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soft, chewy peanut butter bars studded with melted butterscotch and chocolate chips. A one-bowl, comfort-first recipe that's gluten-free swappable and lunchbox, potluck, and game-day perfect.

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Bars

soft, chewy peanut butter bars studded with melted butterscotch and chocolate chips. A one-bowl, comfort-first recipe that's gluten-free swappable and lunchbox, potluck, and game-day perfect.
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Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter no-stir
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten-free blend
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips reduced-sugar or sugar-free for lighter
  • ½ cup chocolate chips semi-sweet or dark; optional but recommended

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch baking dish
  • Parchment paper or nonstick spray
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk and spatula
  • Sharp knife for slicing

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or line with parchment, leaving overhang.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and glossy.
  3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until silky.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined — don't overmix.
  6. Gently fold in the butterscotch and chocolate chips.
  7. Spread the thick, sticky batter evenly into the pan.
  8. Bake 25–30 minutes until the edges are deeply golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool completely in the pan before slicing into 24 bars, wiping the knife between cuts.

Notes

Gluten-free: cup-for-cup 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
Reduced-sugar: sugar-free butterscotch/chocolate chips; part of the sugar may be swapped for a brown-sugar substitute.
Don't overmix or overbake — soft and chewy is the goal.
Storage: airtight at room temperature up to 5 days (best on day two); freeze up to 3 months.
Budget: roughly $0.25–0.30 per bar.