Peanut Butter Bars

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SERVES: 24

COOK TIME: 35 Min

Peanut butter is a favorite food of kids of all ages, so bake up a batch of these yummy peanut butter bars today. Start with a cake mix, add chunky peanut butter and a couple other ingredients then get ready for the applause!

What You'll Need

1 (16.5-ounce) package yellow cake mix
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (10-ounce) package peanut butter chips
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

What to Do

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, peanut butter, and butter; mix well. Press half the mixture onto bottom of an ungreased 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Bake 10 minutes.
Remove peanut butter base from oven, top with peanut butter chips, and drizzle with sweetened condensed milk. Crumble remaining peanut butter mixture then sprinkle over top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden.
Allow to cool completely then cut into bars.

Note

For chocolate peanut butter bars, you can substitute chocolate cake mix for the yellow, or chocolate chips for the peanut butter chips.
Want even more tasty cake mix recipes? Check out our free eCookbook, Tempting Cake Mix Recipes: 30 Simple Recipes with Cake Mix. Or, go to our collection page, Cake Mix Recipes: 39 To-Die-For Recipes with Cake Mix.
Not enough peanut butter? Don't worry; we've got plenty more where that came from in our collection of Peanut Butter Recipes: Top 40 Recipes with Peanut Butter.
The kids are sure to like the other recipes like these Peanut Butter Bars that are featured in our kid-friendly eCookbook, ABC's of Back-to-School: 26 Kid-Friendly Recipes from Mr. Food.

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msdeb21

Jul 10, 2018

Another great recipe for bars or cookies that starts with a cake mix. I am so happy when I find recipes like this because I find that using a cake mix takes away the hassle of measuring a dozen different ingredients. My family loves peanut butter cookies, so these are now a favorite, too.

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kathy5286 7060906

Apr 12, 2015

Super easy and will definitely make these bars again. The only thing I did not understand was how to "crumble remaining peanut butter mixture" since it was a moist dough so I just dropped the dough in pieces over the chips. I also used a combination of peanut butter and milk chocolate chips so they wouldn't be quite so sweet.

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cukes

Sep 27, 2014

I use many of your recipes. I sub sugar free as much as possible for diabetic hubby. Do you have any idea of how to 'make' sweetened condensed milk that doesn't contain sugar? Thinking of something along the line of Milnot w/ Splenda...maybe. THANKS FOR THE SUPER RECIPES!!

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Test Kitchen Team

Sep 29, 2014

Hi there! Here's a recipe for sugar-free sweetened condensed milk: 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk 1 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder 1/2 cup Splenda In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to one week in refrigerator. Yields 3 1/2 cups Enjoy!

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sharboll 1129971

Jul 20, 2014

my grandaughter & I baked these after church today and they are yummy. very easy to make and you can change the recipe using chocolate cake & chips.

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Jnay

May 06, 2014

Thanks for the tips. I am trying it now. I added 1/4 cup self rising flour and 2 Tablespoons of sugar to make up for the missing 2 ounces of cake mix. I will let you know how it turns out. Also, the batter was not crumbly so I just pinched off small pieces and placed it around the top to cover as much surface as I could.

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Jnay

May 07, 2014

They turned out great!

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dianeterry 9873150

Feb 17, 2014

I haven't tried this recipe yet, however I thought it was strange that recipe called for a 18.25 oz. mix but others were having a problem because they could only find a 16.5 oz. I had some older cake mixes so went to look to see what the weight was. Sure enough the older ones were 18.25 and the new ones were 16.5. Note the boxes were the same size. I smell a rat! I did not notice that change and I bet they were counting on that too. Woops did I blow someone's cover?

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nosliwamm

Mar 01, 2015

I started adding instant pudding mix to accommodate SOME of the recipes that I have requiring the 18.25 oz mix - thing is, the mayonnaise cakes take the 18.25 - SO, it looking wetter than I thought it should, I added and instant pudding to it - WORKED ) YAY!!!!

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hopkins809 6062450

Feb 13, 2014

Made these for a lunch with friends. They were a giant hit! Easy to make and "oh, soooooo good"!

