Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (with PB Cups!) — Looking for things to do with store-bought cookie dough? Look no further! These are the ultimate lazy chocolate chip cookie bars and everyone LOVES them!
My Go-To Lazy Cookie Bars
There are only two ingredients in these bars. And they’re gluten-free. How’s that for keeping it easy. They’re so easy and it feels like there should be a catch, but there isn’t.
I used the new Pillsbury Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, pressed it into a pan, topped it with peanut butter cups, and baked.
Many gluten-free flours and blends taste like dirt, or leave items with a gritty, sandy texture. Other times gluten-free items are dry, or they’re crumbly and fall apart from the lack of gluten and its binding properties.
These choc chip cookie bars have none of those issues. There’s no grittiness, sandiness, and they certainly don’t taste like dirt. I kind of wish they did and maybe we wouldn’t have eaten the whole pan in less than a day.
They’re incredibly moist and are melt-in-your mouth soft and tender.
The dough is buttery with plenty of chocolate chips. Many refrigerated doughs, gluten-free or not, are very skimpy on the amount chocolate chips, whereas I am not. I was pleasantly surprised at the quantity of mini chocolate chips.
And then after being doctored up with peanut butter cups, there’s definitely no shortage of chocolate. Or peanut butter. Everything is better with peanut butter, of course.
If you know someone who’s gluten-free and want to make something that’ll be incredibly good — not just ‘good for gluten-free’ but good regardless — these easy chocolate chip cookie bars are the answer.
I want all desserts that I eat or serve, gluten-free or otherwise, to be excellent otherwise I’d rather just not have it. Don’t waste calories on something that’s mediocre. This dough holds its own and I’m very picky. My family had no idea it was store-bought dough or that it was gluten-free dough at that.
Two ingredients, ready from start to finish in 20 minutes, and you’d never guess they were gluten-free.
Doesn’t get any better. Or easier.
What’s in These Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?
If you’re looking for things to do with store-bought cookie dough, look no further! To make these “lazy” chocolate chip cookie bars, as I like to call them, all you’ll need is store-bought cookie dough and full-size peanut butter cups.
I used gluten-free cookie dough, but you’re welcome to use your favorite kind.
How to Make These Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Normally I’m a scratch baker and have recipes for similar bars, including Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars and Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Crumble Bars. Keep those recipes gluten-free by replacing the all-purpose flour with your favorite gluten-free flour blend.
And there’s homemade vegan Peanut Butter Cups in case you’d like to do it all from scratch.
Or you can just crack open a tub of gluten-free refrigerated cookie dough and within 5 minutes, these two-ingredient wonders are ready to bake. Easy cookie bar recipes with few ingredients are my favorite!
The most time consuming part of the recipe is unwrapping 9 peanut butter cups.
The dough on top of the lid is the reserved dough used for crumbling over the peanut butter cups.
Don’t overbake to ensure your bars stay ooey-gooey-soft-and-chewy. I baked for just over 13 minutes for super soft bars.
I’m extremely impressed with this dough, which isn’t the norm when it comes to gluten-free products.
Can I Double This Recipe?
I don’t see why not! Use two packages of cookie dough and 18 peanut butter cups. Bake the bars in a 9×13-inch pan instead of an 8×8.
Can I Use Another Kind of Cookie Dough?
Of course! Whether you want to use regular chocolate chip cookie dough rather than gluten-free, or you want to experiment with another kind altogether be my guest.
Tips for Making the Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
If you’re concerned with making this recipe completely gluten-free, double check the label of your peanut butter cups to make sure they’re certified gluten-free. Not all are!
If you’d rather make the cookie dough from scratch, you’re welcome to. I have lots of chocolate chip cookie recipes on my site!
These bars will keep up to 1 week at room temperature … if they last that long at your house!
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Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (with PB Cups!)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- Press three-quarters of the dough into the base of the pan to create a smooth, flat, even base layer. Reserve the remainder.
- Evenly place peanut butter cups on top of dough in 3 rows of 3 cups each.
- Haphazardly crumble the reserved dough over the top in marble-sized pieces.
- Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, or until edges have set and top is just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not bake longer than 14 minutes for soft bars because they firm up as they cool.
- Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Cookie Bar Recipes:
Gooey Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars — A buttery shortbread crust topped with a creamy, buttery topping that’s almost like custard!! The bars live up to their gooey, buttery name!!
M&M’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars — Soft buttery bars loaded with M&M’s and chocolate chips are a guaranteed hit!! Fast, easy, foolproof, no mixer recipe that’s so much simpler than making cookies!!
Peanut Butter Cup Peanut Butter Bars — Loaded with peanut butter, peanut butter cups and chocolate!! Soft, gooey and totally irresistible! Everything’s better with peanut butter cups!!
