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Peanut Butter and Potato Chip Layered Cookie Bars

By Cindy Rahe
Created January 10, 2017
Sweet and salty, with a bit of chew and chocolate, these bars are nothing but (the best kind of) trouble.
Peanut Butter and Potato Chip Layered Cookie Bars

There’s a lot to love about “magic” layered cookie bars. You know, the variety of cookie-bar that’s topped with a chocolate and butterscotch chips, plus nuts, coconut and the requisite sweetened condensed milk atop a graham-cracker base. While I, too, love indulging in these sugar-bomb bars, I’m of the opinion they could benefit from a little salt and more crunch to really take them over the top.

And so I created the “magic” layered cookie bars of my dreams! They combine creamy peanut butter—in chip form and mixed with the condensed milk—with chocolate chips, big flakes of coconut and the addictive, salty crunch of potato chips. Sweet, salty, crunchy, with a bit of chew and chocolate scattered throughout, these bars are pure danger.

The deliciousness begins with a classic crust made with graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.

ingredients for crust

After the crust is pressed into the pan, it’s topping time: sweetened condensed milk mixed with peanut butter, peanut butter chips, potato chips, chocolate chips and unsweetened coconut flakes.

ingredients for the topping

Then it’s time to layer. I started with half of the coconut and potato chips, followed by the peanut butter and chocolate chips.

crunched up potato chips on baked crust

Once more layer of toppings and we’re almost done. Look at all that beautiful texture!

chocolate and peanut butter chips sprinkled

Next, take that condensed milk and peanut butter situation and douse it over the top. Pop it into the oven to bake.

topping poured over

And, out it comes, golden and chewy around the edges, with bits of salty-sweet crunch throughout. Truly a thing of beauty, in my humble opinion.

baked bars on parchment

Then, slice them up however you’d like. I’d advise you to start small ‘cause these babies are rich! Do you have a favorite “magic” bar recipe? If so, I’d love to know what you do to make yours extra-special!

Peanut Butter and Potato Chip Layered Cookie Bars

Ingredients

    • 1 1/2cups graham cracker crumbs (about 1 sleeve of graham crackers)
    • 1/3cup unsalted butter, melted
    • 3tablespoons creamy peanut butter
    • 1can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
    • 1 1/4cup crushed salted kettle-style potato chips
    • 1cup unsweetened coconut flakes
    • 1cup peanut butter chips
    • 3/4cup miniature chocolate chips

Directions

  • 1Heat oven to 350°F. Line 8-inch square pan with cooking parchment paper allowing paper to hang over 2 sides of pan. Spray paper with cooking spray. Secure overhanging paper with metal binder clips.
  • 2In medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and butter until well combined. Press evenly in bottom of pan. Set aside.
  • 3In small microwavable bowl, microwave peanut butter on High about 30 seconds until slightly melted. Add condensed milk; stir to combine.
  • 4Layer half each of the potato chips, coconut flakes, peanut butter chips and chocolate chips on cracker base. Repeat with remaining chips and flakes. Pour peanut butter-condensed milk mixture as evenly as possible over layered toppings.
  • 5Bake in center of oven 20 to 25 minutes or until condensed milk has melted into bars and edges begin to brown. Remove from oven to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  • 6For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.

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