Cookie bars with a buttery shortbread crust and a gooey delicious peanut butter chocolate filling.

gooey chocolate peanut butter bars

*I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for ACH Food Companies Inc. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.

Upon first glance at these gooey chocolate peanut butter bars, The.Boy turned to me, grimaced, and said, “But you’re going to make them look better, right?”

My own personal peanut gallery. How lucky.

And no sweetheart, that was not the plan thankyouverymuch.

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So maybe they’re not the prettiest bar cookie ever to grace this blog. But in my opinion, gooey chocolate peanut butter makes up for any and all aesthetically displeasing sins. Any day.

Plus, have you seen that middle chocolate layer? That’s pretty much a kodak moment in and of itself.

Speaking of which, can you guys believe that we are approaching “back to school” season already? I mean, I’m always in school so there’s no real back to school for me, but still. It’s a state of mind. And if anything, it just means that summer’s days are numbered…which is a real shame because I still have five million things I want to do before it’s over. At least now I can cross “make something ridiculously ooey gooey chocolate-peanut-buttery” off my list. And you should too. Get on it and make these.

(As a side note, thanks to Karo for providing me with the corn syrup to make these! It is the only widely distributed brand of corn syrup that contains ZERO grams of high fructose corn syrup. And it’s totally the perfect ingredient for getting that gooey texture into your baked goods. For more recipe ideas check out their website or their facebook page!)

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Now I have one more order of business before I’ll let you get on with your weekend. Some of you may have noticed a new category up their in my navigation bar, entitled “Recipe Box”. And you might have wondered what is and how it differs from my recipe index (found under “Recipes”). Allow me to clarify.

You might remember when I relaunched the new site that I mentioned partnering with ZipList and how it would make your life so much easier by allowing you to store all your favorite recipes in one place and make shopping list and find out about grocery deals in your neighborhood? Well I have made it easier for you to access your Recipe Box from my site by adding that link in the navigation bar. And if you don’t already use ZipList, you really should consider it! Creating an account is totally free and easy and once you’re logged in, you can add recipes to your recipe box from any site that uses ZipList, whether it’s mine or one of the other DOZENS of sites that do.

ZipList also has a really cool mobile app that you can use to view your shopping lists, grocery deals, recipe box, and checklist wherever you go. From your phone you can organize your list, scan barcodes to add items you need to it, and check off items from it as they go into your shopping cart. And it’s free. Win.

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One year ago…Moroccan Red Gazpacho

Two years ago…Persian Saffron-Spiced Pasta with Split Peas, Radicchio and Haricot Vert Salad with Candied Walnuts

Three years ago…Pina Colada Cupcakes

Four years ago…Lemon Mascarpone Blondies

Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
 
Cookie bars with a buttery shortbread crust and a gooey delicious peanut butter chocolate filling.
Yield: 24 bars
Ingredients
Crust
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ½ cup butter, cut into ½-inch dice
Filling
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup dried coconut
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. For the crust, whisk together the flour, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Press into a parchment-lined 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned.
  2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Mix in the coconut and chocolate chips, until just incorporated.
  3. Pour the filling over the crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until top is golden. Cool completely and then cut into bars.
Notes
Adapted from Karo Syrup
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 bar

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82 Responses to Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

  1. Gooey? Chocolate? I’m in, all the way. Wow, these look sooo good! Great pics, decadent looking treat!!

  2. WOWZA – do this look (they are pretty enough for me!) and sound amazing!

  3. bellini says:

    Quite often what goes on my plate is not photo worthy but it is the taste that always counts.

  4. Simply Life says:

    what a perfect dessert! coconut + chocolate = yes, please!

  5. Uhh…these look mighty fine to me!! Smack that boy and then don’t share! I am definitely making these and eating these soon – the recipe looks fabulous!

  6. gloria says:

    ha! the boy alwsys make me laugh! sometimes he sounds like my teenagers twins yes they arent easy one is veggie (esperanza) and the other love meat (sigh) but sctually I dont heard so much their comments!
    Joanne these bars look amaxing and Im sure the twins would love so much!:))

  7. I think those look awesome Joanne! I use ziplist on my blog too- love it!

  8. Megan says:

    I think they look great as is! They sound wonderfully gooey.

  9. Haha you’ve turned him into a food-appearances snob.

  10. I’m going to bribe my coworkers with these.

  11. Johanna GGG says:

    I saw that recipe box in someone’s menu just recently and wondered about it – so it is good to hear a bit more

    as for the bars – they look gooily delicious – I heard someone today say that family and friends should be a cushion because there are enough critics about – hear hear!

