Try my soft, delicious, and gooey peanut butter chocolate chip bars for a quick and easy dessert! These cake mix cookie bars are made in a 13×9 pan using a yellow cake mix, creamy peanut butter, cream cheese, and are topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Today I’m excited to share one of my favorite cake mix dessert bars – Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars.
These delicious peanut butter and chocolate chip bars are one of my favorite 9×13 desserts to make for a gathering, and they’re a super easy dessert that starts with a box yellow cake mix and other simple ingredients.
Even better, these easy peanut butter bars take less than 30 minutes to bake, making for an easy weeknight or weekend treat.
I’ve been making these delicious and easy peanut butter cookie bars with cake mix and chocolate chips for several years now and it’s one of my favorite treats to make for my family.
I love it because it uses everyday ingredients that I almost always have in my pantry and fridge.
These peanut butter chocolate chip bars are also super quick to whip together in a 9×13 pan, making them the perfect choice for taking to family gatherings and parties.
And trust me when I say they’re SO good – it’s pretty much a given that you won’t come home with any leftover dessert bars.
Not to mention the combination of peanut butter and chocolate are pretty much THE BEST ever, am I right?!
What’s in Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars?
These cake mix bars come together with just 7 simple ingredients which I’ve included below.
You only need just a few simple kitchen tools to make these peanut butter bars.
Tips for Making Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Use a metal or glass pan to bake them
I recommend using a metal 9×13 cake pan for baking these peanut butter and chocolate chip bars.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a metal pan, you can use a glass 9×13 baking pan, but make sure you check it at the lowest recommended baking time to ensure you don’t overbake your bars.
Metal tends to cook baked goods more evenly, which is why I prefer using it.
Let the bars cool before cutting them
I know it’s tempting to want to dig in right away, but because these are a more gooey dessert bar (and loaded with chocolate chips on top), you’ll want to let the dessert bars cool on a wire cooling rack before cutting them.
I recommend waiting at least 30 minutes – 1 hour before cutting them with a plastic knife.
Tip: If you’re not in a hurry or are making them in advance, you can even wait to cut them after putting them in the fridge for a bit to firm up.
Store leftover bars in the fridge
Because these dessert bars are made with cream cheese, it’s best to refrigerate them to maintain optimal freshness.
Once they’ve cooled completely and you have cut them into bars, store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
If desired, you can reheat the bars in the microwave for 15-30 seconds before eating, but they’re also delicious cold.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars FAQ’s
Can I Use Another Kind of Chocolate Chips?
Sure! Use whatever kind is your favorite.
I personally love the balance that semi-sweet chocolate chips gives these cake mix peanut butter bars, but you can also use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or a combination.
Can I Use a Natural Peanut Butter?
I wouldn’t recommend using a natural peanut butter that has to be stirred/refrigerated since those tend to be oily and it might alter the texture.
That said – if you try other types with success, please let us know in the comments!
Can I Use Another Nut Butter?
Again, I wouldn’t recommend this recipe with any nut butters that require stirring/refrigeration, but you should be fine with a no-stir variety.
I’d recommend a no-stir almond butter, cookie butter, or even hazelnut (Nutella) would make for a delicious swap.
Can I add Nuts?
Yes! These bars are delicious with some peanuts added on top.
Simply add 1/4 cup peanuts right on top with the chocolate chips.
It adds a delicious crunch and the perfect sweet and salty balance.
You could also try adding walnuts or pecans if you prefer that instead.
Should Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars be Refrigerated?
Yes, because these dessert bars feature a cream cheese filling, they should be refrigerated to maintain freshness.
Once they’ve cooled completely and you have cut them into bars, store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
If desired, you can reheat the bars in the microwave for 15-30 seconds before eating, but they’re also delicious cold.
Can these cake mix bars be frozen?
Yes. You can freeze them in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
Once ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat individual servings in the microwave until warm.
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars with a Cake Mix
Below, you’ll find a brief overview with photos on how to prepare these easy peanut butter and chocolate chip bars using a yellow cake mix.
For the full, printable recipe and ingredient amounts, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1 – Preheat & Spray Your Pan
Preheat the oven and spray a 9×13 metal pan or glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 2 – Prepare Your Crust
Prepare your crust by combining the yellow cake mix, 2/3 of the peanut butter, and egg in a large mixing bowl and mixing together with an electric hand mixer until crumbly.
Use your hands or a fork to press the crumb mixture into the greased baking pan, ensuring it gets evenly in all the corners of the pan.
Step 3 – Prepare Your Cake Mix Bars
In the same large mixing bowl as before, beat together the softened cream cheese and 1/3 cup of peanut butter with an electric hand mixer until combined. Next add in sugar and milk and mix together until smooth.
Carefully pour the mixture over the crust. Spread evenly and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Step 4 – Bake
Bake the peanut butter and chocolate chip bars in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the center is set.
Step 5 – Cool and Cut
Let the peanut butter chocolate chip bars cool completely on a wire cooling rack before cutting with a plastic knife.
Serve and enjoy!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars Recipe + Video Tutorial
These delicious and easy peanut butter chocolate chip bars are made in a 13×9 pan using a cake mix, creamy peanut butter, cream cheese, and topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
Cake Mix Crust
Bars Filling
1 8ounce package cream cheese, softened to room temperature (full fat or 1/3 fat)
1/3cup creamy peanut butter
1/3cup milk (I use 2%)
1/3cup granulated sugar
1cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and spray a 13×9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Use your hands or a fork to press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the greased baking pan until evenly spread.
In the same large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese and 1/3 cup of peanut butter with an electric hand mixer until combined. Next add in sugar and milk and mix together until smooth.
Carefully pour cream cheese and peanut butter mixture over crust. Spread evenly with a spatula and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and center is set.
Let bars cool completely on a wire cooling rack before cutting with a plastic knife.
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Once bars have cooled completely, cut and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If desired, reheat the bars in the microwave for 15-30 seconds before eating, or enjoy cold.
Bars can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag or container.
These peanut butter chocolate chip bars are simply divine when eaten warm + fresh the same day, but they’re also so good the next day after they’ve been in the fridge overnight.
They taste like peanut butter cheesecake and pair perfectly with a tall, cold glass of milk.
Just look at all that peanut butter and chocolate chip deliciousness and tell me you don’t want one!
Hope you enjoyed my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars recipe and I hope you’ll give them a try the next time you’re craving something with peanut butter and chocolate!
Do you love PB and chocolate too? Let me know in the comments below!
