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Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Squares

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Squares

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Soft, chewy peanut-butter bars with a rich brown-sugar flavor and melted chocolate swirled across the top. They are simple enough for a beginner but feel more special than an ordinary peanut-butter cookie.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 24 to 30 squares
Course: Bars & Pastries, Cookies
Cuisine: Jewish
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (about 255 g)
  • 1 1/2 sticks pareve margarine or plant-based baking sticks (3/4 cup; 170 g), softened
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar (330 g)
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250 g)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 tsp vanilla extract (20 mL)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
  • 2 tsp baking powder (8 g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (about 170 g)

Equipment

  • 11 x 14-inch baking pan
  • Parchment paper
  • large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Electric mixer or sturdy whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Butter knife or thin spatula for swirling
  • Wire cooling rack, optional

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven. Heat to 350°F / 175°C. Position a rack in the center.
  2. Prepare the pan. Lightly grease an 11 x 14-inch pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  3. Cream the base. Beat the softened margarine, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 2-3 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
  4. Add the eggs. Beat them in one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  5. Add vanilla. Mix in the vanilla extract.
  6. Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  7. Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the peanut-butter mixture and mix only until no dry flour remains.
  8. Spread the batter. The batter will be thick. Spread it evenly into the prepared pan, making sure the corners are filled.
  9. Add the chocolate. Scatter the chocolate chips evenly over the entire surface.
  10. First bake. Bake for 5 minutes, just long enough to soften the chocolate chips.
  11. Swirl. Remove the pan briefly and drag the tip of a butter knife gently through the softened chocolate in loose swirls. Do not fully mix the chocolate into the batter.
  12. Finish baking. Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes more, for roughly 20-25 minutes total.
  13. Check for doneness. The edges should be lightly golden, the center should look set, and a toothpick inserted into a peanut-butter section should come out with moist crumbs but no raw batter.
  14. Do not overbake. The bars continue to set as they cool.
  15. Cool completely. Let the bars cool fully in the pan before cutting for the cleanest squares.

Notes

Alternative Pan Size
Use the same batter in a 9 x 13-inch pan. The bars will be thicker, so bake for about 28-35 minutes, beginning to check around 28 minutes. Look for set edges, a set center, and moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing
  • Make ahead: Excellent made 1 day ahead.
  • Room temperature: Store airtight for about 4-5 days.
  • Freezer: Cut completely cooled bars into squares, wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw: Thaw covered at room temperature.
Bubby's Tip
Do not wait for the center to look dry before taking these out of the oven. The bars should still look a little soft when the edges are set; they finish firming as they cool and stay much chewier that way.

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