  12. Ohhhhh yeah! That looks so good and pretty natural, something nice and sweet to indulge in!

  13. I don’t care what these look like, that ooey gooey chocolate layer is definitely calling my name!

  14. I think they are beautiful!!! I want them and now!!!

  15. Oh boys… sometimes they say the most — how do I put this? — misguided things. 🙂 I happen to think these bars look beautiful because, let’s be honest, anything with chocolate and peanut butter is the most wonderful thing, ever!

  16. Jeanette says:

    Now that’s a treat! My son’s girlfriend has a huge sweet tooth and I know she’d be all over this!

  17. Jordan says:

    This is just the thing to lift my where-did-summer-go blues. Can’t wait to make these delicious bars, thanks for sharing!

  18. Gooey, chocolate and peanut butter…I think that says it all. Yummy.

  19. Amy says:

    “My own personal peanut gallery. How lucky.” LOL. For a mom, the final weeks before school starts is chaos. Good times over here. I think I need a chocolate/PB bar. They look anything but ugly to me.

  20. I love that these bars have not only two awesome ingredients – pb and chocolate – but coconut too! Another fav of mine! Lots of gooey bar love this morning.

  21. Helene says:

    I am a peanut butter lover and have to eat PB on my toasts every morning. I should make these bars 🙂

  22. ummmm…do tell The.Boy that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. ;P ha ha ha…I think they look fabulous. And I definitely know what’s in the inside would be enough to make anybody think they’re beautiful 🙂

  23. I dunno, but these look good to me! Peanut butter and chocolate are win win for me!

  24. Barbara Bradford says:

    What wonderful dessert bars… My entire day is going to be just thinking about them. Huge thanks for the recipe share

  25. Love these! No one said dessert has to be pretty….especially with how long you actually look at it before you inhale it 😉

  26. as much as Im ready for Fall, I havent nearly done 1/4th of things on my list 🙁

  27. Ugly or not I would stuff these in my face!! I just signed up to be a ziplist partner and I need to get going on switching my recipes over to it! So excited to be using it. Ps I have that same flower napkin!!

  28. I hear you on always being in school too. But summer in academia can be a nice change of pace (not that I have been doing anything since April anyway!)… I would love to tote some of these gooey bars to the office when I’m forced to go back next month!

  29. shortbread crust + chocolate and peanut butter….I’m sold!!

  30. i love how gooey these are! yum! and schools have already started in my town. waaaay too early in my opinion. crazy.

  31. Beth says:

    These peanut butter bars look seriously amazing. And I love the sound of ZipList. I’ll check it out!

  32. Girl, these are screaming my name. How could anyone resist this?

  33. Colynn says:

    These look awesome to me! I can’t believe August came so quickly either! This is the first fall that I won’t be starting a new semester in over 20 years. Crazy. 🙂

  34. He’s kidding right? These are so pretty! They look like lacey cookies if you ask me. And look at that thick, decadent chocolate later! Gorgeous – and I’m sure they taste even better than they look.

  35. These gooey PB bars with chocolate look so inviting!

  36. LOve these bars and I think my grandson Erik would love these too! Great recipe Joanne!

  37. Natalie says:

    OMG these looks insane! The top of them looks so chewy, gotta make these bad boys!

  38. These look pretty darned pretty to me! Gooey wonderful chocolate peanut butter filling, ooey gooeyness….mmm heavenly

  39. Allison says:

    For the record, I havent been in school in several years but my mental calendar will always start with September and end with August. It’s just one of those things! These bars look fabulous, and…sorry for the delayed reaction…your new site is gorgeous! I love it!

  40. Shannon says:

    these look like seven layers… but peanutty and oh so kicked up! look pretty amazing to me 🙂 guess i can look beyond outward appearance– haha!

  41. Jessie says:

    Holy cow, those look good – and I mean it! I think a food looks infinitely more attractive if you can imagine biting into it, and this gooey chocolate PB bars looks wildly good.

    I can’t believe it’s back to school time! Of course, it doesn’t affect me much any more, but the town population triples when school is in session 😉

    Have a great weekend, Joanne!

  42. patsy says:

    Now those bars look too good to pass up! What a perfect treat as the summer is winding down… and I’m far from happy about that… but, the bars could make it a little easier to take!

  43. Oh oh, these bars are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G I am sort of in a peanut butter eating stage right now, and I don’t know why. I am loving anything peanut butter. I just had some peanut butter pasta for lunch 🙂 Anyhow, I need to make something like this. I know my peanut butter cravings will be satisfied with these bars for sure!

