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Per serving
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- 1
Get set up
Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan, or line it with parchment paper. Set your butter out ahead of time so it comes to room temperature — soft butter creams properly, and that's where these bars get their tender texture.
- 2
Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars
In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter with 1/4 cup of the peanut butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat again until light and fluffy. This step whips tiny air pockets into the dough, so give it a full minute or two.
- 3
Add the egg and vanilla
Mix in the egg and vanilla extract and beat thoroughly until the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
- 4
Mix in the dry ingredients
Add the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Mix only until barely combined — once flour hits liquid, gluten starts developing, and overmixing is how bars turn tough instead of soft. Stop as soon as you don't see dry streaks.
- 5
Build the bottom layer
Spread about half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. If it sticks to your hands, wet your fingertips — the dough won't grab onto damp skin. Then spread the remaining peanut butter (about 1/3 cup) in an even layer over the dough.
- 6
Add the chocolate and marshmallow
Sprinkle all the chocolate chips over the peanut butter layer. Remove the lid and foil from the marshmallow creme and microwave the jar for about 20 seconds, watching closely — when it puffs above the rim, it's ready. Warming it is the secret to spreading it without a sticky wrestling match. Spread it over the chocolate chips.
- 7
Top with the remaining dough
Shape pieces of the remaining dough into 4 or 5 flattened shingles with your hands and lay them over the marshmallow layer, patching gaps as you go. It doesn't need to be perfect — the dough spreads and melts together as it bakes.
- 8
Bake and cool
Bake at 350°F for 28-30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden. Let the bars cool in the pan so the gooey middle can set up before you cut them. Serve with a big glass of cold milk — you'll want it.
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Gooey Peanut Butter S'mores Bars
Created by: SugarAndButter
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2/3 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 7 oz marshmallow creme
Instructions
- Get set upPreheat your oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan, or line it with parchment paper. Set your butter out ahead of time so it comes to room temperature — soft butter creams properly, and that's where these bars get their tender texture.
- Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugarsIn a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter with 1/4 cup of the peanut butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat again until light and fluffy. This step whips tiny air pockets into the dough, so give it a full minute or two.
- Add the egg and vanillaMix in the egg and vanilla extract and beat thoroughly until the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the dry ingredientsAdd the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Mix only until barely combined — once flour hits liquid, gluten starts developing, and overmixing is how bars turn tough instead of soft. Stop as soon as you don't see dry streaks.
- Build the bottom layerSpread about half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. If it sticks to your hands, wet your fingertips — the dough won't grab onto damp skin. Then spread the remaining peanut butter (about 1/3 cup) in an even layer over the dough.
- Add the chocolate and marshmallowSprinkle all the chocolate chips over the peanut butter layer. Remove the lid and foil from the marshmallow creme and microwave the jar for about 20 seconds, watching closely — when it puffs above the rim, it's ready. Warming it is the secret to spreading it without a sticky wrestling match. Spread it over the chocolate chips.
- Top with the remaining doughShape pieces of the remaining dough into 4 or 5 flattened shingles with your hands and lay them over the marshmallow layer, patching gaps as you go. It doesn't need to be perfect — the dough spreads and melts together as it bakes.
- Bake and coolBake at 350°F for 28-30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden. Let the bars cool in the pan so the gooey middle can set up before you cut them. Serve with a big glass of cold milk — you'll want it.