Here’s what happens when you combine the delicious forces of soft chocolate chip cookies, fudgy brownies, and peanut butter cups in one pan! These chocolate chip cookie brownie bars are over-the-top in the best way. Definitely bring your sweet tooth to the table.
Some days I like to share healthier recipes with you.
Today is not one of those days. If chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and peanut butter cups are your dream desserts, start preheating your oven now.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars
My husband dreamed up this cookie bar. 6 years ago, after one of his bike races, he said “you should make a chocolate chip cookie layered with peanut butter cups and brownies on top.” Clearly the man was craving chocolate and it didn’t take much convincing for me to bake them. Let’s take a brief moment to reflect on what these insane dessert bars actually are:
- Are they a brownie?
- Are they a cookie?
- A sugar bomb?
- Your dentist’s worst nightmare?
Yes to all of the above. These chocolate chip cookie brownie bars are the ultimate dessert trifecta: chocolate chips cookies + peanut butter cups + brownies. I made the chocolate chip cookie layer and brownie layer from scratch and I highly recommend you do the same!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer
The bottom layer is chocolate chip cookie dough. Now I have many chocolate chip cookie recipes including chewy chocolate chip cookies and crispy chocolate chip cookies (and even giant chocolate chip cookies!), but I chose my soft chocolate chip cookies for the base of these brownie cookie bars. They yield a lovely soft and thick cookie “crust”, which is favorable for a thick dessert bar. We wouldn’t really want to sink our teeth into a fudgy brownie, then a hard-as-rock cookie… right? These cookie brownie bars take a long time to bake, so a recipe for SOFT chocolate chip cookies is extra insurance that the entire bar remains on the softer side. Make sense?
Best part of all: no cookie dough chilling!
Once you make the chocolate chip cookie dough, spread it into a lined 9×13-inch baking pan. It will be a very thin layer of cookie dough, so do your best to spread it to the edges. The cookie dough is sticky, but a rubber spatula sprayed with non-stick spray makes this step easier.
Peanut Butter Cup Layer
The peanut butter cups are next! If there’s a peanut allergy in the house, feel free to leave these out completely. I use the miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups, but the extra mini size or even the regular size would be fine. Feel free to chop the peanut butter cups first, but that’s not really necessary. You’ll be cutting the brownie cookie bars into squares anyway! You need about 48 miniature peanut butter cups.
Brownie Layer
And finally, a brownie batter blanket. ♥
I used a homemade brownie recipe for the top layer, but if you’re short on time or don’t have all the ingredients, a box brownie mix is totally fine. However, hopefully I can convince you that homemade brownies are worth it! This layer is a combination of my chewy fudgy frosted brownies and homemade brownies recipes. You need eggs, sugar, flour, and butter—basically all the same ingredients you use for the chocolate chip cookie layer. The chocolate flavor comes from pure chocolate. Pick up two 4-ounce semi-sweet chocolate baking bars from the baking aisle—I like Ghirardelli or Bakers brand.
The brownie layer features perfect crackly brownie tops and the tastes like pure fudge. Paired with chocolate chip cookies and a peanut butter cup and you have total chocolate monstrosity. Crumble them over a big bowl of chocolate ice cream, then laugh when someone asks you “how much chocolate is too much chocolate?”
This is what every weekend should look like.
More Bar Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- Mint Chocolate Brownies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
- Peanut Butter Blondies
- Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake Bars
- Scotcheroos
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
- Rice Krispie Treats
Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes
- Yield: 24-30 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Here’s what happens when you combine the delicious forces of soft chocolate chip cookies, fudgy brownies, and peanut butter cups in one pan! Feel free to use the homemade brownie batter below or prepare your favorite boxed brownie batter.
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 48 unwrapped miniature peanut butter cups (or 2 cups chopped peanut butter cups)
Brownie Layer
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- two 4 ounce (226g) semi-sweet chocolate bars, coarsely chopped*
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (63g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished brownies out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
- Make the brownie layer first, even though it will go on top: Melt the butter and semi-sweet chocolate together in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. This takes about 15 minutes. Use this 15 minutes to make the chocolate chip cookie layer! Whisk sugar into cooled chocolate/butter mixture until combined. Add in the eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to fold in the flour and salt until combined.