  44. Kate says:

    I love chocolate and peanut butter. In fact, with me in mind, my husband ordered chocolate peanut butter cookie dough from one of his coworkers (one of their kids sells it every year as a school fundraiser)

  45. Monet says:

    I think these look heavenly. They’re beautiful in my book! And my goodness, I’m sure they taste out of this world! Thank you for sharing yet another delicious post! I hope you have a blessed weekend.

  46. Hotly Spiced says:

    That corn syrup sounds very good. I’ll have to check out ziplist. I don’t mind the look of these gooey bars at all. As for the seasons, we’ve just had our coldest day in two years but this week the weather will be positively Spring-like. Can’t wait! xx

  47. Jenna says:

    Oh my. Going to make these for my husband sometime soon!

  48. Monica says:

    Anything you promise to be gooey, I’m in. And chocolate plus PB…so good! You did right and made them very good-looking!

  49. Amy Tong says:

    I know….I can’t believe it’s almost time for “back to school”. To be honest, I’m so NOT ready! lol….I guess your gooey chocolate peanut butter bars will make me forget about all that for a while. That middle chocolate layer looks decadent! oh my…..can’t wait to give this a try.

  50. I think the title and ingredient list for these bars would convince most of us even with no pictures at all 🙂

  51. cquek says:

    Can’t wait to give them a try. 🙂

  52. Tahnycooks says:

    Seriously, peanut butter makes me smile. Even just the word “Peanut Butter” makes me giddy. Oh, and I’m a serious lover of all thing shortbread crust too! Jackpot on this recipe! I pinned it even before reading it! Shortbread + Peanut butter = Pinned!

  53. I think these are very pretty! That gooey layer distracts me from any unprettiness! I also use Karo syrup – it’s great.

  54. Who cares what The. Boy. says…they look freakin’ amazing!

  55. Ohhhh Myyyyy!!!! I think you read my mind on what type of stuff I am craving. I am saving this recipe. Thanks for sharing!

  56. sippitysup says:

    “Gooey”. It seems I have encountered that word here before. XOGREG

  57. Ashley says:

    This looks like a chocolate peanut butter WIN-WIN situation! Yum! And I have a big bottle of Karo that I need to use before it expires. Hmmm…

  58. Yum!! I don’t know what your boyfriend is talking about, these bars look PERFECT! I think chocolate and peanut butter were meant for each other

  59. Anything goey ‘gooze down’ well with me!

  60. Sorry, I mis-spelled something. Should have said, “Anything gooey ‘gooze down’ well with me!”
    (Not that it matters- haha)

  61. These definitely look pretty to me! Plus, you had me at gooey.

  62. When you start a post with gooey chocolate I start to smile.. and get very excited. Then when you add peanut butter into the mixture, oh my! I can’t wait to make these!

  63. Sarah says:

    These look great! I have been seeing so many great bar recipes this week. Makes me hungry!

  64. This is definitely all about the taste, yum!

  65. Everybody’s a critic aren’t they? I say just shove these into anyone’s mouth who deems them not pretty enough and they will change their mind!

  66. Rhonda says:

    Well, I think they look delicious, silly Boy 🙂

  67. Peanut butter and chocolate-y gooey goodness? Where do I sign up? 😉 This looks awesome Joanne!

  68. Katie says:

    I think these look FANTASTIC. I’ll happily eat any that the boy doesn’t want to eat!

  69. you know gooey cake, gooey brownies, gooey cookies are all a no to me.
    UNLESS there is peanut butter involved then it’s a yes.
    LOL

  70. ramblingtart says:

    Oh lordy, those look bloody fantastic, Joanne! YUM!!! 🙂 I do so love chocolate and peanut butter together. 🙂

  71. Laura says:

    These actually look really tasty to me. Nothing better than the combination of chocolate and peanut butter 🙂

  72. wowza, this looks so delicious! Omg… love anything with peanut butter. 🙂

  73. These look great to me! I’m also a sucker for anything chocolate and peanut butter.

  74. Ugly cookies are always the tastiest cookies, when the top caramelizes and the chocolate oozes out? Thats when the good times roll.

  75. Blond Duck says:

    How do you have corn syrup without high fructose? That’s going to make my pecan pie tolerable again!

  76. grace says:

    i like how they separated, so in my opinion, there’s no need to improve their look!

  77. You know these bars and I are BFF.
    Also, don’t you LOVE your own personal peanut gallery. My personal favorite response, “it’s ok”
    AHHHHH!

  78. Nutmeg Nanny says:

    Oh goodness, these bars look absolutely amazing! I bet they taste like heaven 🙂

  79. Reeni says:

    I think they’re pretty! Kind of different looking – like lace on top. And aside from their looks I don’t know anyone who can resist the PB & chocolate combo! Delectable.

  80. Pam says:

    I think they look delicious just the way they are.

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