Peanut Butter Bars

These Peanut Butter Bars have a soft peanut butter oatmeal cookie bar base, which is layered with melted chocolate and a smooth peanut butter icing. They are a classic treat, perfect for peanut butter lovers that many may remember fondly! 

These bars, also called “Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars,” are great for any occasion! My mom often made these for my siblings and I growing up as after-school treats, but they go over really well at potlucks, family gatherings, holidays, etc.

Not only do they taste delicious, these Peanut Butter Bars are also super simple to make- seriously, don’t let the layers scare you off! They are made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand and use simple techniques.

Honestly, the hardest part is waiting for the chocolate layer to harden before adding the next, because if you are really eager, technically you could cut into the bars before the peanut butter icing sets. 😉

Ingredients Needed

• Butter- I typically use salted. 
• White and Brown Sugar- Either light or dark brown sugar will work. 
• Egg
• Peanut Butter- This will be used in both the base and frosting. I use creamy for both, but if you want some extra crunch, chunky would be okay in the bars (I would not recommend using crunchy peanut butter in the frosting).
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Vanilla Extract
• All-Purpose Flour
• Quick Oats – Like the containers from Quaker Oats, not the instant oatmeal packets. 
• Chocolate Chips – Semi-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate would work (more on that below). They can also be mini or regular-shaped chips; just note that the mini chips might actually result in having more chocolate. 
• Powdered Sugar- Also known as confectioners’ sugar. 
• Milk – Skim, 1%, 2%, whole; they should all work! Plant-based, like soy, oat, or almond milk, should work too, though I haven’t tried. 

How to Make Peanut Butter Bars

You’ll want to start by preheating your oven to 350°F and greasing a 9×13-inch pan. Then, cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 

Now beat in the egg, peanut butter, soda, salt, and vanilla. Next, mix in the remaining dry ingredients.

Press the bars into the prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top and edges are nice and golden. 

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the warm bars as soon as they are out of the oven. Let the chips sit for a few minutes.

Once the chips have melted, carefully spread them evenly across the bars and let the bars cool until the chocolate has set. Do not try to spread the chocolate chips too soon, or you’ll end up pressing the hard chips into the soft bars. 

Combine the icing ingredients, starting with just 1 tablespoon of milk. You’ll want to slowly add the remaining milk until the icing is slightly runny (you may not use all the milk). 

Finally, you’ll spread the icing over the firm chocolate. Let the icing completely harden before cutting into the bars to really see the layers! 

Storage Instructions

After the frosting is completely hardened, the bars can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for a few days for best quality. They will start to dry out after that, but are still good to eat for a couple of days! A whole pan of bars can also be stored covered at room temperature. Just eat the bars within a week. 

These bars also freeze well! Just store them in a freezer-safe bag or freezer-grade air-tight container!

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Cookie Bars You’ll Love

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
• Oatmeal Bars
• Peanut Butter Oreo Brookies
• Monster Cookie Bars
• Best Ever Scotcheroos
• Chocolate Revel Bars