These chewy Peanut Butter Bars are everyone’s favorite and so easy to make! They’re thick and chewy and topped with peanut butter and chocolate glaze.

Do you love dessert bar recipes? Try our Oreo Bars, Blondies, S’mores Bars, or Sugar Cookie Bars!

Three peanut butter bars stacked on top of each other.

This easy peanut butter bars recipe was shared by a family-friend when I was a little girl and it’s been our huge family favorite ever since! They are completely addicting and you will want to eat the entire pan by yourself. Consider that my warning 🙂 .

How to Make Peanut Butter Bars:

Make Batter: Cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter then mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients then add dry ingredients to creamy mixture. 

Two images showing butter and sugar creamed together with eggs and peanut butter added, then the finished batter for the best peanut butter bars.

Bake: Press firmly into a greased 9×13” pan and bake at 350 degrees for 17-21 minutes. Do not over-bake! They will look just barely set in the center and they will harden as they cool. Allow to cool completely.

Easy peanut butter bar recipe freshly baked in a glass 9x13 pan.

Spread Peanut Butter: Once cooled, spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the bars.

Smooth peanut butter being spread across easy peanut butter bars.

Top with Chocolate Glaze: Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat then stir in cocoa. Remove from heat and add milk, powdered sugar and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, using electric beaters to get out any lumps, if needed. Spread chocolate frosting over the top of the bars.

Two images showing homemade chocolate frosting in a saucepan, and then after it's poured on top of homemade peanut butter bars.

Enjoy: Cut these homemade peanut butter bars then serve. Cover any leftovers then keep for a few days at room temperature, or in the fridge for up to a week.

Chewy peanut Butter bars cut into bars in a glass dish and one of them removed.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars will keep well for up to 1 week, stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

To Freeze: Cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving.

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Recipe

Three chewy peanut butter bars stacked on top of each other.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 35 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

For the bars:

For the chocolate frosting:

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar. 
  • Add the eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter and mix well.
  • In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to creamy mixture. 
  • Press firmly into a greased 9×13” pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-21 minutes. Do not over-bake! They will look just barely set in the center, and they will harden as they cool. Allow to cool completely.
  • Once cooled, spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the bars.

To make the chocolate frosting:

  • Add butter to a small skillet over medium heat. Once melted, stir in cocoa.
  • Remove from heat and add milk, powdered sugar and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, using electric beaters to get out any lumps, if needed. .
  • Spread chocolate frosting over the top of the bars.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions: Peanut Butter Bars will keep well for up to 1 week, stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freezing Instructions: Cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 202kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 216mgPotassium: 76mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 220IUCalcium: 17mgIron: 0.8mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!

I originally shared this recipe in April 2013. Updated February 2018, May 2021 (frosting recipe amended) and June 2023. 

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. Looks like most bakers did how I was taught. Let chocolate chips melt on top of base and then drizzle with thinned peanut better. I loved using super chunky PB the occasional nut was nice touch. Ours was called peanut butter fingers. Thanks for sharing your recipe

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