"Cookie Dough" Bars

If you like a peanut butter 

and chocolate combination, 

you will probably like these.

(I consider the rolled oats a bonus!)

 The "Cookie Dough" flavor-- it's gotten to be so popular these days.  That flavor is now in ice cream, frozen 'drinky' things, custards, cheesecakes, truffles, dips, cocoa, pies, etc.  I think these bars ended up having that flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 cup butter, softened
2. 1 cup brown sugar, well packed
3. 1 cup white sugar
4. 1 tablespoon vanilla (you could use 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 2 teaspoons maple extract)
5. 2 large eggs
6. 1 and 1/4 cups peanut butter (creamy, or crunchy)
7. 2 cups all-purpose flour
8. 1 teaspoon baking soda
9. 2 cups rolled oats (quick, or old-fashioned, or a combination of the two)
10. 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 1 cup mini semi-sweet chips and 1 cup milk chocolate chips)

DIRECTIONS:

• Set oven to 350 degrees
• Set oven rack to second-lowest position (I used the middle position)
• Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish
• In a large bowl and using an electric mixer at medium speed cream the butter with both sugars and vanilla until no sugar granules remain (about 4 minutes).
• Add in the peanut butter and beat until combined.
• Add in eggs and beat until combined.
• In a bowl combine the flour with baking soda and oats; add to the creamed mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
• Mix in chocolate chips.
• Transfer and spread into prepared baking dish.
• Bake for 22-25 minutes or until JUST set (do not overbake).  With my oven, this took 25 minutes.
• Cool first, then cut into squares.

Below:  When I took them from the oven, they looked like this...

Below:  After cooling, the edges were a bit higher than the center like this...

Below:  After cooling, they cut very easily...

For me, this recipe is a keeper AND a repeater.

This basic recipe came from Kittencal's Kitchen-- she loves cooking/baking and many people benefit from her talent. Her name for these bars is Delicious Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars.