If you’re reading this blog post and recipe, I don’t have to tell you just how good this flavour combination is. I must confess, I have been known to smear peanut butter directly onto squares of chocolate in order to get a chocolate/peanut butter fix.

But enough of that. I haven’t done that for a long time but what I discovered is that the humble chocolate cookie bars that we cook so often here only need a third of a cup of peanut butter to take them to a whole new dimension.

This is one of those one bowl, melt and mix recipes that I love so much. Such a good recipe to make when the oven is on and you need something in a hurry. You start by melting the butter and peanut butter together either in the microwave or on the stove top.

Once cooled slightly, add a beaten egg and vanilla.

Mix together your dry ingredients of flour, brown sugar, cocoa and chocolate chips. (I don’t normally have chocolate chips, rather opting for cutting a whole block of chocolate but they were on special at the supermarket.)

Mix the dry ingredients together well.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until well combined. (I only use crunchy

peanut butter in this house. I don’t even know why anyone would bother with smooth. Like, what’s the point?)

Once combined, press into a slice baking pan and bake.

Smother with chocolate frosting for extra indulgence or leave as is, cutting into smaller ‘finger’ sized pieces.

I’m going to have to check my oven because there always seem to be a corner missing after I’ve finished baking. I wonder where on earth it could’ve gone? (Hey, someone has to be the official taste tester. I wouldn’t want my family to eat anything that didn’t taste nice, right? *wink wink*)

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

• 125gm butter
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• quantity of chocolate frosting (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 170 deg C.
2. Melt together butter and peanut butter using either microwave or over the stop top.
3. Allow to cool slightly then add beaten egg and vanilla.
4. Combine flour, brown sugar, cocoa and chocolate chips.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.
6. Press into a 20x25cm slice pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until firm. (If you cook for less time, the bars will be soft and more fudge-like.)
7. Once cooled, cover with chocolate frosting and slice to serve.