Soft & Chewy Sheet Pan Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

There’s something undeniably comforting about a classic peanut butter cookie. What if you could skip the scooping and make a whole batch in one go? Enter the Sheet Pan Peanut Butter Cookie Bars! These bars are soft, chewy, and packed with a rich peanut butter flavor that’s perfectly complemented by the melty chocolate chips. And to top it off, each bar is adorned with a Hershey’s Kiss.

How to Make Sheet Pan Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

Here is your shopping list:

🛒 Dairy & Refrigerated:

• Butter
• Egg

🛒 Pantry Staples:

• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Creamy peanut butter
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt

🛒 Mix-ins & Toppings:

• Chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
• Hershey’s Kisses

Step By Step

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prep the baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Then grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with baking spray or line with parchment paper. 

📌We love these parchment paper sheets. They make life easy! 

Step 2: Cream both kinds of butter and sugar together. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until well combined.

📌This step helps create a soft and chewy texture for the bars.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients. Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla and mix well. 

Step 4: Combine the dry ingredients. Gradually stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

📌Tip: Avoid overmixing once you add the flour, as this can make the bars dense instead of soft and chewy.

Step 5: Fold in the chocolate chips. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold in the chocolate chips.  

📌 If you prefer a more classic peanut butter flavor, you can skip the chocolate chips altogether.
Step 6: Scoop the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly edge to edge. Use a spatula or your hands to press it down gently.

Step 7: Bake at 350° F or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

📌Tip: If you like a slightly crispier top, sprinkle a little granulated sugar over the dough before baking!

Step 8: Add the Kisses. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then cut into 24 bars. Place a Hershey’s Kiss in the center of each bar.

Enjoy warm or let the bars cool completely before serving.

Tips and Tricks

✅Don’t overmix the dough. Once you add the flour, stop mixing the dough when you no longer see streaks of flour. This will make the peanut butter kiss cookie bars soft and chewy. Overmixing will make them turn out tough, and we don’t want that.

✅Use room-temperature butter. Softened butter blends more easily with sugar, making the dough smoother and creamier. 

✅Add the Kisses while the cookie bars are warm but not hot. This will help them stick to the sheet pan cookie bars better but keep them from melting. 

✅ Chill for Perfect Slices – If you want super neat cuts, let the bars cool completely or even refrigerate them for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

✅ How to Store & Freeze – Keep at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze the bars (before adding the Hershey’s Kisses) for up to 3 months, then add the chocolate after thawing.