Valentine's Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
These Valentine's Peanut Butter Cookie Bars can be packed full of your favorite Valentine's candies. They are perfectly moist and flavorful!
Equipment
- rimmed quarter sheet pan (9"x13" pan)
- large mixing bowl
- Hand or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- silicone spatula
- Parchment paper (optional)
Ingredients
For the peanut butter cookie dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter (6 ounces)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 egg
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For topping the cookie bars
- ½ cup Valentine's m&m's
- ½ cup Valentine's Peanut butter m&m's
- 15-20 chocolate hearts
- 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional, for topping)
- 1-2 tablespoons Valentine's sprinkles (optional, for topping)
Instructions
To make the peanut butter cookie bars
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use convection bake if you have it.
- Lightly grease a quarter sheet pan or line it with parchment paper then set it aside.
- Add softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl and cream using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the egg, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix until combined, then scrape down the bowl.
- Add the flour and mix until combined. Scrape down the bowl.
- Spread the dough throughout the pan. Use another piece of parchment paper to press it down evenly, if desired. The dough should cover the entire pan.
- Place the m&m's and chocolate hearts throughout the dough, lightly pressing them down.
- Sprinkle additional granulated sugar and sprinkles throughout the dough as well, if desired.
- Bake the cookie bars for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown.
- Remove them from the oven and allow the bars to cool to room temperature before cutting and removing them from the pan.