chocolate chip cookie bars stuffed w/ peanut butter

Remember when I (finally) made the Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies?
Well ever since then (it was my 1st time making them) my husband has asked for them again EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
You know me, I just can't re-do a recipe the same way again.
if I was going to make them again I had to kick them up a notch.
So, with this next batch I was curious if a) they were stand up ok to pan cookies and b) can I stuff them with something!?
Answer? When made into pan cookies they make the best "almost" gooey cookies.
I like gooey chocolate chip cookies if they aren't too gooey, you know?
And the stuffing with peanut butter worked great; I was afraid the peanut butter might just melt away or dissolve away into the batter, but it didn't.
If you make these, please remember to sprinkle the sea salt on top before baking (just like Jacques does in his cookies).
Can I tell you again, just how darn good these are?  I mean they are so melt in your mouth good, so tasty, decadent, not too sweet, buttery, rich pan cookie.
The part I love most about this recipe is you can make the batter literally days ahead and keep it in the fridge.  This time I left the batter in the back of the fridge (wrapped in plastic really well) for 4 days.
I know you always ask "how can you not eat the dough earlier?"
My fridge has a lot of doughs, crusts, and other foods sitting waiting to be used; so temptation is never a factor really.
I'd be curious though to see how well the dough freezes?
Anyone know?
Also, why is the Jacques Torres cookie recipe also called the New York Times cookie?
I thought Jacques made the recipe?



Follow these simple steps.

Cover in those edges.

Ready for baking!

Almost done, little bit more; look for more golden brown.

Fresh out of the oven its all gooey baby!


The peanut butter middle did not melt away!


They are easy to make.
The hard part, if you have to have one, is letting the dough rest for a few days. ha!

chocolate chip  bar cookies stuffed with peanut butter

cookie base from Jacques Torres

print recipe

2 cups minus 2 TB (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 ts baking soda

1 1/2 ts baking powder

1 1/2 ts coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 TB (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 ts natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks/chips at least 60 percent cacao (don’t skip this part, use a high quality chocolate, it makes all the difference)

1 – 1 ¼ cups smooth or chunky peanut butter, (not all natural-- too oily for this recipe)

Sea salt for sprinkling top of dough

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds.

Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them.

Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.

(I left mine for 96 hours and it was perfectly fine)

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray.

Divide dough into 2 piles: 2/3 and 1/3.

Take the 2/3 dough and line the bottom of the baking pan with it, making sure to get all the corners, making sure there aren’t any holes or gaps in the dough.

Spread a layer of peanut butter; do not spread peanut butter to the edges!

Take the 1/3 remaining dough and crumble on the top. Also make sure to take any dough and close up any gaps you see in the corners.

Don’t push the crumble down into the dough, just leave it on the top—it’s ok to have spaces in the crumble—gaps are good on the top, it will let the peanut butter swirls show through.

Sprinkle the top with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, roughly 25 – 31 minutes.

Look for golden brown edges, non-jiggly middle.

The middle will be a bit soft, but once it completely cools it won’t be as gooey; it sets up really nice.

Slice with a sharp knife.

Makes about 20-24 bars depending on how you cut them.