Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

I'm starting a new series called "Cookies in the Cottage" because, well, we like cookies around here and I have a lot of recipes to share! They might not be the most unique, but they are all tried-and-true favorites in our house. I hope you find one (or two...) you'd like to try, too.




First up is a bar cookie with a long history in our house.

Growing up, my father was a peanut-butter fanatic (he still loves it...), so we would make a lot of peanut-butter things (especially if they included chocolate!). Since this was so easy, I made them often enough while in high school that a few people mentioned them when writing in my yearbook.

What does that say about me, that even in high school I was known for food?

Before my husband and I were officially dating and were in the "flirtation" stage, we went to a group function (I think it was to watch "It's a Wonderful Life"), and I brought these cookies specifically because I had gotten so many compliments on them in the past.

I was out to impress.

When I saw him eating one (who am I kidding, I was waiting to pounce), I made a bee-line to the cookie table, where I asked casually, "What do you think of those?"

"Um," he said through the bite in his mouth, "it's kinda like a bunch of sugar and lard rolling around in my mouth."

Yeah. That was the response I was after.

In fact, it was so far from anything I'd ever heard about these that I was speechless for a moment and then sorta laughed, "well, I made them."

"Oh. Well, they're good, too!"

I've since learned that this man likes two kinds of desserts: chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip ice cream (with extra chocolate chips). On special occasions he might go for cheesecake with...you guessed it- chocolate chips.

I married him anyway.

And had kids who love these cookies.




To make these easy bar cookies that may-or-may-not knock the socks off your loved ones, you'll need peanut butter and chocolate chips plus, butter, eggs, flour, sugar (brown and white), vanilla, baking powder, and salt.

And no lard.




Cream the peanut butter, butter, and sugars.




Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy.




Add the flour (I use whole-wheat pastry flour), baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.




Spread in a 13x9 pan (ungreased) as evenly as possible.




Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Sometimes I mix dark and milk chocolate chips if I have them. These were extra dark (and extra yummy!).

Put the pan in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.




Slide pan out and run a knife through the melted chocolate chips to marbleize the top.

Return pan to oven and bake for about 20 minutes longer, until the edges are golden.

Cool before cutting or you will ruin the pretty top.

And decide for yourself if these are the cookies to impress your friends and loved ones (or soon-to-be-loved ones...).




Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1/3 c. softened butter
• 1 c. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 12-oz bag chocolate chips

1. Beat the peanut butter, butter, and sugars together in a large bowl.
2. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
3. Blend in the flour, baking powder, and salt until mixed well.
4. Spread evenly in a 13x9-inch ungreased pan. Sprinkle the bag of chocolate chips over the top as evenly as possible.
5. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and run a knife through the chocolate to marbleize. Return to oven for 20 minutes until golden around the edges.
7. Cool and cut into 24 bars.

Find more recipes at Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap.

-Jami