Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

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Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars are a must-try! A chewy peanut butter oatmeal base gets topped with melty peanut butter and a smooth chocolate frosting. Sweet, nostalgic, and downright delicious!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Keyword: lunch lady peanut butter bars

Servings: bars

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $7.12

Equipment

Jelly-roll pan 17 x 12.25-inch, with sides
Parchment paper optional
Stand mixer or hand mixer

Ingredients

16 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup (or 2 sticks), softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/4 cup brown sugar firmly packed
2 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups old-fashioned oats see note 1
1 cup creamy peanut butter see note 2
2 cups all-purpose flour

Peanut Butter Filling and Frosting

1-1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup (or 1 stick), softened
1/4 cup whole milk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease or add parchment paper to a 17x12.25-inch jelly roll pan (see note 3). Set aside.
In a bowl attached to a stand mixer (or use a large bowl with a hand mixer), cream together the softened butter (see note 4), granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and creamy (the consistency of peanut butter). Add eggs; beat to combine. Add vanilla, baking soda, salt, and oats. Mix until just incorporated, then add in peanut butter. Mix until just incorporated. Add in flour and mix until just incorporated.
Spread out dough in an even layer on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 15–17 minutes and remove. Be careful to not overbake the bars. We want a soft, chewy, and flavorful cookie base!
Let cookie bars cool for 5 minutes, then warm 1-1/2 cups peanut butter in the microwave for about 30–60 seconds or until it will drizzle nicely. Drizzle the peanut butter evenly on the cookie base and, using a table knife or offset spatula, gently smooth peanut butter in an even layer. Then let the bars cool completely until the peanut butter has fully set up. (I pop the bars in the fridge/freezer for a little!)
Meanwhile, whip together the frosting. Add all the frosting ingredients to a large bowl (or a stand mixer) and beat until smooth and combined. Dollop scoops of frosting on top of bars and gently spread into an even layer.
Cut into the bars with a hot sharp knife. Run the knife under hot water, dry it off, and then immediately cut the bars. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Old-fashioned oats and quick oats don’t work the same when baking. Because of their small size, quick oats act more like flour, absorbing more liquid, which results in drier, less-flavorful bars. This recipe uses old-fashioned oats and won’t work the same with other oat types.

Note 2: Make sure to use creamy, not crunchy, peanut butter for best results. I love and highly recommend Skippy® Creamy Peanut Butter (not sponsored), I don’t recommend a natural peanut butter that needs stirring.

Note 3: These bars require a specific-sized pan; unfortunately, the bars won’t turn out well in different sized pans. You are looking for a 17 x 12.25-inch jelly roll pan.

Note 4: The butter should be soft enough to leave a finger indent when using a little bit of pressure, but not soft enough to squish or crush the packaging.

Storage: Cover leftover bars tightly and store at room temperature for up to 5–7 days. To freeze, wrap each bar in plastic wrap and store in a large plastic bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw bars overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition