This 4-Ingredient Anti-Inflammatory Peanut Butter Cookies and Cream Yogurt Bark Deserves a Permanent Place in Your Freezer

If you ask me, there are two types of home cooks: those who prefer to follow recipes to a T, and those who take a more experimental, “anything goes” approach. While I’m by no means a great or seasoned chef, I fall in the latter camp and most often consult a given recipe and modify things from there. (The expectation to stick to every precise yield and purchase every niche ingredient tends to stress me out… and testing new recipes should be fun and enjoyable, right?)

With that in mind, this peanut butter cookies and cream yogurt bark recipe by Mia Swinebark, MS, RD, LDN, aka @gatherednutrition, caught my eye given its flexibility and ease—not to mention mouth-watering visuals. Keep reading to see what makes this four-ingredient, protein-rich dessert stand out. Plus: a few tips and tricks to create your own culinary adventure while maxing out its nutrient profile.

Why we love this yogurt bark recipe

What’s not to love about this dietitian-approved yogurt bark recipe? To start, it’s incredibly simple to make, requiring only a handful of ingredients and minimal prepwork. And since Swinehart provides the foundations yet leaves the majority of specific options up to you, you can customize it to your heart’s—or rather, palate’s—content.

The bark base consists of plain yogurt, which is rich in protein, calcium, and B vitamins. Swinehart prefers yogurt from Alexandre Family Farm, which offers a few different options to choose from. Their 100% Grass-Fed A2/A2 Regenerative Organic Plain Yogurt packs six grams of protein per serving, as well as a smattering of live active cultures for gut-boosting benefits. If you can swing it, it may be worth opting for yogurt from cows that have been grass-fed from regenerative pastures; the brand notes that this will yield dairy with a more robust nutrient profile, including more heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Otherwise, you may wish to use Greek yogurt for this recipe, which tends to be higher in protein and lower in sugar than regular yogurt.

Next, peanut butter offers even more protein-rich goodness and ooey-gooey flavor. Per the USDA, a two-tablespoon serving of PB offers seven grams of protein, as well as 1.5 grams of fiber and 16.5 grams of fat—a large amount of which is oleic acid, a healthy monounsaturated fat. And if you prefer, you can always substitute conventional varieties with your go-to peanut butter alternative. (You know almond butter would be bomb in this bark).

Per the USDA, a two-tablespoon serving of PB offers seven grams of protein, as well as 1.5 grams of fiber and 16.5 grams of fat—a large amount of which is oleic acid, a healthy monounsaturated fat.

From there, pretty much anything goes as far as the sweeteners and chocolate cookies are concerned. A good option for the former could be antibacterial and antioxidant-rich honey.

Peanut butter cookies and cream yogurt bark recipe

Ingredients

2 cups plain yogurtSweetener of choice, to taste (optional)Splash of vanillaCrushed chocolate cookiesCrunchy salted peanut butter

1. Mix yogurt with sweetener of choice, if using, and vanilla. Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave a little room on each side so it’s not spread too thin.

2. Sprinkle with cookies and swirl in some peanut butter.

3. Freeze for three to four hours; break up and store in freezer in an airtight container.