Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

Teresa Ambra

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars are some of the best brownies you’ll ever eat and certainly some of our favorites. We love these delicious peanut butter chocolate chip bars! They have a wonderful peanut butter texture by using extra crunchy peanut butter. Then semi sweet chocolate chips are swirled into that lovely peanut butter batter making a heavenly delight from this combination. They’re chewy, crunchy, and oh, so delectable.

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Peanut Butter Swirl Bars is one of our favorite cookie recipes and has been for almost 40 years. Next to our “Chunky Blond Brownies” recipe I have made these delicious bars more than any other recipe–probably hundreds of times. No kidding!

It’s SO quick and easy to throw together. I can have a pan of this bar whipped up and ready to put in the oven in about 5-7 minutes.

We’ve made this recipe almost every year for 35 years for our annual Christmas cookie extravaganza where we bake anywhere from 2,500 to 5,000 cookies, brownies or bars for family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and folks at our church. Everybody loves this recipe. It’s especially kid-friendly. And the taste–absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!

I first got this recipe off the back of a Nestle’s chocolate chip package around 1975–even before I got married. I remember trying it the first time when I was 18 or 19 and I didn’t understand what inserting a knife into the dough to marbleize meant! I just stuck the knife into the bottom of the pan in several spots. (Talk about culinarily-challenged!)

It was a couple of years later when I finally figured out marbleizing meant to swirl the knife into the batter and mix the chocolate with the peanut butter batter. I’m so glad I didn’t throw the recipe out because it didn’t work for me the first time! Through the years I have pretty much followed the recipe as written without changes–one of the few recipes I have ever done that with!

When I first posted this recipe in November 2012, my pictures were not the best. Some of them were posed on dark-colored plates with a design that was very busy and not conducive to photography. I recently remade this recipe (October 2014) for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza, 2014 and put them in the freezer until we packed them up in cookie containers for shipping and delivery.

Like I’ve stated before, we make these brownies all the time. I remade them for a Disciple Now Weekend at our church and gave these goodies to our freshman high school girls. I’ve updated the pictures again (January 2017) and hopefully you’ll be able to see how wonderful these brownies are.

One of the key directions for making this recipe is not to overcook the brownies. They take almost 20 minutes exactly in my oven after I’ve swirled them with the knife. If you bake them much longer than that the chocolate melts too much and actually becomes too gooey. The chocolate chips and swirls hold their pattern better if you don’t over-bake them. These chocolaty brownies are so delicious and decadent. I’m sure they’ll become one of your favorites too.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars are our favorite chocolate chip and peanut butter bars. I’ve made this yummy dessert hundreds of times through the years.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Don’t Peanut Butter Swirl Bars look wonderful? The texture is terrific.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars are filled with extra crunchy peanut butter and semi sweet chocolate chips are swirled throughout the batter making this a chocolate chip peanut butter delight! 

Here’s what I did.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these amazing #brownies have chunky #peanutbutter and #chocolatechips swirled through the batter. #chocolate #dessert #cookie

I used these ingredients to make Peanut Butter Swirl Bars.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these amazing #brownies have chunky #peanutbutter and #chocolatechips swirled through the batter. #chocolate #dessert #cookie

Soften butter and put in a mixing bowl.  Add crunchy peanut butter (not creamy — no exceptions!), brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, salt, baking powder and vanilla.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these amazing #brownies have chunky #peanutbutter and #chocolatechips swirled through the batter. #chocolate #dessert #cookie

Add UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour. Bleached flour toughens baked goods.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these amazing #brownies have chunky #peanutbutter and #chocolatechips swirled through the batter. #chocolate #dessert #cookie

Stir all ingredients together with a wooden spoon and combine well.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these amazing #brownies have chunky #peanutbutter and #chocolatechips swirled through the batter. #chocolate #dessert #cookie

Spray 9×13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Spread cookie dough into prepared dish. Spread a package of Ghirardelli’s chocolate chips over top of batter and bake in preheated 350 oven for 5 minutes.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these amazing #brownies have chunky #peanutbutter and #chocolatechips swirled through the batter. #chocolate #dessert #cookie

After baking the bars for 5 minutes remove from oven. The chocolate chips will have softened slightly. Using a knife, swirl the knife through the batter in twirls and swirling pattern until the entire pan has been swirled.  Gently swirl in 3-4″ swirling patterns. If you over-swirl the batter you won’t be able to see any peanut butter!)

