spread over nuts.

ROLL remaining dough into 13x9-inch rectangle between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Peel back top layer of waxed paper; flip dough onto top of dessert. Remove remaining waxed paper. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate and nuts; press gently into dough with spatula.

BAKE 15 min. Cool 1 hour. Refrigerate 4 hours before cutting into bars.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Size-Wise

Enjoy your favorite treats on occasion but remember to keep tabs on portions.

Note from the KRAFT Kitchens

We appreciate your comments and changed our method. To create nice even layers, microwave the peanut butter and roll out the top layer of dough as directed. Thank you for all of your helpful suggestions!

Make Ahead

Make these bars a day ahead. Then, just cut them, put them on a serving platter and you're ready to go!

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Drollinger

posted:9/28/2009

too hard to spread everything. I don't have the time to roll things out and make sure they fit on top of the peanut butter. the recipe sounded so easy and I see the only way to make it work would be to add multiple steps.

ratishasue

posted:9/27/2009

This was a big hit and was easy to make. Can be cut into small squares because it is rich but Oh So GOOD !! I used the semi sweet choc. chips and white choc. chips.

hmjinkens

posted:9/23/2009

Very rich! But I like the salty/sweet part of it.

mhelminski

posted:9/21/2009

These were very tasty, but the layers kind of separated after they were cut. I recommend VERY small cuts for these bars, as they are super duper filling and rich.

a cook

posted:9/21/2009

These are a yummy treat! I ate one before refrigerating and it was very rich! I had no problems making them. I found that if you dollop the peanut butter like the recipe says right after you get it out of the oven that the peanut butter will melt and will spread very easily. I also flattened out the top layer and placed it on top of the peanut butter. It doesn't have to be perfect. My turned out looking and tasting great. I also used semi sweet chocolate chips!

idonthaveausername

posted:9/21/2009

I'm an experienced baker---but this recipe was a disaster. Poorly written, expensive ingredients, and time consuming all resulted in a mediocre cookie bar. The recipe calls for Baker's chocolate which has to be chopped. This in itself is a time consuming, messy task. It would have been better if the recipe called for "semi-sweet chunks." Trying to spread the peanut butter was a shambles. I made them to serve as a dessert at a cook-out, but I threw them away---My guests expect better from me. And I expect better from Kraft.

RDONNA99

posted:9/20/2009

I made this for our sewing & golfing group Husbands & wives. They raved over them. It was the best dessert yet. Our two favorite food groups chocolate & peanut butter. YUM!!!!!!!

Sammie9706

posted:9/18/2009

these are awesome. If you love chocolate you'll love these. Very rich.

crosemom

posted:9/17/2009

tasted good but looks nothing like the picture. the top layer is a swirl of chocolate and peanut butter. everyone liked them tho.

princessmeg2786

posted:9/15/2009

Heavenly. Tricky to layer on peanut butter, but that's fine, it just adds to the charm of homemade brownies. Delicious, thick, chewy consistency.