Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars

I absolutely love cookie dough!  I think it is one of my favorite foods to eat, and I was ecstatic when I saw a recipe for cookie dough bars.  What could be better than that?!  This treat is egg-free for those of you out there who are like me and have a phobia of raw eggs, and it has a peanut butter and milk chocolate topping.  I was unsure about the peanut butter with chocolate chip cookie dough, but it was a good pair!  These bars are very rich, and could easily be cut into bite-size pieces...but not in my house!  My husband and I downed these babies like there was no tomorrow!

Here's the ingredients: brown sugar, flour, butter, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, peanut butter, semisweet chocolate chips, and milk chocolate chips.  

Cream together 1/2 C. butter and 3/4 C. packed light brown sugar for three minutes.

Add in 1 t. of vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low speed alternate adding 2 C. of flour...

...and a can of sweetened condensed milk.

Fold in 2 C. of semisweet chocolate chips.

Grease an 8x8 in. pan or line it with parchment paper, and press the dough in the pan with your hands.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  I put mine in the freezer because I couldn't wait three hours...more like 15 minutes!  Mine turned out fine.

While the cookie dough is chilling, place 1 C. of creamy peanut butter and 2/3 C. of milk chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds or until the chocolate is melted.

Pour the peanut butter/chocolate mixture over the bars.  Refrigerate until the topping is firm before cutting into them.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars
1/2 C. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 C. packed light brown sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 C. all purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 C. mini chocolate chips
1 C. creamy peanut butter (not the natural kind)
2/3 C. milk chocolate chips.
In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment (a handheld mixer works fine), mix together the unsalted butter and light brown sugar for about 3 minutes
Once that’s combined, add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and mix.
With the mixer on low speed, alternate between adding the flour and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until combined.
Add in the mini chocolate chips and fold them in with a spatula.
Line a 8 by 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Press the cookie dough into the pan. If the cookie dough starts to stick to your hands, put a small amount of flour on your hands. Don’t use too much though.
Cover the cookie dough bars with plastic wrap. Place the cookie dough bars in the refrigerator for 3 or more hours until they’re firm. I typically refrigerate them overnight and then put the chocolate/peanut topping on the next day.
To make the glaze:
Combine the milk chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwavable bowl. Melt in the microwave. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate.
Take the cookie dough bars out of the refrigerator. Hold onto the parchment paper and pick them up out of the pan. Put the cookie dough bars (that are still on the parchment paper) onto a baking sheet.
Pour the melted chocolate/peanut butter mixture over the cookie dough. Try your best to keep the melted chocolate/peanut butter from going onto the sides.
Spread the mixture out with a spatula.
Chill the bars in the refrigerator for an hour or more until the topping is firm.
Cut into small pieces and enjoy!
Source: Gingerbread Bagels