Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Shortbread

I have a new recipe to share!

Shocker - it has peanut butter and chocolate!

No surprise there, but the real surprise is how unbelievably addictive and delicious these are, and how have I not put peanut butter in shortbread until now?? What has taken me so long!?

These little squares are absolutely savory and sweet, which is what makes them so addictive. The salty peanut butter combined with rich brown sugar sweetness and the bitterness of dark chocolate is perfectly delicious.
This is one recipe where chunky peanut butter is actually preferred as it leaves you with little bits of roasted peanuts throughout, but regular smooth peanut butter also works. In this case I would just use about ⅓ cup of smooth peanut butter to account for the chunks.

The tiniest bit of honey - just 1 teaspoon - makes this shortbread the slightest big chewy. So you have tender, moist shortbread with the slightest chew. There are so many textures which, again, make this recipe so addictive!

And see that rich deep golden colour? That just says everything about how delicious they are.

I am a huge fan of one-pan recipe these days as I find myself wanting to spend less time doing dishes - duh! Also, sometimes I just don't have the energy to roll out dough or bake in stages, rotating baking sheets, etc. Do you feel me?

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter ShortbreadMakes 25 squares
Ultra rich, tender peanut butter shortbread loaded with chocolate chunks! Perfect with a cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.
½ cup (113g) salted butter, softened¾ cup (165g) packed dark brown sugar¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar½ cup (120ml) regular crunchy peanut butter1 teaspoon (5ml) honey1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract1 and ¼ cups (180g) all-purpose flour¾ teaspoon baking soda⅛ teaspoon salt1 cup (5oz/142g) dark chocolate chips
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with both sugars for 2 minutes until smooth and slightly pale. Add peanut butter, honey and vanilla and beat until smooth and a bit fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed. Turn mixer off. Sprinkle in the flour, baking soda and salt. Turn the mixer back on low and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips and mix until distributed.
Line a 9x9-inch square baking large baking sheet with parchment paper. Press the dough into the base of the pan in an even layer. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes until evenly golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes, then slice into squares in the pan with a sharp knife while still slightly soft. Once cooled completely, separate into individual squares and serve or store for later.