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wjpcsp 3242281

Feb 01, 2014

We'll, I have changed my mind on these. The next day they were moist and delicious. Will make again!

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wjpcsp 3242281

Jan 13, 2014

Our little grocery store did not have the 18 oz cake mix so I just used a regular cake mix. Perhaps that is why the dough did not actually crumble? I baked it 25 minutes and the edges were too done and the inside is quite moist. They are good but not great. I double I make them again. My husband likes them more that I do.

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jcqsjd 7327062

Jan 09, 2014

A Lot of these recipes call for cake mix 18.25 ounce. I'm finding it very difficult to find this size usually the biggest I find is 16.25.

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luv2travel4fun1 7312648

Jul 21, 2013

I rate these 3 stars. I made these for the 1st time yesterday. Even though I baked them for 25-30 min they did not seem to be done. On testing with a toothpick, it came out looking wet, so I put them back in for 6 more minutes. They came out too dry, so only bake these for 25 min, pull out and let sit!! I used a dark chocolate cake mix and used 1/2 peanut butter chips & 1/2 semi-sweet chips. Next time, if there is one, I will only bake for 25 min!!

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shellypam 9668122

Oct 30, 2012

Very easy and tasted great! Will definitely make these again!

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cluck 6082619

Oct 23, 2012

ineedMrcooksrecipeforoct222012

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country girl 1981

Oct 15, 2012

Could somebody tell me if you could use creamy peanut butter instead of chunky? Thanks

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ericka3466 3218133

Dec 30, 2012

yes i use creamy all the time still turns out great

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KimS

Sep 27, 2012

Thanks for your answer H Beet. I took them to a family reunion and I took home an empty dish. I will definately try them with choc. chips too.

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H Beets

Sep 11, 2012

I added chocolate chips along with the peanut butter chips and it was a huge success. I brought them to my boyfriend's dorm and they were gone in a day.

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KimS

Sep 04, 2012

Could someone tell me if the texture of the bars are cake like or cookie like? Thanks!

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H Beets

Sep 11, 2012

It's a very dense, moist cake texture- not quite to the cookie texture.

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dmunoz

Jul 19, 2012

Sounds easy and delicious .

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Bratski1

Jun 24, 2012

These bars are easy to make and are peantbuttery delicious

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dwardman 0407484

May 15, 2012

These sound delicious

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Mshotam 5726824

Mar 14, 2012

Excuse the ignorance as I am new to baking - I don't understand when you say"crumble remaining peanut butter mixture then sprinkle over top" Please help.

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Test Kitchen Team

Mar 14, 2012

In Step 2, you combine cake mix, eggs, peanut butter, and butter; mix well. Press half the mixture onto bottom of an ungreased 9" x 13" baking dish. Since you are only using half, you sprinkle the remaining half over the filling of peanut butter chips and sweetened condensed milk.

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Mshotam 5726824

Mar 14, 2012

Many thanks. I will give it a try over the weekend.

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Mshotam 5726824

Mar 14, 2012

Looks so yummy will definitely try.

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Member 5397475

Feb 01, 2012

I have made these three times. They are delicious. Even ehen i made a made a slight mistake. Everyone loves them. I have used butterscotch chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Be careful not to overbake. Once, I drizzled caramel ice cream topping over them. Probably added a few calories.

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Member 4309067

Jun 05, 2011

They look very good. I will bake them for my family.

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beverlyline 7908286

May 25, 2011

My family loooooved these! So did the neighbors! I switched out the pb chips for milk chocolate and they were delicious. My eight year old cannot stop eating them....I can't either!!! Thanks for an amazing and easy dessert!

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Member 5397475

Feb 14, 2011

I made these and got rave reviews. They were delicious and easy to make. I chilled the second half of the peanut butter base in the refrgerator for 8-10 minutes and then spooned it onto the chips and condensed cream. It turned out great. Be careful not to overcook. Next time I plan to use butterscotch chips and have two tasty flavors. My adult children said to make them again.

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sjpapmom

Feb 04, 2011

these are the best superbowl or weekend recipes yet!!!

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claraandjimbo 0452735

Dec 26, 2010

the peanut bars are wonderful, and easy to do.

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