Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (176°C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper. This helps the bars come out clean with no sticking.
In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and cornstarch. These will be the dry base of your batter. Set aside once combined.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted and slightly cooled butter with both sugars until smooth. This gives the bars a rich, caramelized base. Then add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Keep whisking until air bubbles form.
Now stir in the creamy peanut butter until everything is silky and well-blended. This is when the batter starts smelling heavenly!
Add the dry ingredients into the wet. Use a spatula to gently fold them together until no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to over-mix. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the dough into your prepared pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips over the top for a pretty finish. Bake for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.