Caramel Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Gooey Bars
Serves 110 mins prep31 mins cook
The bars are a hybrid of so many favorites. They’re fast and easy to make, use only one bowl, no mixer, and are drippy, gooey, soft and slightly chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips. A cake-like base layer is topped with graham cracker pieces, chocolate chips, and flooded with a sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter mixture. While baking, the top layer caramelizes and turns slightly golden. If you’re an oven door-watcher, big air bubbles form while baking, and some pop, some don’t. After baking, you must let the bars cool for at least 3 hours, overnight is better. Slicing sooner will result in a huge mess because they need time to set up. They’re dense, filling, very rich, and so good.
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What you need
Instructions
0 Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside. I strongly urge lining the pan with foil for easier cleanup. 1 In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power. 2 Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, brown sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth. 3 Add the flour, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix. Batter will be thick. 4 Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into the corners. 5 Evenly sprinkle the graham cracker pieces over the top. 6 Evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top; set aside. 7 In a large mixing bowl (same one you already used is fine), add the sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, and whisk until smooth and combined (same whisk is fine). 8 Slowly and evenly pour this liquid mixture over the bars, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula to disperse mixture into corners if necessary. If any graham cracker pieces have floated up or are jetting out, push them down so they don’t burn. 9 Bake for about 28 to 31 minutes, or until top is set, slightly golden, and not jiggly. Be careful because bars will be prone to burning in the final moments of baking. A toothpick test won’t work because the interior stays gooey and moist, and the toothpick comes out looking wet, even when bars are done. Allow bars to cool in pan for at least 3 hours, but overnight is better (cover with a piece of foil and/or put pan in large Ziplock) before slicing and serving. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.View original recipe