Pitchfork Foodie » Course » Desserts » Peanut Butter Fudge Cookie Bars Recipe
By: Amy on  |Updated:
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Peanut Butter Fudge Bars have a layer of chocolate sweetened condensed milk fudge nestled between two layers of irresistible peanut butter cookies! Check out my shortcut for making these cookies in just a few minutes with a handful of ingredients!
Raise your hand if you want cookies and just don’t have time to make them? That’s me too! I’ve solved that problem for you because this recipe is made with store-bought cookie dough! It doesn’t get any easier than that and I promise nobody will ever know because these are amazing!
This is an award-winning recipe! I actually won a Kitchen Aid mixer with these! Part of winning meant that I had to make these cookies for the whole Junior High at our school! Don’t worry, that’s only about 100 kids!
We all know that peanutbutter and chocolate is the BEST combination! To get even more of it check out No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies, Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Sauce, Fudgy Peanut Butter Banana Brownies, Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Popsicles, Classic No Bake Cookies, Peanut Butter Pretzel Bark, and Peanut Butter Popcorn.
How to Make Peanut Butter Fudge Bar Cookies
If you are feeling ambitious go ahead and use your favorite homemade peanut butter cookie recipe! If you’re feeling frazzled and short on time please don’t feel guilty about skipping taking a shortcut and using a package of cookie mix (Betty Crocker or Pillsbury are great) or a tube of cookie dough from the fridge section of the grocery store! After one bite you’ll feel better about it anyway!
STEP 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray with nonstick baking spray.
STEP 2: Mix cookie dough according to package directions. Spread ½ of it on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Set aside.
STEP 3: Make the fudge layer. Add sweetened condensed milk, butter, and chocolate chips to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until all ingredients are melted and combined. Add vanilla. Pour over the first layer of peanut butter cookie dough. You can add chopped walnuts or pecans to add crunch if you want!
STEP 4: Add the top layer of dough. Drop remaining dough over fudge layer. I like to drop it in about Tablespoon sized pieces. You can flatten the pieces out before setting them on the fudge layer if you like. Don’t worry about having spots of the fudge layer that are still exposed. It will be just fine!
STEP 5: Bake for 25 minutes.
STEP 6: Cool. Remove from pan and cut into squares. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
Grab my Peanut Butter Fudge Bars Recipe!
Add this to the top of your easy desserts list! I really can’t wait for you to try them! The kids at the Junior High were in love with them and I’m pretty sure the kids you live with will be too! And when these are gone in less than 24 hours check out these other easy dessert bars and cookies recipes!
Easy Bar Cookies Recipes
- Cake Mix Butterscotch Cookies – made in a sheet pan
- Salty Crunchy Bars – a no bake recipe
- Chocolate Crispy Treats – loaded with chocolate
- Oatmeal Fudge Bars – more fudge between layers of oatmeal cookies
Easy Cookie Recipes
- Soft and Thick Snickerdoodles – the best snickerdoodles on the planet
- Smores Cookies – all the goodness without the fire
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies – Soft and filled with chocolate
- Turtle Cookies – chocolate caramel cookies
- Brownie Cookies – the best of both worlds
- Coconut Cookies – made with pudding
- Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies – thick and chewy
No go grab the ingredients and make Peanut Butter Fudge Bars and let me know what you think of these cookies!
Peanut Butter Fudge Bars
4.36 from 14 votes
Servings 24
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Peanut Butter Fudge Cookie Bars have the most decadent layer of fudge nestled between two layers of irresistible peanut butter cookies! Check out my shortcut for making these cookies in just a few minutes with a handful of ingredients! I love shortcuts, peanut butter, and chocolate!
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
- 2 packages peanut butter cookie mix (about 17.5 ounces each)
- 3 Tbsp vegeatable oil
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 egg
For the Chocolate Fudge Layer
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray with nonstick baking spray.
Mix cookie dough according to package directions using the egg, vegetable oil, and water. ,Spread ½ of it on the bottom of prepared baking pan.
Add sweetened condensed milk, butter, and chocolate chips to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until all ingredients are melted and combined. Add vanilla. Pour over first layer of peanut butter cookie dough.
Drop remaining cookie dough over fudge layer. I like to drop it in about Tablespoon sized pieces. You can flatten the pieces out before setting them on the fudge layer if you like. Don’t worry about having spots of the fudge layer that are still exposed. It will be just fine!
Bake for 25 minutes.
