Peanut Butter Dream Bars Recipe

Peanut Butter Dream Bars, please! I used to get them at Mrs. Field’s Cookies.

Have you ever had one of those days; the kind of day that feels like a gray cloud is following you around, raining on your parade? You know, the ones when you’re left wondering if the sun will ever shine again. Well, I believe I have found the solution. Not a magic wand that can wipe away all worry and strife, but it’s something quite close – enter the peanut butter dream bars. 

These little bars are much more than a sweet treat; they’re a chance to escape, even for a moment, to a simpler, sweeter world. Imagine, if you will, a bar so buttery it melts in your mouth, so crammed full of creamy peanut butter that it sticks to the roof of your mouth – in a good way. Not to forget the crown that is the chocolate top layer, a layer so smooth and rich, it’s like diving head first into a chocolate river. 

The beauty of these dream bars is in their simplicity. They are a testament to the adage that, “the simplest things in life are often the best”. And who could argue with a dessert that requires only a handful of ingredients and a little bit of time? 

Peanut Butter Dream Bars Recipe:

What You Need:

1 pkg. peanut butter sandwich cookies (16 oz)
4 tablespoons butter (melted)
8 ounces cream cheese – room temperature
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 oz whipped topping
1 box instant chocolate pudding (3.9 oz size)
1 ½ cups milk
¼ cup milk chocolate chips
¼ cup peanut butter chips (we used Reese’s here)

What You Do:

1 – Use about 20 peanut butter cookies, and pulse in a food processor until pieces are fine

2 – Melt the butter in a small microwavable bowl, add in the crushed cookies, and combine
until well coated.

3 – Press into the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish. Place into the freezer and allow to set for at least 30 minutes.

4 – While the cookie crust is setting, mix the pudding and 1 1/2 cups of milk in a medium bowl, allow pudding mix to set in the fridge.

5 – Using another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

6 – Then, fold in 1 cup of the whipped topping and fully combine.

7 – Remove cookie crust from the freezer and start layering your ingredients. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the crust and gently spread it out to fully cover.

8 – Next, layer the chocolate pudding mixture over the cream cheese and smooth it out to evenly distribute.

9 – Using the remaining whipped topping, create a top layer over the pudding.

10 – Refrigerate bars for two hours, then place into the freezer for about 30 minutes before serving to easily slice.

11 – Before serving break up remaining peanut butter cookies and top with cookies, peanut butter chips, and chocolate chips.

12 – Enjoy!

While I can’t promise these peanut butter dream bars will make sun shine on your gloomy day, they might just add a little sweetness. After all, isn’t it often the little things, like a homemade dessert, that make life a touch brighter? Peanut butter is the most popular nut butter in the United States. Have you ever wondered why? Is it the creamy texture that seems to melt on your tongue? Is it the rich, nutty flavor that brings back memories of simple childhood pleasures? Or is it just its sheer versatility, being both a comfort food and a gourmet ingredient? These are questions worth pondering as we dive into the world of this beloved spread.