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Bake at 350 15-20 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Don’t overbake or the chocolate will melt too much and the chips and marbleized chocolate won’t hold it’s shape very well.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Here’s a plate of Peanut Butter Swirl Bars.  Is this your plate or mine?

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

These are so quick and easy to bake. You can have a pan of Peanut Butter Swirl Bars ready to put in your oven in about 5 minutes!

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars are great for tailgating parties, baby showers, office parties and potlucks. Everyone always loves them.

Here’s the recipe.

PEANUT BUTTER SWIRL BARS

(From the back of a Nestle chocolate chip package)

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

Teresa Ambra
Peanut Butter Swirl Bars have been some of our favorite brownies for decades. This vintage recipe is so quick and easy to make, plus it uses two of your favorite ingredients. Chocolate and Peanut Butter! This one has a crunchy peanut butter dough and softened chocolate chips swirled gently into the batter to marbleize. These bars are perfect for tailgating parties, potlucks, soccer or gymnastics practice or even holiday baking. No one ever turns these brownies down!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 224 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 medium mixing bowl
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 9x13" glass baking dish
  • 1 spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup extra crunchy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt
  • 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Mix all ingredients, except chips and spread into a greased 9x13" glass baking dish.
  • Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
  • Place in 350° oven for 5 minutes.
  • Remove from oven; run knife through in swirling patterns to marbleize.
  • Return to oven.
  • Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes more--until set but not so that chocolate overmelts and becomes gooey.
  • Cool; cut into bars.

Notes

NOTE: Try not to be heavy handed when swirling the softened chocolate chips into the batter. You want to be able to see the peanut butter and not just the chocolate.
 
NOTE: These brownies only need to be baked about 15-20 minutes after swirling the slightly melted chocolate chips into the batter. Overbaking causes the chocolate to melt too much and becomes so gooey that the chocolate chips and swirls will not hold their shape very well.
 
Recipe adapted from the back of a Nestle chocolate chip package.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 78mgPotassium: 143mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 148IUCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg
Keyword brownie, chocolate, chocolate chip cookie, chocolate chips, chocolate dessert, cookie, dessert, peanut butter
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

[b]Peanut Butter Swirl Bars[/b]
Recipe Type: Cookies, Brownies and Bars
Cuisine: American
Author: Teresa Ambra adapted from the back of a [url href=”http://www.nestle.com/recipes” target=”_blank” title=”nestle”]Nestle[/url] Chocolate Chip package
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 24
Quick and easy brownie recipe with two of your favorite ingredients! Chocolate and Peanut Butter! This one has a crunchy [url href=”http://www.jif.com/products/extra-crunchy-peanut-butter” target=”_blank” title=”jif extra crunchy peanut butter”]peanut butter[/url] dough and softened [url href=”http://www.ghirardelli.com/store/shop-products/collections/baking-products/semi-sweet-chocolate-baking-chips.html” target=”_blank” title=”ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips”]Ghirardelli[/url] chocolate chips swirled gently into the batter to marbleize.
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • ½ cup [url href=”http://www.jif.com/products/extra-crunchy-peanut-butter” target=”_blank” title=”jif extra crunchy peanut butter”]Jif[/url] extra crunchy peanut butter
  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 12-oz. [url href=”http://www.ghirardelli.com/store/shop-products/collections/baking-products/semi-sweet-chocolate-baking-chips.html” target=”_blank” title=”ghirardelli’s semi-sweet chocolate chips”]Ghirardelli’s[/url] semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients, except chips.
  2. Sprinkle them on top.
  3. Place in 350° oven for 5 minutes.
  4. Remove from oven; run knife through in swirling patterns to marbleize.
  5. Return to oven.
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  7. Cool; cut into bars.
Notes
Try not to be heavy handed when swirling the softened chocolate chips into the batter. You want to be able to see the peanut butter and not just the chocolate.
Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars are great for holiday baking, too. 

