Peanut Butter Frosted Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars
Chocolate chip sugar cookie bars, slathered with creamy peanut butter frosting. This is what sugar cookie bar dreams are made of!
The Bug loves cookies. And chocolate. The Bug also loves peanut butter, and he also has no attention span. So for Mama Monday and the kickoff of #CookieWeek, the perfect recipe for he and I to bake together is Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars with Peanut Butter Frosting!
Welcome to Cookie Week my little cookie monsters! Susan of The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen and Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic have joined together this week with 23 of their blog friends to present to you a week of cookie treats! We have every type of cookie recipe you can think of listed this week, including something for our furry friends!
Now is the time to bookmark these recipes for the upcoming holidays and cookie swaps!
Last year I told you about The Bug’s issues with baking, and why instead of the more detail oriented drop cookies or cut out cookies, we opt for Sugar Cookie Bars. Well this year I wanted to come up with a new version. And since it is something he and I do together, I wanted to use some of his favorite ingredients. And while I rave up and down about how much he likes things like cauliflower and roasted broccoli and salmon, but really, all he wants is chocolate chips and peanut butter.
One time. ONE TIME The Hubby made him a waffle with peanut butter and chocolate chips on top for breakfast, and now he asks for it all the time. Much to his disappointment, he gets a bowl of yogurt and fruit or some oatmeal. Sorry kid.
But, you know, cookies are a special treat, and I mainly only bake cookies for Christmas, so Christmas Cookies are a really special treat. Since these are destined for the freezer till closer to Christmas, they are, technically, Christmas Cookies! So I figured I’d turn plain old Sugar Cookie Bars in to The Bug’s Ultimate Sugar Cookie Bar – which naturally meant chocolate chips and peanut butter frosting!!
And of course his favorite part – sprinkling some mini chips and sprinkles on top! OK, I lied. His favorite part is eating them.
NOTE: you’ll notice some of my chocolate chip sugar cookie bars look a little doughier.
I think my oven is heating unevenly, but to tell you the truth, I kinda love underdone cookies!
Look how seriously he takes his sprinkling duties! And how proud he was of the finished product! (Really he was just trying to get close enough to take a bite of what he thought was one giant cookie all for him. He did get to sample one or two, but the rest are now frozen till late December!
Now enough about my kid and chocolate chip sugar cookie bars.
What is your favorite cookie to bake during the holidays or for cookie swaps?
Enjoy the peanut butter frosted chocolate chip sugar cookie bars. Here’s the recipe!
Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars with Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 5 c flour
- 1 t salt
- 1/2 t baking soda
- 1 c 2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 1 c sugar
- 1 c light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 t vanilla
- 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Peanut Butter Frosting see below, or whatever frosting you like
- Optional sprinkles mini chocolate chips or peanut butter cups, etc.
For the frosting:
- 1/2 c 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 c creamy peanut butter
- 2 c powdered sugar
- 2-3 T milk
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease or line a 13x18 inch baking pan with parchment paper (I use the parchment to make them easier to remove).
- Sift or whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.
- Combine the butter and sugars in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and cream with stand mixed or hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
- Add the vanilla and mix well.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the dough on the prepared pan (I spray a spatula and sometimes my hand with cooking spray to do this).
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean (it won't look done, so use the toothpick test).
- Cool completely, then frost and decorate as desired.
- Cut into small squares.
For the frosting:
- Beat together the butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar.
- Increase mixer speed, and add milk, 1 T at a time, to achieve desired consistency.
- Beat until light and fluffy.
Notes
Peanut Butter Frosting is from The Real Housemoms
Do you love chocolate and peanut butter as much as The Bug? I’ve got you covered.
- The Bug’s Ultimate {healthier} Funky Monkey Cupcakes
- Chocolate & Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt Bars
- Salted Caramel Chocolate PB Krispie Bars
Plus here are all of today’s fabulous #CookieWeek recipes from my awesome bloggy pals!
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sandwich Cookies by The Cooking Actress
- Caramel Apple Cider Cookies by Like Mother Like Daughter
- Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars with Peanut Butter Frosting by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Chocolate-Filled Christmas Thumbprint Cookies by Food Lust People Love
- Chocolate Fudge Brownie Sandwich Cookies by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Cookie Cups by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Chocolate Peppermint Raisin Cookies from It’s Yummi!
