Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Creaming peanut butter with softened butter and two types of sugar builds a smooth, fluffy base, similar to cookie bars, that bakes up thick but not dry. Brown sugar adds moisture and a slight caramel note, which pairs beautifully with peanut butter and chocolate.
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
The flour and cocoa powder give the bars structure and deep chocolate flavor, while baking soda provides just enough lift so they aren’t overly dense. Salt balances all the sweetness and amplifies the chocolate and peanut butter.
Triple chocolate
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Using three types of chocolate chips builds layers of flavor: semi-sweet for depth, milk for creamy sweetness, and white chocolate for extra richness and contrast against the cocoa base.
Step-by-step instructions
1. Prepare your pan and oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter. For easiest removal and clean slices, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides, then lightly grease the parchment.
A 9×13 pan gives you the perfect thickness: tall enough to be gooey and substantial, but not so thick that the center won’t bake through.
2. Cream the peanut butter mixture
- In a large mixing bowl, add the creamy peanut butter, softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
- Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, light, and creamy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Mix in the vanilla extract until combined.
This step incorporates air and dissolves some of the sugar, which helps the bars bake evenly and gives them a soft, chewy crumb instead of being heavy.
3. Combine the dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until no streaks of cocoa remain.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until everything is combined. The batter will be thick—closer to cookie dough than brownie batter. Avoid overmixing to keep the crumb tender.
4. Fold in the triple chocolate
- Add the semi-sweet, milk, and white chocolate chips into the batter.
- Use a spatula to fold them in gently until the chips are evenly distributed.
You should see chocolate chips throughout the dough; these will melt into pockets of gooey chocolate as the bars bake.
5. Spread and bake
- Scrape the thick batter into the prepared 9×13-inch pan.
- Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to press and spread it into an even layer, making sure it reaches the corners and the surface is level for even baking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes. Start checking around 24–25 minutes:
Pulling the pan when there are still moist crumbs on the tester is key to maintaining that gooey “dream bake” texture—overbaking will make the bars more cakey and dry.
6. Cool, slice, and serve
- Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the bars to cool in the pan. For clean slices, let them cool almost completely; for extra gooey squares, you can cut them while still slightly warm, but they will be softer.
- Once cool, use the parchment overhang to lift the slab out of the pan, then cut into squares or bars of your desired size.
Serve as is, or warm individual slices slightly and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of melted peanut butter or chocolate sauce for an over-the-top dessert.