- Make the cookie layer: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until combined and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined, then beat in the chocolate chips. Dough will be thick and sticky. Using a silicone spatula sprayed with cooking spray (to reduce sticking), spread the cookie dough all over the prepared baking pan. The layer will be thin, but will puff up as it bakes. Top with peanut butter cups, then pour the brownie batter on top and smooth with a knife or rubber spatula.
- Bake the bars for 40-45 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out relatively clean (a few brownie crumbs are OK). During bake time, tent pan with foil if the edges look like they are cooking a lot faster than the center.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides, then cut into squares.
- Cover and store leftover brownies at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze baked and cooled brownie bars for up to 3 months. Arrange in even layers in a large freezer container between sheets of parchment. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then allow to come to room temperature before serving. Warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds if desired—they’re great with ice cream!
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon
- Chocolate Bars: Chocolate bars are typically sold in 4 ounce bars. I suggest Ghirardelli, Baker’s brand, or Lindt.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Good evening Sally! I made these for Thanksgiving this year. They were wonderful! I lowered the temperature towards the end of bake time, and they were perfect. Thank you! It’s a keeper .
Hi Sally! I love all your recipes! I’m a huge fan and so are my friends and family 🙂 I’d like to make these but want to replace the peanut butter cups with Oreos. Do I need to change the baking time for this?
Hi Astrid, You can use Oreo cookies with no other changes. Enjoy!
This is such great recipe. I skipped the reese’s pieces since I didn’t have any and it was still delicious. The cookie layer was soft and the brownie later fudgy. It was the best combination. Definitely making it again. Thanks again Sally!!
I love your blondie recipe, can you use that as the cookie base?
I haven’t tested this with blondies as the base but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let men know if you try it, Ashley!
Is the cooking time different when using a glass pan?
I can be! Glass takes longer to heat up, and also stays hotter longer. This can mean that by the time the center is finished baking the edges may be over-baked. For brownies and cookies I usually reach for a metal pan. You can tent any pan with foil if the edges look like they are cooking a lot faster than the center.
If you are interested, this is a great article explaining how each works: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2018/03/29/glass-or-metal-or-stoneware
Hi Sally
Would this be okay to be cooked in 2 8- or 9- inch square tins rather than 1 9×13″? If so, do you have any idea how the baking time would be different?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Lucy, Yes you can bake it in two square pans instead. The bake time will be shorter – bake until the center no longer jiggles and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out relatively clean.
These sound AMAZING! Can you leave out the peanut butter cups (for those who are allergic) and just make these with the cookie dough and the brownie batter? If so, how?
Thank you
Hi Hannah– yes! Make the recipe as written and simply leave out the peanut butter cup layer.
Oh Man !
I think I gained 5 pounds just reading the recipe !!!
Can the recipe be halved and baked in an 8 or 9 inch pan? 🙂
Absolutely! I recommend a 9 inch square baking pan. The bake time will be a little shorter.
I am a big fan of your recipes but OMG!! These bars are incredible!! They were a HUGE hit with three crowds…at Thanksgiving with family, over the weekend with friends and today at the office (I baked a double batch). Looks like I’ll be making them again for the holidays. Thank you Sally!!
Oh my goodness, these are so, so, so good!!! I was home sick today and made these for the kids at our ninja warrior gym (im not contagious, don’t worry) and snuck a piece straight out of the oven. I think our oven is extra hot so I always have to reduce the bake time but these finished after 28 minutes, which was crazy! After taking them out I realized the layers might have still been a *tiny bit* gooey but to me that’s always a good thing! So so delicious !!! The only thing i was a bit concerned about was that the cookie part was very thin, but that might have been bc of the reduced baking time and my weird oven 🙁 I will be making these again for sure, and I’m certain all the kids will love them(if I save them any lol). Another great recipe, I can’t remember ever finding one on here I haven’t loved!
I have made these SO many times over the years & they are a favorite of my fiance and friends…. I sometimes add additional fun peanut butter/chocolate goodies like reeses baking chips or peanut butter m&m’s (just to make it that much more unhealthy). 🙂
SO delicious.
