Peanut Butter Cookie Brownie Nutter Butter Bars

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray bottom and sides with baking spray. Set aside.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH: In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment affixed, cream the butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar to the butter and mix until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat into the mixture until incorporated. Add the peanut butter and mix on medium-high speed until completely combined. Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the flour and baking soda, mixing on low until barely combined.

Remove bowl from mixer and use a rubber scraper to ensure all ingredients are incorporated and then spoon cookie dough into the prepared baking pan. Use the rubber scraper to smooth the cookie dough out into an even layer in the baking pan.

NUTTER BUTTER LAYER: Gently press 20 whole Nutter Butter cookies into the peanut butter cookie dough layer.

BROWNIE BATTER: In a microwave safe bowl, add the unsweetened chocolate and butter, and microwave until butter and chocolate are completely melted. Stop every 20-seconds to stir the mixture to ensure you don't scorch the chocolate. Once chocolate is melted, remove bowl from the microwave and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Once mixture is cool enough, add the eggs one at a time, beating into the batter completely before adding the next egg. Stir in the flour until incorporated. Pour brownie batter over the peanut butter cookie dough and Nutter Butters until bottom layers are completely covered by the brownie batter.

Bake in 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out without raw batter on it. Do not overbake. It's better to take the bars out and be a little underdone because they will continue to bake in the pan while they set and cool.

Let bars cool completely before cutting into desired sized squares. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.