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Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars

Nutter Butter crust, chocolate pudding, and peanut butter cream cheese filling!! Easy, almost no-bake, and beyond AMAZING!!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Chill Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 412 kcal
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • one 16-ounce package peanut butter sandwich cookies like Nutter Butter Cookies, divided
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • one 3.9-ounce package JELL-O Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix not sugar-free
  • 1 ½ cups cold milk use cow’s milk; pudding won’t set up with soy, almond, cashew milk. I used 1% cow’s milk
  • 4 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese softened (not lite)
  • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • heaping 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter not ‘natural’
  • one 8-ounce tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping thawed and divided
  • ¼ cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup peanut butter chips

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. To the canister of a food processor, add 24 peanut butter cookies and process on high speed until broken down into very fine crumbs; set aside.
  3. To a small microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the melted butter to the peanut butter cookie crumbs and process on high speed to combine, about 30 seconds.
  5. Turn mixture out into prepared baking pan and using the back of a spatula, hard-pack the mixture to form a even, flat crust.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven; set aside to cool. While crust bakes, you can move onto the next steps.
  7. Add remaining 8 peanut butter cookies to food processor and pulse to break up cookies into bite-sized chunks, about 10 pulses or as necessary. Reserve cookie chunks in a small covered bowl or ziptop bag for use as a topping.
  8. To a medium bowl, add the pudding mix, milk, and whisk vigorously for at least 1 minute, making sure powder is fully dissolved and mixture is smooth. Place bowl in fridge to chill.
  9. To a large bowl, add the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, and beat for about 1 minute using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, or until smooth and combined.
  10. Add half the tub of COOL WHIP and beat for about 1 minute using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, or until smooth and combined; set aside.
  11. To the crust (make sure it’s cooled), add the pudding (make sure it’s thick and set up) in a smooth, even layer.
  12. Add the creamy peanut butter mixture in a smooth, even layer. I find it easiest to add it in golf ball-sized dollops staggered around the pan and then using a spatula, blend the dollops together to create a seamless layer. Take your time so you don’t disturb the layers underneath.
  13. Add the remaining half tub of COOL WHIP in a smooth, even layer.
  14. Cover and refrigerate pan for at least 2 hours, or until dessert is fully set-up. I made it 4 days before a party and placed dessert in the freezer at this point, and 2 hours before the party, I took it out, garnished with the remaining ingredients, and served.
  15. Before serving, evenly sprinkle with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and reserved Nutter Butter cookie chunks.

Notes

  • Storage: Dessert will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, noting that crust and sprinkled cookies on top may lose crispness as time passes.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 412kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 46g (15%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 23g (35%) Saturated Fat 11g (55%) Polyunsaturated Fat 10g Cholesterol 14mg (5%) Sodium 256mg (11%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 27g (54%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 412

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 412kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 46g 15%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Polyunsaturated Fat 10g 59%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Sodium 256mg 11%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 27g 54%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.