The Best Peanut Butter Bars
🍫 Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Frosting — The Dessert That Disappears in Minutes
If peanut butter and chocolate had a love child, it would be these bars — and trust me, you’ll want to be the first in line at the baby shower.
The Day These Bars Saved My Sanity
Picture this: It’s a Tuesday. The kind of Tuesday where the laundry is giving you side‑eye, the dog just tracked muddy paw prints across the kitchen floor, and the kids are asking what’s for dessert before you’ve even thought about dinner.
I needed something fast, foolproof, and guaranteed to make everyone happy. And then I remembered this recipe — a mash‑up of a chewy oatmeal cookie, a creamy peanut butter layer, and a thick, fudgy chocolate frosting.
Friends, I’m not exaggerating when I say these bars turned the whole day around. The smell alone had my family wandering into the kitchen like cartoon characters following a scent trail.
They’re soft, chewy, rich, and just the right amount of sweet. And the best part? They look like you spent hours making them, but they come together in under an hour.
I’ve been craving peanut butter bars lately, which is odd, I mean I like them so it’s not that I don’t like them. I just haven’t really craved them, so I made this big pan thinking my kids would love them and then licked off the chocolate topping and then didn’t eat the rest.
I was a little surprised by that. I thought it was kind of funny. Since no one else loves them the way I do right now, I’m going to freeze them and eat them slowly until my due date. These will knock your socks off, apparently especially the frosting is good just ask my kids.
The Best Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
Bars
Frosting
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Directions
- Preheat & Prep – Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13″x18″ cookie sheet with baking spray.
- Cream the Base – In a mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs & Vanilla – Beat in eggs and vanilla, scraping down the bowl.
- Dry Ingredients – Add flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Bake – Spread dough evenly in prepared pan. Bake 15–17 minutes, until golden at the edges and just set in the middle. Don’t overbake!
- Peanut Butter Layer – While bars are still hot, melt remaining 1 cup peanut butter in the microwave for 1 minute. Spread evenly over bars. Let cool completely until firm.
- Frosting – Beat butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cream, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Spread over cooled bars.
- Slice & Serve – Cut into squares and watch them vanish.
🔢 Calorie Count & Nutritional Facts (per bar, assuming 24 bars)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~320 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 38g |
| Protein | 6g |
| Fat | 18g |
| Saturated Fat | 8g |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Sodium | ~180mg |
| Sugar | 25g |
Note: These are estimates and will vary based on portion size and ingredient brands.
The Best Peanut Butter Bars
💡 Cooking Tips for Foolproof Bars
- Don’t skip the oats – They give the bars their chewy texture and keep them from being too dense.
- Warm peanut butter spreads like a dream – Melting it makes for an even, glossy layer.
- Cool completely before frosting – If the bars are warm, the frosting will melt into a chocolate puddle (delicious, but messy).
- Use a sharp knife for clean cuts – Wipe between slices for bakery‑worthy squares.
- Double the frosting if you’re a chocoholic – No judgment here.
🎨 Recipe Variations to Try
- Peanut Butter Cup Explosion – Sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups over the frosting.
- Nutty Crunch – Add chopped peanuts to the peanut butter layer for texture.
- Salted Caramel Drizzle – Drizzle caramel sauce over the frosting and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Mocha Twist – Add 1 teaspoon espresso powder to the frosting for a coffee‑chocolate kick.
- Holiday Cheer – Swap peanut butter for cookie butter and top with crushed peppermint candies.
🥄 Reader Challenge: Your Bar, Your Way
This week’s Friday Favorites Challenge:
- Make these bars.
- Add your own twist — maybe a swirl of Nutella, a sprinkle of toffee bits, or a layer of marshmallow fluff.
- Post a photo with the hashtag #BarStarChallenge.
I’ll feature my favorites in next week’s roundup — and yes, bragging rights are included.
🪄 Why These Bars Are My Secret Weapon
These bars are the dessert equivalent of a little black dress — they work for every occasion. Bake sales? Check. Potlucks? Absolutely. Random Tuesday night when you just need chocolate? 100%.
They’re also a great make‑ahead treat. You can bake the base and add the peanut butter layer a day ahead, then frost right before serving.
🧠 Fun Peanut Butter Facts
- The average American eats about 3 pounds of peanut butter a year.
- Peanut butter was first introduced at the 1904 World’s Fair.
- It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12‑ounce jar of peanut butter.
🏆 Final Thoughts
If you’ve been looking for a dessert that’s easy, crowd‑pleasing, and just a little nostalgic, these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars are it. They’re the kind of treat that makes people linger at the dessert table, fork in hand, “just evening out the edges.”
Conclusion
So here’s my challenge to you: make these bars this week. Share them with your neighbors, your coworkers, or just keep them all to yourself (I won’t tell).
Because sometimes, the best way to turn a day around is with a chewy, peanut‑buttery, chocolate‑frosted square of happiness.
The Best Peanut Butter Bars
Did you try our Peanut Butter Bars? What did you think? Did you love it? We would love to hear from you! Please leave us a comment below or tag us on Instagram!
LET’S HEAR IT FOR PEANUT BUTTER!
I love peanut butter M&M cookies especially on busy days! You guys will love these cookies!
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these sound sweet and delicious what a treat in the afternoon or anytime thes would make I love peanut butter cookies. Thanks for sharing come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
thank you!
Amazing all the peanut butter recipes you have here, So have to try some soon
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These sound delicious! This recipe is one of my features for this week’s SSPS #300. Pined. Have a great week ahead!
thank you!