Creamy Peanut Butter & Cookie Dough Fudge Bars Recipe

Creamy Peanut Butter & Cookie Dough Fudge Bars Recipe Perfectly Decadent

Whipping up a batch of creamy peanut butter cookie dough fudge bars promises pure indulgence for sweet-tooth adventurers.

Layers of rich, velvety goodness meld together in this decadent treat that defies ordinary dessert expectations.

Chocolate and peanut butter create a magical combination that melts seamlessly across your palate.

Soft, crumbly cookie dough chunks nestled between smooth fudge layers speak directly to childhood memories and comfort food cravings.

Each bite delivers a luxurious symphony of textures that dance between creamy and dense.

Minimal ingredients and simple preparation mean you can craft these irresistible bars in no time.

Slice, serve, and watch everyone’s eyes light up with pure culinary delight.

  • Creamy peanut butter and cookie dough fudge bars offer an irresistible treat that's super easy to make.
  • This recipe requires minimal cooking skills, making it perfect for beginner bakers who want to impress without complex techniques.
  • Whip up these decadent bars in under 30 minutes of active preparation time, with just a simple refrigeration period to set the layers.
  • Guaranteed to win hearts at potlucks, family gatherings, and casual dessert moments with its rich chocolate chip cookie dough and smooth peanut butter fudge combination.
Base Layer Ingredients:
  • Peanut Butter: Creamy, smooth base that provides rich flavor and texture for the fudge layer.
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds sweetness and helps create a smooth, creamy consistency.
  • Butter: Enhances richness and helps bind the fudge layer together.
Cookie Dough Layer Ingredients:
  • Butter, Softened: Creates a soft, tender texture in the cookie dough layer.
  • Brown Sugar, Granulated Sugar: Provide sweetness and help create a classic cookie dough flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and traditional cookie dough aroma.
  • Milk: Helps bind ingredients and creates a smooth consistency.
  • Heat-Treated Flour: Ensures food safety by eliminating raw flour risks.
  • Mini Chocolate Chips: Adds classic chocolate chip cookie flavor and texture.
Topping and Finishing Ingredients:
  • Chocolate, Melted: Optional drizzle for extra chocolate flavor and decorative touch.
  • Sea Salt: Optional garnish that enhances the sweet flavors with a subtle salty contrast.

How to Layer and Chill Fudge Bars to Perfection

Step 1: Craft Peanut Butter Fudge Base

  • Grab peanut butter
  • Sweetened condensed milk
  • Butter

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt and blend ingredients until silky smooth. Continuously stir to prevent burning. Pour mixture into a lined 8×8-inch baking pan, ensuring an even surface. Slide pan into refrigerator for quick setting.

Step 2: Whip Up Cookie Dough Layer

  • Softened butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Granulated sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Milk
  • Heat-treated flour
  • Mini chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Add vanilla and milk, mixing thoroughly. Fold in heat-treated flour gently. Sprinkle chocolate chips throughout the dough, distributing evenly.

Step 3: Layer and Decorate

Retrieve chilled fudge base from refrigerator. Spread cookie dough layer carefully and uniformly. Optional: Drizzle melted chocolate across surface. Sprinkle a touch of sea salt for flavor contrast.

Step 4: Chill and Slice

Refrigerate assembled dessert for minimum two hours until completely firm. Use parchment paper edges to lift entire creation from pan. Slice into elegant squares or rectangular bars.

Step 5: Serve and Store

Enjoy bars chilled or at room temperature. Keep leftovers in sealed container within refrigerator for up to one week. Perfect for sweet tooth cravings and dessert gatherings.

Tips That Help Prevent Crumbling or Melting

  • Treat Heat-Treated Flour Safely: Always heat-treat flour in the oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes to eliminate potential bacteria, ensuring a safe and delicious cookie dough experience.
  • Customize Chocolate Drizzle: Experiment with dark, milk, or white chocolate drizzles to personalize the fudge bars and create a unique flavor profile that suits your taste.
  • Prevent Sticky Cutting: Wipe your knife with a warm, damp cloth between cuts to achieve clean, precise slices without the cookie dough sticking to the blade.
  • Maximize Flavor Intensity: Let the bars sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving to enhance the peanut butter and cookie dough flavors and achieve a softer texture.
  • Storage Hack: Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap before storing in the refrigerator to maintain freshness and prevent them from absorbing other food odors.

How to Store and Serve These Bars Without a Mess

  • Place bars in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Keeps fresh for 5-7 days.
  • Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then store in freezer-safe container. Stays delicious for up to 3 months.
  • Remove frozen bars from freezer and let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before enjoying. Maintains texture and flavor.
  • When ready to eat, enjoy chilled or let sit for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly for a creamier texture.

