Peanut Butter Dream Bars are a divine dessert that is simple to make with creamy peanut butter, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and a cookie crumb crust.
16ouncepackage of peanut butter sandwich cookiescrushed, reserve 8-9 cookies to crush for toppping
8tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted (½ cup)
For the Chocolate Layer:
1½cupsmilk
3.9ouncebox instant chocolate pudding
For the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Layer
4ouncescream cheese softened
½cuppowdered sugar
½cupcreamy peanut butter
For the Whipped Topping Layer
8ouncetub cool whip
½cupmilk chocolate chips
½cuppeanut butter chips
reserved peanut butter sandwich cookies crushed
Instructions
For the Crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8x8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Using a small mixing bowl, combine the crushed cookies and the melted butter. Stir cookie base ingredients to completely coat all the crumbs.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the baked crust to cool completely.
For the Chocolate Pudding Layer
Using a small bowl and a handheld electric mixer on medium speed or a wire whisk, beat together the chocolate pudding mix and the cold milk. Continue mixing until the pudding is thickened.
Use either a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, evenly spread the chocolate layer over the cooled crust. Set it in the refrigerator while you make the peanut butter layer.
For the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Layer
Using a medium bowl and a hand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese for about 1 minute until smooth.
Add the creamy peanut butter and continue mixing on medium-high for an additional 30 seconds - 1 minute, until smooth.
Reduce the mixer speed to low, slowly add in the confectioners' sugar and continue to mix until completely incorporated.
Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and evenly spread the peanut butter mixture over the top of the chocolate pudding layer.
Top the peanut butter layer with the 8-ounce tub of whipped topping.
Evenly sprinkle peanut butter and milk chocolate chips over the whipped topping
Evenly sprinkle the crushed sandwich cookies over the peanut butter and chocolate chips.
Return the baking dish to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours