Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars
Tags: Dessert
- 16 oz peanut butter sandwich cookies divided (Nutter Butters)
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 6 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 8 oz Cool Whip divided
- 3.9 oz instant chocolate pudding
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ¼ cup milk chocolate chips
- ¼ cup peanut butter chips
- Finely crush 20 of the cookies In a blender or food processor.
- Melt the butter in a medium microwavable bowl. Add the crushed cookies and mix until well moistened. Press into an 8 X 8-inch baking dish, and place into the freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes to set.
- Mix the package of pudding with the 1 1/2 cups of milk in a small bowl, and place into refrigerator to set.
- In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla together.
- Fold in 1 cup of the Cool Whip and mix until well blended.
- Place dollops of cream cheese mixture over the crust, and with an offset spatula, gently spread to completely cover.
- Doing the same with the chocolate pudding, place dollops over the cream cheese and evenly distribute.
- Spread remaining Cool Whip over the pudding.
- Refrigerate two hours. Place into freezer for a half hour to completely set and allow for neat slices.
- In a plastic bag, break up the remaining cookies.
- Sprinkle the cookies and chocolate / peanut butter chips over the top just before serving.
- NOTE: My pictures show that I put the pudding on top of the cookie crust, and then the cheesecake layer and have told you to do the opposite here in the recipe. I’ve found it’s easiest to spread if I go in the order of cookie crust, cheesecake layer, then pudding, and finish with the whipped topping, but you can honestly do it whichever way you prefer. I’ve also reduced the number of cookies called for in the crust from the original recipe as many have commented on it being too thick.
