Tagalong Bars

Tagalong Bars are a homemade version of the classic Girl Scout Cookie. A buttery shortbread crust with a creamy peanut butter filling, topped with rich chocolate. Some say this recipe is even better than the original Tagalong cookie!

Tagalong Bars are a homemade version of the classic Girl Scout Cookie...a buttery shortbread crust, with a sweet, creamy peanut butter filling, topped with rich chocolate. A fun twist on the original!

Tagalong Bars are my contribution to Girl Scout Cookie season…which basically means I snagged their idea. I mean, not in a bad guy, thieving kinda of way, just in an “inspired by” way. That’s a thing, right?

And plus, having purchased no less than 25 boxes of Girl Scout cookies this year alone I feel confident that I am doing my part.

I just can’t say no to those cute girls selling cookies.  Not that I even want to say no…I mean…you can only get them once-ish a year, so they’re totally rare, like an eclipse or locusts.

I mean what happens in October when you need a Thin Mint?  Panic!

Anyhow, these bars are just a twist on the famous Tagalong that the Girl Scouts sell. And because I love me some bar cookies I wanted to make these in square form.

So here we go…Tagalong Bars

Tagalong Bars are a homemade version of the classic Girl Scout Cookie...a buttery shortbread crust, with a sweet, creamy peanut butter filling, topped with rich chocolate. A fun twist on the original!

How To Make the Shortbread Crust for Tagalong Bars

First you just make a simple shortbread crust. I used Challenge Butter in this recipe, because it’s my favorite. If you have been a reader of my site for any length of time you know I use Challenge almost exclusively. It’s always consistently creamy, fresh, and delicious. It’s 100% pasteurized sweet cream and salt…that’s it. Using a quality butter in shortbread absolutely makes a difference!

A collage of the steps of spreading shortbread crust into a pan

You simply bake the crust until it’s lightly golden and then let it cool!

Peanut butter batter in a mixing bowl with a spatula

Next make the filling, which is simple…just peanut butter and powdered sugar.

Peanut butter filling spread over shortbread crust in a square pan

Spread the filling on top of the cooled crust…
Chill the filling while you make your topping. It will make spreading the chocolate on top easier.

Chocolate chips in a pan before and after melting
Melted chocolate being spread over shortbread crust and peanut butter filling in a square pan

It’s just chocolate and heavy cream…
Spread it carefully on your peanut butter layer…
Now chill it again so the chocolate layer sets and you’re ready to eat.

And eat.

Annnnd eat.

Tagalong Bars are a homemade version of the classic Girl Scout Cookie...a buttery shortbread crust, with a sweet, creamy peanut butter filling, topped with rich chocolate. A fun twist on the original!
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Tagalong Bars

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  • Author: Cookies & Cups
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Yield: 2025 squares 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bowl
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Tagalong Bars are a homemade version of the classic Girl Scout Cookie. A buttery shortbread crust with a creamy peanut butter filling, topped with rich chocolate. Some say this recipe is even better than the original Tagalong cookie!


Ingredients

Scale

Shortbread Crust

  • 1/2 cup Challenge Butter, room temperature (1 stick)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons milk
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup flour

Peanut Butter Filling

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Chocolate layer


Instructions

Shortbread Crust

  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Line 9×9 with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with cooking spray, set aside.
  3. In mixer fitted with your paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes on medium speed until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn the mixer to low and add in vanilla, milk, salt, and flour. Stir until incorporated and dough comes together.
  4. Press this evenly in your prepared pan and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden.
  5. Allow to cool completely before moving on to the filling.

Peanut Butter Filling

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the peanut butter and powdered sugar together until smooth.
  2. Spread filling evenly on cookie crust.
  3. Chill for about 30 minutes.

Chocolate layer

  1. In a double boiler melt chocolate chips and cream until smooth.
  2. Spread on peanut butter layer.
  3. Chill until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
  4. Cut into squares.

Notes

Store at airtight at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days

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*This post is in partnership with my long-term relationship with Challenge Butter. All opinions are my own.

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63 comments on “Tagalong Bars”

  1. Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen

    Oh dang. Those look good. I’m trying to hide out until all the ‘girls’ go away 🙂 Just kidding. I’ve never actually had a girl scout actually approach me to sell cookies. I can’t figure it out. Maybe because I’m too much of a hermit?

  2. Hi there – I tried making these tonight and the peanut butter filling was really stiff, not at all spreadable (and I even added some heavy cream). Is the filling recipe missing any ingredients? Some butter maybe?

    1. Hi! I went back and read the recipe and noticed that there IS a typo in the recipe… I only used 1 cup powdered sugar in my filling. So sorry I didn’t catch that! I updated the recipe to show the change. Good thinking adding heavy cream to make it spreadable…did they come out?

      1. ah! that’s it – thanks for the reply. The turned out find in the end. I just sort of patted down the pb mixture instead of spreading it. They were a big hit!

  3. Are you trying to kill me??? Tagslongs anytime I want??? Oh dear! I wonder if a diet of salad and tagslong bars constitutes a balanced diet?

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