Chocolate Chip Cookie S’mores Bars — Between layers of super soft chocolate chip cookie dough there’s chocolate, marshmallows, and graham cracker crumbs for the most DECADENT smores ever!! So EASY and just 4 main ingredients!!
Fudgy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars — Chewy oatmeal cookie bars with a thick layer of fudge in the middle! Whoa, hello chocolate overload!!
Loaded M&M’s Oreo Cookie Bars — Stuffed to the max with M&M’s and Oreos! These Oreo cookie bars are an easy, no-mixer recipe that’s ready in 30 minutes. Always a hit at parties!
Tagalong Cookie Bars — Say hello to year-round Girl Scout cookie season with these delish bars! All the flavors of the classic cookies in easy bar form!!
Thanks to Pillsbury® for sponsoring today’s post.
great
I am just now running across this recipe and hardly ever comment but this is the best recipe of all time! What a great timesaver. I’m always asked for the recipe. Thank you so much!!!
I am just now running across this recipe and hardly ever comment but this is the best recipe of all time! What a great timesaver. I’m always asked for the recipe. Thank you so much!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is the best recipe of all time for you!
Hi I just wanted to know if you can use regular cookie dough instead of gluten free. They look amazing!!! My two favorite things together!
Its okay I trust you saying it doesn’t taste gluten free…
yes you can
Hey Averie, wondering if you pressed the peanut butter cups down into the dough before baking? Also, some people have nothing better to do but bitch… You clearly stated and made links for original recipes. Too quick to judge, can’t even read the post first… Sheesh lol
Thank you! When I saw this comment come in, I admit I cringed before I opened it because I know this post is ripe for the haters to come out and complain and judge. So thank you for being supportive!!
I pressed the PB cups down a bit into the dough before baking. Not totally flush with the dough, but pressed down somewhat so they adhered. Hope you enjoy these!
Omg, looks incredibly delish! And so simple a three year old could make it, except for the baking, of course. Now if they were only calorie free!
Christy, Missy, and Passerby, get a life! I’m new to this site, and I am offended by your negativity. Go find someone else to troll. Way to go Averie for being such a positive and mature blogger. I would’ve told them where to go had it been my blog.
Thanks for the kind words and I hope you have a wonderful New Year’s holiday :)
i have celiac as well. I am also a huge baker! I am thankful you tried the cookie dough out for us! Too often I buy a GF product only to try it and wind up throwing it away! Prefect to keep on hand and have to use Ina time crunch!
Gena
I found this recipe on pinterest and couldnt wait to try it! Our son was recently diagnosed with celiacs and its been 5 months of fear when it comes to food we are now a competely gluten free home and my husband asked for a special dessert for our anniversary. I get all the ingredients…can I say hoooray for 2 hahha! Get it ready to make start opening up the reeses and bam… I was skimped a reeses in the package!!!!! what!!! oh no!! one will not have one! I wound up cutting them up but ugh!!! it was not as beautiful as yours! I will have to really check my package in the store next time hahaha!!! Thank you again for this fabulous recipe!!!
ps- any celiacs making this, just remember only reeses in the wrappers are safe
Thanks for trying the recipe & glad you think it’s fabulous! Best of luck with your son’s diagnosis.
These look so amazing…but all my Reese’s PB cups melted while in the oven. What is your secret to making them not melt?
Melted as in totally melted down into a pile of runny chocolate? That has happened to me before but not with this recipe. These weren’t even really close to that happening for me so can’t really say what to do in the future… BUT you cannot slice into them until they’re fully cooled or they will have a tendency to get melty and runny. Also make sure to bake until the dough is *just set* and not overbake, at all. That could have done it too. But I’m sure they still taste good!
HEY,
Omg the photography is simply IMAZING AND OMG I WANT TO DIE I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO LOL, This stuff looks so good that it hurts in a great way. It sucks because right now I don’t have the money to make this stuff but I want this stuff now. I have such a passion for photography, cooking art etc!!!! These look so amazing! I really would love to explore my talents in cooking! By the way great idea cookie dough and peanut butter cups GREAT IDEA ON A TIME CRUNCH. Those are the things that you forget to do unless someone reminds you!
Here’s my recipe for one-ingredient spaghetti and meatballs:
One can of Chef Boyardee Spagetti & Meatballs
TaDa…Dinner is done!
That made me giggle. :)
I’ll admit I rolled my eyes when I saw what the two ingredients were BUT I do have a brother who is GF. He loves sweets, especially PB cups and I always try to make something for him at family gatherings. These will work for those times I just don’t feel like trying. I’m sure they’ll taste better than some of my real attempts. lol
Oh shut up, lol
Is it possible to line the pan with parchment paper instead of foil?
Yes you can. I have an easier time getting a nice tight seal with foil than parchment (which rips and/or springs up and doesn’t seal tightly in the corners for me) but do what’s easier for you.