Sweets and Drinks That Match the Rich Flavors

  • Pair Peanut Butter & Cookie Dough Fudge Bars with cold milk for a classic, creamy companion that balances the rich dessert perfectly.
  • Enhance the chocolate notes with a smooth, dark beer that amplifies the dessert's decadent chocolate chip undertones.
  • Brew a strong espresso shot to cut through the sweetness and provide a robust contrast to the creamy fudge layers.
  • Create a luxurious dessert experience by adding a scoop of cold, smooth vanilla ice cream alongside the bars.

Alternative Additions to Make It Your Own

  • Gluten-Free Friendly: Replace regular flour with gluten-free flour blend and ensure all ingredients are certified gluten-free for those with wheat sensitivities.
  • Vegan Cookie Dough Bars: Swap butter for coconut oil, use dairy-free condensed milk alternative, and replace regular chocolate chips with vegan chocolate chips for a plant-based version.
  • Low-Sugar Option: Substitute sweetened condensed milk with a sugar-free version and use monk fruit sweetener instead of traditional sugars to reduce overall sugar content.
  • Nut-Free Alternative: Replace peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or alternative seed butter for those with nut allergies, maintaining similar creamy texture and rich flavor profile.
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Creamy Peanut Butter & Cookie Dough Fudge Bars Recipe

Creamy Peanut Butter & Cookie Dough Fudge Bars Recipe


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4.6 from 32 reviews

  • Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 16 1x

Description

Indulgent “peanut butter & cookie dough fudge bars” merge classic comfort with sophisticated sweetness, blending rich layers of nostalgic flavors. Chocolate lovers and dessert enthusiasts will discover pure bliss in each silky, luxurious bite.


Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients (Fudge and Cookie Dough Base):

  • 1 cup (250 g) creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup (120 g) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup (120 ml) sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup (120 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour (heat-treated for safety)

Sugars and Sweeteners:

  • ⅓ cup (65 g) brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

Additional Flavoring and Mix-ins:

  • ½ cup (90 g) mini chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup (45 g) chocolate chips, melted
  • 2 tablespoons milk (or cream)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Create a smooth, velvety peanut butter fudge foundation by gently melting peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a saucepan, stirring until completely integrated and glossy.
  2. Transfer the molten fudge mixture into a parchment-lined pan, ensuring an even, uniform surface, then refrigerate while preparing the complementary layer.
  3. Whip softened butter with brown and granulated sugars until achieving a light, airy consistency that appears pale and fluffy.
  4. Incorporate vanilla extract and milk into the butter-sugar mixture, blending thoroughly to create a cohesive base.
  5. Gently fold heat-treated flour into the creamed mixture, ensuring complete integration, then delicately mix in mini chocolate chips for textural contrast.
  6. Extract the chilled fudge layer from refrigeration and carefully spread the cookie dough across the surface, maintaining a consistent thickness.
  7. Optional: Embellish the assembled bars with a delicate chocolate drizzle and a whisper of sea salt for enhanced flavor complexity.
  8. Allow the layered dessert to rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours, enabling complete solidification and flavor melding.
  9. Once fully set, elevate the dessert using parchment paper edges and slice into precise, geometric squares or rectangular bars.
  10. Serve immediately or maintain chilled, storing any remaining portions in a sealed container within the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes

  • Heat-treat flour by microwaving in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, to eliminate potential bacteria and make raw cookie dough safe to consume.
  • Use room temperature ingredients for smoother, more evenly mixed layers that blend seamlessly without lumps or separation.
  • Opt for natural peanut butter with no added sugar for a richer, less sweet fudge base that balances the cookie dough’s sweetness.
  • Experiment with alternative mix-ins like chopped nuts, different chocolate chips, or a sprinkle of cocoa powder to customize the flavor profile and add unique texture.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Blending
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 16
  • Calories: 250
  • Sugar: 16 g
  • Sodium: 120 mg
  • Fat: 14 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 28 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 5 g
  • Cholesterol: 15 mg
Daves Miller

Daves Miller

Contributing Chef & Culinary Educator

Expertise

  • American Southern cuisine with a modern twist.
  • Instruction in culinary fundamentals and advanced techniques.
  • Development of recipes that highlight seasonal and local produce.​
  • Mastery of artisanal bread and pastry techniques, from laminated doughs to decorative sugar artistry.

Education

Sullivan University, Louisville, Kentucky

  • Degree: Associate of Science Degree in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Specialized in cooking techniques and culinary sciences, hands‑on externships, professional kitchen lab training, and career preparation for restaurants, entrepreneurship, and global culinary opportunities.

White Mountains Community College, Berlin, New Hampshire

  • Program: Baking and Pastry Arts degree
  • Focus: Specialized in comprehensive baking and pastry arts, including bread making, artisan breads, cake decorating and design, chocolates, confections, and decorative centerpieces; product development and baking theory; and career preparation for baker and pastry chef roles in many places.

Daves is the friendly face guiding you through flavorful, fuss-free recipes at Picture Perfect Meals. 

He studied culinary arts at Sullivan University and embraced Baking and Pastry Arts at White Mountains Community College. Daves specializes in comforting meals with vibrant flavors, highlighting fresh, seasonal ingredients.

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