Fluffernutter Cookie Bars

I ate a lot of fluffernutters as a kid—almost an alarming amount—and so I like to consider myself a fluffernutter connoisseur of sorts. It was my mom’s favorite thing to make me because it literally requires no baking whatsoever, and if you’ve been following along for a while you’ll know that my mom isn’t a baker at all. So just in case you’ve been living under a rock and have no idea what a fluffernutter actually is, I’ll happily fill you in. Traditionally it’s a sandwich made with fluffy white bread (the fake stuff) slathered with peanut butter (also fake stuff) and marshmallow fluff (and even more fake stuff). I’ve never had them the traditional way though, because my mom always made them with Ritz crackers instead and they were an absolute dream come true. I still keep a sleeve of crackers, a tub of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff in my pantry at all times. A) because I’m an adult and B) for those moments in the middle of the night when I really just want a small sweet treat that requires no work at all. If you haven’t experienced this incredible combination yet, stop whatever it is you’re doing (including reading this) and go to the store and pick up these three ingredients and make it right away. You won’t regret it. Then after you’re done, and you’ve recovered from the shock of your life, you can make these Fluffernutter Cookie Bars from my recent contribution to GO BOLD WITH BUTTER. It has all the flavors of my childhood snack in a cookie bar form.

This is a pretty basic peanut butter cookie/bar dough base, with some not-so-fancy add-ins. The first thing you’ll want to do is cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 

**Note: Whenever I bake with peanut butter, I always use the regular cheap stuff we devoured as kids. This isn’t the time or place for the all natural kind, because it’s too thin and won’t hold up in the bars. I also use smooth and not chunky, just because it’s easier to mix in!**

Stir in the vanilla extract. 

In a small bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

Add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and stir until just combined and no dry ingredients remain in the dough. It will be fairly thick, but that’s okay.

Fold in the peanut butter chips, crushed up butter crackers (such as Ritz, which are a fluffernutter staple) and mini marshmallows until evenly incorporated. 

**Note: The mini marshmallows in the dough will melt once the bars are baked, which you might think is pointless to include, BUT on the contrary, they melt and give the bars a great chewy texture.**

Pour the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper and lightly greased with cooking spray. Spread it out into an even layer and then top with some more peanut butter chips and crushed up crackers. 

Bake until just slightly under-baked (which is the way to go in my book) in a preheated 350 degree F oven, about 30 to 35 minutes. 

**Note: In the last 5 minutes of baking though, remove from the oven, sprinkle with mini marshmallows and return to the oven for 5 minutes. This will just slightly melt the marshmallows and allow them to stick to the bars, without completely melting away.**

Remove the bars from the oven and let cool for about 15 in the pan. Then using the overhang of parchment paper, lift the bars from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. 

 
Slice into your desired bar size and enjoy! They can be individually wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or you can place them in an airtight container as well if you wish. They’re a perfect weekday treat for when you’re craving something sweet! 

**Thank you for your continued support of the occasional sponsored post on this site. They help keep the blog going, allowing me to continue to share my recipes with you on a weekly basis. I never want my sponsorships to feel forced, which is why I only partner with companies I feel very passionate about and actually use on a regular basis.**

**Click here to get the recipe for this Fluffernutter Cookie Bars**