- Classic Gingersnap Cookies by In The Kitchen With KP
- Coffee-Toffee Thumbprint Cookies from Crumb
- Dark Chocolate Andes Cookie Cups by Beyond Frosting
- Double Chocolate Biscotti by Love and Confections
- Eggnog Cookies by Jen’s Favorite Cookies
- Extra-Chewy Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies from Omeletta
- Fruit Coolers by Texana’s Kitchen
- Gluten-free Elisenlebkuchen cookies by Masala Herb
- Iced Molasses Cookies with by i heart eating
- Nutella Cookies by Total Noms
- Orange Cream Cookies by Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
- Peanut Butter Cup Sandwich Cookies by Chocolate Moosey
- Pumpkin Coconut Macaroons by 52 Kitchen Adventures
- Rolo Brownie Cookies from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Saketini Christmas Balls from NinjaBaking.com
A little about our sponsors:
The iconic Kitchenaid stand mixer was born in 1919, from there stemmed an entire kitchen of high-performance appliances -all created with the same attention to detail and quality.OXO’s mission is dedicated to providing innovative consumer products that make everyday living easier.King Arthur Flour was founded in 1790, as America’s oldest flour company they provided pure, high-quality flour to residents of the newly formed U.S., still going strong, they are the nation’s premier baking resource.Silpat was founded in 1965 by M Guy Demarle in Northern France. He was an experience baker seeing a better way to bake bread with forms using non-stick silicone coatings. He invented the first non-stick baguete baking trays and a few years later invented and created the original Silpat. Zulka Pure Cane Sugar is a Non GMO Project Verified “Morena” sugar – a term used to described granulated sugars that do not undergo conventional refining processes. Zulka is perfect for baking, it tastes better, is less processed and is a cup for cup replacement.
Margaret says
I love baking plain Gingerbread Cookies in all sorts of Christmas shapes; then I frost them for my son, nieces, and nephews ????????
Abbie @ Needs Salt says
Ahh, these cookie bars look awesome! I approve of both chocolate chips AND chocolate jimmies. Totally the way to go.
Pinning!
Brianne Izzo says
Thanks Abbie!
Filipino Christmas Recipes by trina says
Great recipe! These would make an excellent Christmas dessert! 😉
Kristen M says
I love to make chocolate krinkles and anything with gingerbread or molasses flavors.
Katie says
I love decorated sugar cookies and peanut butter blossoms. Wouldn’t be Christmas without them 🙂
Brianne Izzo says
My mom makes peanut butter blossoms every year.
Robin M says
Christmas sugar cookies.
Mary W. says
I have to bake Snickerdoodles every year for Christmas! I will be baking them tomorrow for a pot luck dessert!
Brianne Izzo says
I bake Snickerdoodles for my dad and sister every year!
Sharon says
My favorite cookie to make for the holidays or anytime is Sugar Cookies! I love that you can use cookie cutters and decorate accordingly for any holiday with Sugar Cookies!
Brianne Izzo says
So true!
Kaylin says
Favorite cookie to make is mint dark chocolate chip cookies
Denise Fedor says
Press cookies with candied cherries and red sugar!
Elaine Botka says
I love making new cookie recipes. My
family really enjoys them too.
Suzze says
Everyone loves Snickerdoodles. I make them for swaps, to share at work, for meetings and parties!
Brianne Izzo says
My dad and sister’s favorite!
Dina says
they look yummy!
Brianne Izzo says
Thanks! They are!
kindli says
I like to bake molasses spice cookies, although these look like something the kids might enjoy more!
Brianne Izzo says
Molasses spice is good, but I think the kiddies usually prefer chocolate chips 🙂
Mommy on Demand says
These look amazing!
Brianne Izzo says
Thanks!
Terri/LoveandConfections says
Cookie bars are such a good idea. I need to make some
Brianne Izzo says
It’s a great way to make a ton of cookies at once!
karen says
favorite christmas cookie is russian teacakes…..they are easy to make and so easy!
Brianne Izzo says
Those are good!
Laurie says
My favorite cookie to make for Christmas is krumkake. That’s a scandinavian cookie you make with a special pan on the stove top. The cookies come out flat and you roll them around a dowel, so they’re cone shaped. I feel connected to my Grandma when I make them!
Brianne Izzo says
What a nice memory.
