These bars are delicious! Hands down. The chocolate filling gives then a brownie like texture but stay just crisp enough to be called a cookie bar.I originally got this recipe off the back of a Reese's baking cups and pieces bag, but changed a couple things.
p.s. condensed milk and evaporated milk are NOT the same! Condensed is sweetened and evaporated is not.
Chocolate-Filled Peanut Butter Bars
1 cup butter (2 sticks) softened and divided
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 tsp vanilla, divided
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup powdered cocoa
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cups mini Reese's peanut butter cups and Reese's pieces (combined)
1/2 cup mini M & M baking pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large mixing bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, peanut butter and brown sugar until well blended.
Then, add eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, beat until light and fluffy.
Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and salt. The mixture will be thick.
Reserve 2 cups on the dough and set aside.
Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pan.
Melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter in a medium size sauce pan over low heat.
Then stir in cocoa and sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk, stirring until smooth and thick.
Remove from heat and add the 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
Spread chocolate mixture on the dough.
Sprinkle the top of the chocolate with the baking cups and pieces and M & Ms.
Crumble the remaining reserved dough evenly over the top.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, cut into bars.
Depending on how you cut them they make up to about 4 dozen bars.
