Valentine Peanut Butter Cookie Bars Recipe
These Valentine Peanut Butter Cookie Bars combine the rich flavors of peanut butter with festive red, white, and pink sprinkles, Valentine’s M&M’s, and Reese’s peanut butter hearts. Baked in a sheet pan, these bars are soft, chewy, and perfect for a sweet holiday treat to share or gift during Valentine’s Day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 32 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
Toppings
- 6 tablespoons red, white, and pink sprinkles, divided
- 1/2 cup Valentine’s M&M’s
- 2 bags Reese’s peanut butter hearts (chocolate & white chocolate)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 11×17 inch baking sheet with nonstick baking spray to ensure the cookie bars do not stick.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened unsalted butter, creamy peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture becomes creamy and smooth.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract. Beat the mixture again until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and 5 tablespoons of the red, white, and pink sprinkles. Stir these dry ingredients together and then gradually add to the wet ingredients, beating slowly until the dough is evenly mixed with no flour streaks remaining.
- Spread Dough and Add Toppings: Evenly spread the cookie dough across the prepared 11×17 baking sheet, smoothing the surface. Then press a grid of Reese’s peanut butter hearts and Valentine’s M&M’s over the entire surface of the dough to create a decorative and flavorful topping.
- Bake the Bars: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 11 to 12 minutes. The bars should be lightly golden and the peanut butter hearts slightly melted but still holding their shape.
- Cool and Decorate: Remove the pan from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of red, white, and pink sprinkles onto the tops of the melted peanut butter hearts while still warm. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into 32 squares for serving.
Notes
- The bars are best cooled completely to ensure clean edges when cutting.
- You can substitute the peanut butter hearts with other peanut butter candies or chocolate chips if desired.
- For an extra festive touch, use heart-shaped sprinkles or edible glitter.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Make sure the butter is softened at room temperature for best creaming results.
Keywords: Valentine Peanut Butter Cookie Bars, peanut butter cookies, Valentine’s Day dessert, peanut butter heart cookies, holiday cookie bars