Cool.
Cut in to squares.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Sarah says
This caught my eye, then I saw there was no recipe for the cookie dough. Great idea though; I ‘ll look around for a real recipe.Reply
Amy Engberson says
This is one of those really easy cookie recipes! You could make homemade cookie dough if you had time and wanted to.
Reply
Lynda Barrett says
Sarah, Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix 17.5 oz. This is great to have this mix ready to go. I can’t wait to try this.Reply
Amy Engberson says
I love shortcut recipes! They make life easier when I don’t have time to make completely homemade cookies (which I love just as much).
Kathleen says
I am planning on making these bar cookies ahead of time for a family gathering. Since I have so many other things to make, can I freeze these bars? If I do, should I freeze them in the pan or cut them up first. Thanks for your help!
P.S. I have not been able to find your updated version.Reply
Amy Engberson says
I haven’t ever tried freezing these cookies before. I imagine it would work just fine. I’d probably cut them into squares, freeze, and thaw. Let me know how it goes!
Reply
Mary Lou says
Hi, the recipe says to prepare cookie mix (I’m using Pillsbury) according to directions on package, and mine don’t call for oil or water, so am assuming I don’t need to add the water and oil?? Package calls for 6 tablespoons of butter and one egg.
Thank You for your help!!
Reply
Amy Engberson says
That’s right! You’ll need to make the cookie mix according to the package instructions. Every brand is a little bit different!
Reply
Mary Lou Mingle says
Thank You so much!! I thought so, but was a little confused with the egg, water, and oil included. I made these tonight and they look amazing!!
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad you made them! Enjoy!
Jennifer H says
These look great!
If I use refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough, is one roll enough or would I need two?
Have you tried baking these in a Pyrex type baking dish? I try to avoid baking with aluminum foil, so wondered if these would bake in a glass dish.Reply
Amy Engberson says
It will depend on what size of refrigerated cookie dough you are using. You’ll most likely need two packages. You could easily make the cookies in a pyrex baking pan. I use aluminum foil because it makes clean up easy!
Reply
sandy says
hi is it really 35oz bag of cookie mix my bag says 7.2 35oz sounds like alot?
Reply
Amy Engberson says
Hi Sandy! I used two bags of peanut butter cookie mix. One for the top and one for the bottom. Each mix was 17.5 ounces, which makes a total of 35 ounces. These cookies are pretty thick! I just updated the recipe so it’s a little more clear. Hopefully, that helps!
Reply
Michele Wolosyn says
I made these last night. Oh my gosh they are SO yummy! I wanted to eat them all when they were warm and gooey right out of the oven. I will definitely be making these again. For now, a plate of them will be heading to my friend next door who just had a baby. The family will love these to snack on!Reply
Amy Engberson says
Warm and gooey sounds amazing! You just can’t go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate! I’m so happy you loved them!
Reply
Becky says
What’s the nutritional information? Thanks!
Reply
Amy Engberson says
I just updated the post to include nutritional information. It’s listed in the recipe card!
Reply
Kristen Kemp says
Does anyone have a peanut butter cookie dough recipe that works well with they recipe? Thank you!
Reply
Amy Engberson says
Hi Kristen! Although I haven’t ever used this Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe (https://pitchforkfoodie.com/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/) to make Peanut Butter Fudge Cookie Bars, I bet it would be scrumptious! Hopefully you won’t need to double the recipe to make enough cookie dough for both the top and bottom layers! Hopefully that helps! Enjoy!
Reply
Christy says
I just made these for a teacher appreciation lunch for tomorrow. It is all I can do to NOT cut into them tonight. Tomorrow before I bring them in (already cut into squares), I will have to have one for quality control purposes. 🙂 This seems like a wonderful combination of peanut butter blossom cookies (I use the same mix – Betty Crocker) with the filling of the fudgey-oatmeal squares. I may have to get up early tomorrow.
Reply
Amy Engberson says
How fun! The teachers in your school are going to be so excited! You just can’t go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate! And I’m loving your will power strategy! I always go to bed when I know I’m going to cave too! Enjoy!
Reply
Liza says
Just discovered your blog & made these to thank my friend for dog sitting. Needless to say she’s already offered to watch the pup again in exchange for more yummy baked goods. SO easy & so good!
Reply
Amy Engberson says
Yay! Cookies are always a great way to make someone feel appreciated and special! Sounds like they were a hit!
Reply
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