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars are loaded with marbleized chocolate chips and crunchy peanut butter and make one very scrumptious and decadent brownie.

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White Chocolate Toffee Peanut Butter Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | Everyone raves over these #brownies when we make them. They'e super rich, decadent & absolutely divine! They will cure any sweet tooth craving you have. #toffee #dessert #chocolate #cookies #whitechocolate #HeathEnglishToffeeBits #ChocolateDessert #ToffeeDessert #peanutbutter #PeanutButterDessert #Tailgating #TailgatingDessert

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Buddy Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these amazing #brownies combine #chocolate and #peanutbutter making the best "buddy" combination ever! #dessert #cookie

Peanut Blossoms

Peanut Blossoms | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fabulous #peanutbutter #cookies are stuffed with a #HersheysKiss and are great for #christmas parties. #dessert #chocolate
Peanut Butter Swirl Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | some of our favorite #brownies ever! #chocolatechips are swirled into a delicious #peanutbutter #brownie batter. Rich, decadent, heavenly! #dessert #chocolate

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

Teresa Ambra
Peanut Butter Swirl Bars have been some of our favorite brownies for decades. This vintage recipe is so quick and easy to make, plus it uses two of your favorite ingredients. Chocolate and Peanut Butter! This one has a crunchy peanut butter dough and softened chocolate chips swirled gently into the batter to marbleize. These bars are perfect for tailgating parties, potlucks, soccer or gymnastics practice or even holiday baking. No one ever turns these brownies down!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 224 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 medium mixing bowl
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 9×13" glass baking dish
  • 1 spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup extra crunchy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt
  • 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Mix all ingredients, except chips and spread into a greased 9×13″ glass baking dish.
  • Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
  • Place in 350° oven for 5 minutes.
  • Remove from oven; run knife through in swirling patterns to marbleize.
  • Return to oven.
  • Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes more–until set but not so that chocolate overmelts and becomes gooey.
  • Cool; cut into bars.

Notes

NOTE: Try not to be heavy handed when swirling the softened chocolate chips into the batter. You want to be able to see the peanut butter and not just the chocolate.
 
NOTE: These brownies only need to be baked about 15-20 minutes after swirling the slightly melted chocolate chips into the batter. Overbaking causes the chocolate to melt too much and becomes so gooey that the chocolate chips and swirls will not hold their shape very well.
 
Recipe adapted from the back of a Nestle chocolate chip package.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 78mgPotassium: 143mgFiber: 2gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 148IUCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg
Keyword brownie, chocolate, chocolate chip cookie, chocolate chips, chocolate dessert, cookie, dessert, peanut butter
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

33 Comments

  • Carmen

    November 24, 2016 at 5:50 pm

    What size of pan do you use? I’m going to try them today. They look absolutely scrumptious!!!!

    1. Teresa

      November 25, 2016 at 10:37 am

      I use a 9×13″ dish. They are absolutely scrumptious! Hope you enjoy, Carmen.

  • White Chocolate Toffee Peanut Butter Brownies – Can't Stay Out Of The Kitchen

    February 5, 2015 at 11:30 am

    […] inspiration for this recipe was my Peanut Butter Swirl Bars. Those bars are so tasty I thought I would play around with the toppings and sure enough, White […]

  • Lisa

    January 26, 2015 at 10:43 am

    I can’t thank you enough for posting this recipe. My mum made these for us kids all the time in the 70s and had since lost the recipe. I have been searching for it FOREVER. I am making these when i get home tonight. You have no idea how you have made my day. I will plan to surprise my mum with the batch!!! Doing cartwheels in Ohio!!! Thank you for your thoughtful post! (I even contacted Nestle for the recipe and they said they couldn’t help!)