Stacy says
My oven can be a little bit like that sometimes too, Brianne, so I try to remember to rotate the pan part the way through. “Try” being the operative word. 🙂 Your little helper is so cute! This summer I baked with my little six-year-old nieces and I think more sprinkles went in mouths than on cupcakes or sugar cookies. 🙂
I love your cookies bars with that peanut butter frosting! Bars are so much quicker to bake too.
Brianne Izzo says
Yeah, the little ones do like to “sample” a lot 🙂
Carla says
I love chocolate chip cookies and I love cookie bars because who has time to scoop all that dough 😀
Brianne Izzo says
Exactly!!!
tracy says
My favorite cookie to back with the kids is the candy cane sugar cookies with red and white dough twisted in the shape of a cane. The kids love to help!
Brianne Izzo says
Those are fun!
Jessica says
I love baking fudge and cookie dough brownies!
Brianne Izzo says
Mmmmmm!
Tania says
Gingersnaps – I never make them any other time of year
Brianne Izzo says
My hubby’s favorite for Christmas!
The Ninja Baker says
Those are some precious photos and story, Brianne <3 Makes me miss my great-nephew who is currently in Qatar. Through the changing decades of life and growing up of many nieces and nephews, sprinkles, chocolate and PB do seem to be a constant favorite!
Brianne Izzo says
I think I have many years of sprinkles and peanut butter to come 🙂
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says
haha! I love the kids eyeing the cookies! What a fun way to start out cookie week!
Brianne Izzo says
I definitely have a little cookie monster!
Kristen says
I love the ease of sugar cookie bars. Your peanut butter frosting and chocolate chip additions sound fantastic!
Brianne Izzo says
They do make it easy to make a ton at once.
Nicole Palmer says
I like to bake chocolate ginger bread men/women – the kids like them and I found a really easy and yummy recipe for them.
Brianne Izzo says
Fun!! The additional of chocolate sounds awesome!
Christine says
I’ll have the gooey one on the very top!! Thanks….and a glasss of milk! 🙂
Brianne Izzo says
these cookies do call out for milk!
aimee @ like mother like daughter says
mmmm these bars look so good! I have never thought about adding chocolate chips to sugar cookies and this peanut butter frosting looks divine! I’m so glad to participate in cookie week with you!
Brianne Izzo says
My little guy wants to add chocolate chips to EVERYTHING!
Jennifer D. says
I love to make date skillet cookies. My grandma used to make them and no one ever brings them so here are no duplicates.
Brianne Izzo says
That sounds like a unique recipe. My little guy is really into dates lately.
Jennifer D. says
Here you go! No idea where she got the recipe but this is how I find it on my computer 🙂
Enjoy!
Jeanne Bruffy Gerber’s Date Skillet Cookies
1 C butter or margarine
1 C. brown sugar
1 ½ C. pitted, chopped dates
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 egg, well beaten and at room temp
3 C. crispy rice cereal
About 3 C. shredded coconut
Cook butter, sugar, salt, and dates over low heat until pasty, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool or you will cook the egg. then add vanilla, egg. Mix well. Return to low heat and cook for 2 minutes. Cool a little, then add cereal. After mixture has cooled so you can handle it with your hands, form into 1 inch balls and roll in coconut. Store in
air-tight container.
Brianne Izzo says
Oh thanks! Hmmm, I have an idea for these!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
My favorite cookies to make are multichip cookies using semisweet, white and peanut butter chips
Brianne Izzo says
Awesome combo!!
Mallory @ Total Noms says
These look so good! I’m so excited to be a part of #cookieweek with you! I could go for a dollop of peanut butter frosting right now 🙂
Brianne Izzo says
Oh the frosting was pretty incredible!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
Mmmmm these look delicious–and I love that they’re a bit underdone!
Brianne Izzo says
Thanks Kayle! My oven apparently wants to please everyone. Half fully done, half underdone!
Liz says
I love cookie bars, too! And I can see why your sweet Bug is enamored with these!
Brianne Izzo says
My Bug loves his treats!
Daniela says
Peanut butter blossoms
Brianne Izzo says
One of our family faves!
Susan says
I’d have that big grin on my face too if I was staring at that big pan of cookie bars like the bug! Wow these just look insanely good. I’ll take a dozen. 🙂
Brianne Izzo says
You can have a dozen. That big pan makes about 7 dozen!!
Elis B. says
I like to bake sugar cookies.