Sally, could I use a box brownie mix for this recipe? Would the batter need to be a bit thicker in this case? Thank you!
Hi Melissa, I can’t see why boxed brownie mix wouldn’t work here. Enjoy!
Do you think it would be possible to cut this recipe in half and bake it in a 9 inch round pan to make it like a birthday “cake”?
Absolutely! Bake time will be a little shorter if the recipe is halved.
Hello sally!
Do you think I could make these without the peanut butter cups or does there need to be something separating the layers? Can’t wait to try.
Hi Christina! You can leave out the peanut butter cups.
Sally, besides the quantity, what is the difference between this cookie bar recipe and your newer soft and chewy cookie bar recipe? Which would you say would be best in terms of staying soft?
Hi Leah! These get a little crispier on the bottom edges because they are thicker and require a longer bake time. The soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie bars stay very soft.
Thank you so much for the reply, Sally! I made this recipe as written and found the brownies took significantly longer than expected for a toothpick to only have some moist crumbs. By the time they were cooked, the mini mini peanut butter cups had melted into the cookie layer and it ended up just looking like a thick brownie with pockets of peanut butter. Certainly not bad, but I was expecting 3!defined layers. Any guess as to what went wrong for me?
Hummm. I haven’t read one of your recipes I can complain about. Down to earth & so delightful. Easy to understand, easy to follow recipes.
These are sooo chocolatey!! My mom loves brownies and cookies, so I made them for Mother’s Day. Everyone loved them!
Whats the best way to keep the out edge of the cookie bars from over baking so that the center is done? I made a similar recipe and the outer edges where hard as I had to cook it 10 mins longer to get the center to be done
Hi Bill! Loosely cover the baking bars with aluminum foil so they bake more evenly. You could even slightly reduce the oven temperature, too.
Don’t make these!!!!!!!LOL
They are way to good I almost ate the whole pan in 2 days!!
Sally you are the best!!!!
Haha – I have to time making them to when I have guests!
Hi, Sally! I was just wondering if there was any way to turn the bottom chocolate cookie layer into a peanut butter cookie layer? If so, what recipe would you suggest and what quantities? Thank you so much! Have a great day! 🙂
Yes yes yes of course! I recommend using this peanut butter cookie dough recipe.
I baked these last night- they came out perfectly and taste as good as they look!
My mouth waters just thinking about this recipe! It is so amazing! YUMMY!
Ummmmm, I don’t actually like peanut butter – what can I say, I’m British! However, looking at the pictures, it struck me that maybe you could substitute Rolos for the Reese’s cups, how do we think that would work out?
Hi Nicola! You can use chopped candy bars instead of the peanut butter cups. Rolos would be great!
YUM! It’s the best of both worlds – chocolatey and fudgy brownies, and chocolate chip cookie crunchy 🙂 Looks delicious!
If I want to use another type of candy due to peanut butter allergies what would you suggest?
How about chopped milky way or even rolos?
Hi Sally! These cookie bars look awesome. I would like to bake them for my Christmas platter, but I’m wondering if they would freeze well?
Thank you!
absolutely! I find they freeze well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then allow to come to room temperature before serving.
These are unbelievably delicious. I made the homemade cookies and brownies. Can’t imagine any other way. YUM!
Heavenly – I made the Brownie Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar, I used your chocolate chip cookie recipe but a box mix for the brownies (Ghirardelli like you suggested). These are AMAZING! I will definitely make them again but will try your brownie recipe next time. I didn’t have much time to make them so the box won. I am excited to try more of your layered desserts!
Sally – I’m planning on making these tomorrow for a dinner party tomorrow night but I won’t be the only one bringing dessert. I know you can sometimes cut 9×13 recipes in half and make them in an 8×8. Do you think that would work with this recipe? I’m sure if I just make the whole thing, they will all be eaten since they look AMAZING!
Hey Adrianne! You are right that you may cut recipes in a 9×13 in half to make in a 8×8 pan. However, it would be tough to cut this recipe in half because you would have to cut both the homemade cookie recipe and the brownie recipe in half. That’s nearly impossible, especially since both recipes call for an odd number of eggs. I would make them in a 9×13 pan. Trust me, you won’t have too many leftovers!