    1. Teresa

      January 26, 2015 at 4:26 pm

      Oh, Lisa, I’m so glad this recipe made your day! I found this on the back of a chocolate chip package in the mid 1970s and taped it into my recipe book. When I converted everything to a computer in 1984 this lovely recipe made the trip! I’ve made it so many times over the years. It’s a great treat for the holidays, but easy enough to whip up anytime. (I can have this oven ready in less than 10 minutes!) One suggestion: After you swirl the chocolate chips (five minutes after baking time has started), the bars are usually done in 15-20 minutes (even with my notoriously slow oven). If you bake them any longer, the chocolate really melts and doesn’t hold it’s shape, then it becomes a gooey mess. They still taste good, but they look better and sure are a lot easier to cut into squares if you don’t overbake them. Enjoy. 🙂

    2. Lisa Nicolella

      January 20, 2022 at 1:15 pm

      OMG! Lisa in Ohio, I am echoing every thing you said. I have hunted endlessly for this peanut butter swirl recipe that my mum made for us in the 70s and early 80s! I too asked Nestle for help – with none given. I have searched for this recipe for so many years – and I’d almost given up hope. Teresa, thank you so much for your generous post. I will be making these this afternoon. First thing I did was call my mum shouting from the virtual rooftop!! LOL. Thank you so much for this incredible gift! My face hurts from smiling!! My husband has never had them; he is in for a TREAT! You can’t know how happy this made me, Teresa! Grateful to you, Lisa

      1. Teresa

        January 22, 2022 at 11:45 am

        Hi Lisa. I found this on the back of a Nestle’s chocolate chip package around 1975. I was so young and stupid at the time (regarding cooking and baking) that I didn’t understand what “marbelize” meant on the instructions! It was a few years later that I finally understood that it meant to swirl the layers together. 🙂 I’ve made it so many times I can’t count! We love this easy, delicious recipe. And, it can be prepared with ingredients I usually have on hand in my pantry at a moment’s notice. 🙂

        1. Anonymous

          March 30, 2023 at 1:05 pm

          5 stars
          You rock, sistah! Thank you!!! It was such a gift. Thank you. Lisa

          1. Teresa Ambra

            March 30, 2023 at 4:16 pm

            So glad you liked these!

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  • Clare

    June 7, 2014 at 10:09 am

    Thank you, thank you. I’ve been looking for this exact recipe ever since Nestle’s decide to no longer print on the back of their chocolate chip bag. So easy and so delicious.

    1. Teresa

      June 7, 2014 at 12:58 pm

      I’m so glad you found it here, Clare! We love this recipe and have made it since the 1970s!

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  • Annis

    January 13, 2013 at 11:06 pm

    My brother recommended I might like this blog.

    He was totally right. This post truly made my day.
    You cann’t imagine simply how a lot time I had spent for this info! Thanks!

    1. Teresa

      January 14, 2013 at 11:06 am

      Great, thanks.

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  • My French Heaven

    November 14, 2012 at 2:23 am

    Oh these look so wonderful! You can almost taste them just looking at them. I really like your blog Teresa! Thanks for sharing!

    1. Teresa

      November 14, 2012 at 10:49 pm

      Thank you for your kind words. I’m really enjoying blogging. These bars are probably the quickest and easiest cookie-type recipe I have. It’s an added plus that they taste great, too!

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  • liveblissful

    November 3, 2012 at 9:17 am

    that looks so good!

    1. Teresa

      November 3, 2012 at 9:21 am

      They are wonderful! And so easy.

  • petit4chocolatier

    November 2, 2012 at 7:32 pm

    These look so delectable! I love the crunchy peanut butter addition!

    1. Teresa

      November 2, 2012 at 8:43 pm

      This recipe is SO easy. It’s my go to recipe if I have to whip up something really quickly. You can have the whole thing done in a half hour! It doesn’t hurt that they taste wonderful too!

  • Shari Kelley

    November 2, 2012 at 1:53 pm

    These look amazing! I printed out the recipe to try soon.

    1. Teresa

      November 2, 2012 at 3:06 pm

      They are amazing! I hope you enjoy them.

  • ~S

    November 2, 2012 at 11:11 am

    These look yumm!!

    1. Teresa

      November 2, 2012 at 3:08 pm

      They are fantastic! Hope you try them sometime soon. So quick and easy!

5 from 1 vote

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