Tagalong Cookie Bars
All the incredible flavors of one of our favorite Girl Scout Cookies in these spectacular Tagalong Cookie Bars!
If you have a peanut butter dessert lover you want to spoil, make these delicious, decadent, layered Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars! All the flavors of Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies in every bite!
Why You Must Make
- There is something so addictive about the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. I don’t like peanut butter on its own, but I love these bars!
- Since Girl Scout cookies aren’t available year-round, these cookie bars will satisfy your chocolate-peanut butter cravings until the next sale.
- Despite 3 different layers, these bars aren’t tough to make! Give them a try!
These copycat Tagalong cookie bars passed my scrutiny with flying colors! If coconut and caramel are more your style, check out these Homemade Samoas.
Ingredient Notes
- Pantry Staples – Flour, Table Salt
- Butter – I use salted butter.
- Powdered Sugar – Sift if you’d like to ensure the filling is smooth
- Cornstarch (affiliate link) – Helps make a tender crust by replacing some of the flour without adding more gluten. I use this brand, but the link is to 2 containers. It’s just for reference. Any brand will work well. PRO-Tip: Note that cornstarch has twice the thickening powder as flour.
- Vanilla Extract (affiliate link) – Use real vanilla extract, never imitation.
- Peanut Butter (affiliate link) – Use smooth peanut butter for this recipe. My family likes Jif, so that’s what I used.
- Semisweet Chocolate (affiliate link) – I used Ghirardelli chocolate bars. You will need two 4-ounce bars.
- Canola Oil (affiliate link) – May use any neutral-flavored oil.
Expert Tips
- Make your layers as level as possible for the best presentation. I like using a small Offset Spatula (affiliate link) to smooth out the peanut butter filling.
- Lining your pan with non-stick foil makes for easy clean-up and also allows you to remove the bars from the pan (after they’re cooled) to a cutting board to slice.
- Use a warm knife to help the blade glide through the bars when cutting.
- PRO-Tip: If you want perfectly square bars, use a ruler to mark the edges of the bars at 2-inch intervals to help guide your cuts. Check out my tutorial on How to Cut Perfect Bar Cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tagalongs are a Girl Scout Cookie made with a crispy cookie base, and topped with peanut butter before being coated in chocolate. The Little Brownie Bakers bake tagalong cookies.
Both are similar Girl Scout cookies baked in different bakeries, thus the different names. The Little Brownie Bakery calls their peanut butter cookies Tagalongs. ABC Smart Cookies bakery calls them Peanut Butter Patties. What you get depends on where the Girl Scouts in your area place their order.
They are slightly different in a couple of ways. Tagalongs have more peanut butter inside the cookies. Peanut Butter Patties have a vanilla flavor and a lighter peanut butter layer.
“Docking” a crust means to use a fork to prick holes in the crust’s surface before baking. This helps steam escape while baking, so no air bubbles form, and helps the crust to bake more evenly.
You May Also Like:
- Copycat Girl Scout Tagalongs from A Dash of Sanity
- No-Bake Tagalong Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Country Cleaver
- Tagalong Girl Scout Whoopie Pies from Lemons for Lulu
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
- Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
- Tagalong Dip
- Plus, you might like these delicious Caramel Apple Bars, too!
- More Dessert Recipes
Tagalong Cookie Bars Recipe
All the incredible flavors of one of our favorite Girl Scout Cookies in these spectacular Tagalong Cookie Bars!
Ingredients
Cookie Crust:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup flour
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Peanut Butter Filling:
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Topping:
- 8 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate bars, I used Ghirardelli
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick foil. Set aside.
- To make the crust, put all the cookie crust ingredients into a bowl.
- Using a hand mixer, mix to a crumbly dough. Press into the pan and prick it with a fork all over. Bake for 12 minutes just to set it, not brown it.
- To make the filling, combine the melted butter with the other ingredients and stir until smooth.
- Use an offset spatula to spread the peanut butter mixture over the warm crust.
- To make the chocolate topping, microwave the chocolate and oil just till melted and stir smooth.
- Pour over the peanut butter layer and smooth with an offset spatula. Chill for a couple of hours, then bring to room temperature to cut and serve.
Notes
Adapted from Averie Cooks via Hugs and Cookies XOXO
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 293Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 169mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 15gProtein: 5g
37 Comments on “Tagalong Cookie Bars”
OMG! I’m with you I love PB desserts and treats and I know I would love these.
They look so perfect! I just noticed Laura also said that. 😉
Such perfect bars, Liz! Love those layers! 🙂
these cookie bars look heavenly Lizzy !!!
Woo hoo! We love PB here! These cookie bars rule, a must try. Thanks for the recipe, Liz!
Oh Liz, these look like sin on a plate. Yum.
Amalia
xo
I always default to Reese’s peanut butter cups when I’m having a breakdown! Think I better keep some of these in the depths of my freezer. As for trimming the edges and evening up-as manservant says-that’s his job and I’m always grateful if there is some left!
Oh, My! These cookie bars look scrumptious. I could eat the whole pan all by myself.
Ooooh looks sooooo yummy, Liz!!!
Oh those lucky staffers! Those look perfect. You probably didn’t even have to share your quality control samples :). Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day!
We are peanut all the way in my home so these would be devoured. I think quality control sampling is ALWAYS a must 😉
Utterly, hopelessly, addictive recipe I cannot wait to try. Maybe today, if I get lucky!
OH EM GEE! These look amazing, Liz! I’m squarely on the YES to peanut butter desserts side, so these would last maybe five minutes in my kitchen. Have a great week!
You are an absolute master at the perfectly cut squares and bars! These would be a hit at my house, JT loves chocolate and PB. I bet they would even be tasty if frozen!!!
Wow my kids would be all over those!
We adore peanut butter! These bars look awesome, Liz.
Gorgeous! I think you’ve got the GS beat!
thats a brilliant idea much easier than the traditional cookie love these!
OMG – these look amazing!! Yes, please.
To say I’ve been on a peanut butter cup kick lately would be an understatement… These cookies sound amazing:@)