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I know, you’re probably tired of gooey bars at this point, but you must make room for one more recipe. These Peanut Butter Cookie Gooey Bars combine my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe and gooey chocolate for the most decadent gooey bar EVER!
For the longest time I have wondered why people tell me I don’t look like my profile picture. I’ve wondered why, when I’m with people like Hayley, strangers flock to her at every step but when I’m alone I seem to repel people like opposites of a magnet. Last week I finally figured out the answers to these problems:
I have RBF, otherwise known as “Resting B****y Face”. It’s a real thing, RBF, and I have it. I have it bad.
I happened to be talking about this last week in Carmel with Lisa and Cathy and Cathy said, “You know, when I first got out of the car I thought you didn’t like me.”
Apparently, until I smile I look like an enormous you-know-what. When I smile, my face lights up and I become the Dorothy that everyone knows (and, I guess, the Dorothy of that profile picture up there on the sidebar).
RBF, an affliction that answers so many questions. How do you cure RBF? I’m not sure.
The “mini smile” seems fake and it looks like I’m telling you to go do something to yourself while I smile at you.
Walking around with a full smile just makes me look like I’m on something. No one is that happy all of the time.
So, the moral of the story is that, if you meet me and don’t recognize me, make me smile at you. And know that I’m really not a bitch, just my face is.
Thank goodness I can bake goodies like these gooey bars; they have redeeming powers.
So, these peanut butter cookie gooey bars. Really, they’re one of the best things ever.
First, know they’re like a meal. Forget the protein bar, have a gooey bar instead. Swallow it down with some milk and you have the lunch of champions.
Second, I know these are super amazing because I brought them on my trip last week an 9 other food bloggers tasted them. Not one spit one out and told me they sucked, so I think I have a pretty good recipe on my hands. 🙂
These bars start with my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. I’ve used that same recipe for so many things, including s’mores, caramel cookie bars, and stuffed cookies.
{Hey, when you find a recipe that works, why break it?}
Instead of making cookies out of the dough, I spread about 2/3 of it into the bottom of a 9×13″ pan. Then I poured chocolate chips and a can of sweetened condensed milk over the top and spread the remaining dough over that.
Once they bake they’re ooey gooey chocolatey peanut butter heaven. I think they’re the cure for RBF, what do you think?
At least they make me smile…and that makes me look like me. Peanut butter FTW.
Peanut Butter Cookie Gooey Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13” pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Cream butter, peanut butter, and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add egg, vanilla, milk, salt, and baking soda. Mix until combined. Slowly add flour and mix until dough comes together.
- Press 2/3 of the dough in the bottom of the pan. The dough is very sticky so spray your hands with cooking spray first. It’ll look like you don’t have enough dough but spread it into a thin layer.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the bottom layer. Pour the sweetened condensed milk (SCM) over the chocolate chips. Try to give a 1/2 inch border around the edges where the SCM does not touch the edge of the pan. This prevents bubbling edges.
- Spoon tablespoon drops of your remaining dough over the top of the SCM layer. Spray your hands again with cooking spray and gently flatten the dough with your fingers. I sort of spread the dough a bit while I was flattening. It won’t completely cover; you’ll still see the filling.
- Bake for about 30-36 minutes, until the bars begin to brown on top. Cool completely before slicing. These are gooey when you cut them unless you chill them first. (They taste better gooey!)
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They can be frozen in sealable containers or ziploc bags between layers of paper towels for up to one month.
Recipe Nutrition
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Last Updated on May 15, 2020
I am a peanut butter nut!! I can’t get enough!! I can’t wait to try these they look AWESOME!!
Thank you!!
How anyone could avoid smiling with these gooey bars in hand, is beyond me! 🙂 Just the words peanut butter and gooey are smile worthy!
Though your post written light heartedly, being aware of the vibes we unintentionally send out can be important. Being deep in thought or concentrating is good, except when friendly and approachable is what we want to communicate. There really is a fine line between looking friendly and looking like a goof. I am going to go practice in the mirror! 😉
I need to do that too, but then I just end up laughing, ha!! Thanks Wendy!
There is no such thing as too many gooey bars. There is a lady at my work who has RBF bad. In my many years of working there, I have never seen her crack a smile. She is just permanently angry, I guess!
LOL, at least when I smile I look nice and happy! 🙂
Oh my gosh, I have a RBF; when I am happy but don’t smile, I start to give people the “evil eye” without noticing, whoops! These bars look amazing Dorothy, peanut butter and chocolate is life. x
Tired of gooey bars? I don’t want to know those people. I can attest to how bomb diggity these ones are…and also the RBF. Lol. BUT I also know how your face lights up when you smile and laugh. Omg, between that and the “Do the Dorothy” our retreat might have been a total bust!
Dorothy – This post made me laugh out loud! I think a lot of people have RBF. Haha. When I’m working at Starbucks, I’m usually really focused on cleaning or making drinks, and customers will approach me and say,”Smile more.” I just have furrowed brows when I concentrate. I’m not mad. I will never get tired of Gooey Bars. They’re too good!
LOL! Glad it’s not just me. Some guy told me that at the mall a few weeks ago, “It’s a beautiful day, SMILE!” 🙂
I was laughing so much when I read this! RBF is a real thing haha! I know because I think I do it too. It’s hard to find a happy medium between not looking mean, or smiling all the time and not looking crazy! BTW never tired of gooey bars!!
I think I just am in deep thought all of the time. If I’m alone, I’m thinking about desserts. It’s a thing! 🙂
Looks so gooey delicious, I’ll have to try making these with almond butter, peanut allergies. Sure it will be just as good.
Thanks
I’m sure that will work just perfectly! Let me know what you think. I love almond butter, it’s so good!
I wish so much that I had that RBF conversation on video. I almost peed laughing. I’m just going to make you a button that says, “I may have RBF, but I’m ridiculously hilarious. Try me.” And I can attest to how AMAZING these bars are! Seriously, so good!
LOL, I kind of wish that too. When I realized it really is a thing and not just me saying “I think people think I look like a bitch” it was epic. 🙂
You are the third blog in a ROW that I’ve been to who’s had a gooey peanut butter bar posted today. Not kidding. I bet you planned it 🙂 Seriously though I could never tire of gooey bars. Or chocolate, or peanut butter. Want!!
See now that makes me nervous, lol. WHO??!! 😉 These were one of those “OMG they were so good I must post them NOW” treats!
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