Categorized:
- Brownies & Bars
- Cookies
- Desserts
Tagged:
- cocoa
- oats
- peanut butter

Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups (283g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (181g) quick oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups (250g) packed light-brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (250g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup (250g) creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup 113g) unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
- 1/4 cup (26g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (60g) milk
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a rimmed 18 by 13-inch cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy.
- Mix in eggs one at a time. Then blend in 1 cup peanut butter and the vanilla.
- Add in flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Drop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet. Spray hands with non-stick cooking spray and spread dough into an even layer.
- Bake in preheated oven 13 - 15 minutes until golden (see notes).
- Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes, then dollop remaining 1 cup peanut butter by spoonfuls over top. Let sit 1 minute then spread peanut butter into an even layer to cover top.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in cocoa, milk and salt and bring mixture just to a boil over medium heat.
- Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla, then stir in powdered sugar and mix until well combined (if needed you can add 1 Tbsp hot water to thin).
- Immediately pour over bars and spread into an even layer. Allow frosting to set then cut into squares. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Be careful not to over-bake or edges will be dry, don’t wait for it to be golden brown. They should be puffed and beginning to set but still soft.
- Recipe adapted from Taste of Home
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