Five-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Simple and chewy peanut butter cookie bars made with just five pantry staples, perfect for a fuss-free sweet treat. This American-inspired recipe, ready in about 23 minutes, layers creamy peanut butter, granulated sugar, large egg into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 140 calories and feeds 16, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 5 min Cook: 18 min Serves 16 American cuisine 140 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

The bakeware we’d bake this in → Best Bakeware Sets in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Bakeware & baking tools → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
  2. Step 2: In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until a thick, sticky dough forms.
  3. Step 3: Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
  4. Step 4: Bake for 15-18 minutes until the edges are golden and the center is set but still soft.
  5. Step 5: Allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out and cutting into bars.

Related recipes