Name: Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Cookie Bars
Yield: 20–24 bars
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 2 sticks vegan butter (1 cup total), softened; 1 cup packed brown sugar; ½ cup granulated sugar; ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (replaces egg); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2¾ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips; 1 cup dairy-free peanut butter chips; ½–¾ cup crushed walnuts (optional)

INGREDIENTS

20–24 bars

Wet ingredients

2 sticks vegan butter (1 cup total), softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (replaces egg)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dry ingredients

2¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Mix-ins

1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
1 cup dairy-free peanut butter chips
½–¾ cup crushed walnuts (optional)

METHOD

Make it

1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the sides.
2
Cream the butter and sugars. Beat softened vegan butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together for 2–3 minutes until creamy.
3
Add wet ingredients. Mix in applesauce and vanilla.
4
Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
5
Make the dough. Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined. The dough should be thick.
6
Add chips and nuts. Fold in chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and optional walnuts. Reserve a small handful of chips for the top.
7
Press into pan. Spread dough evenly, pressing it into the corners. Sprinkle reserved chips over the surface.
8
Bake for 25–32 minutes. The edges should be golden and the center set but still slightly soft.
9
Cool at least 30–45 minutes before cutting. The bars firm up as they cool.

Cooking notes

Check peanut butter chips for milk ingredients.
Main ingredient list specifies 1 cup peanut butter chips; a later first-batch suggestion uses ¾ cup with ½ cup walnuts. Both are suggestions, not a reported successful batch.
If dairy-free peanut butter chips are unavailable, the thread suggests swirling in ½ cup creamy peanut butter.
9-by-9-inch thicker-bar alternative: approximately 35–45 minutes; check center.