Loaded Peanut Butter Christmas Cookie Bars are packed full of peanut butter flavor and all your favorite mix-ins. Holly Jolly deliciousness for your holiday party, ready in under an hour!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 55 minutesminutes
Servings 24bars
Author Tessa Arias
Ingredients
2 ½cups(286 grams) all-purpose flour
1teaspoonbaking powder
¼teaspoonbaking soda
¾teaspoonfine sea salt
1stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
1cup(170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips + ⅛ cup (21 grams), to decorate
Flaky sea salt, for topping, optional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 metal baking pan with aluminum foil, using metal binder clips to keep foil in place. Spray sides and bottom of pan generously with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until very well combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk and beat until combined.
On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Dough will be thick. Add the peanut butter chips, M&Ms, and chocolate chips and mix until just combined. You may need to do this by hand with a spatula if your mixer isn’t strong enough.
Remove the dough to the prepared pan, pressing into the pan evenly. Sprinkle with the reserved M&Ms and chocolate chips. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the center is golden brown and just slightly jiggly. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Place pan on a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.
Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.