Perfectly thick, soft and chewy Peanut Butter Bars with a peanut butter and chocolate glaze

A plate full of the world's BEST peanut butter bars. Thick and chewy, with layers of smooth peanut butter and chocolate frosting.

This peanut butter bars recipe has been a huge family favorite for many years. Simply put, 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 the batter: 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. 

A glass mixing bowl filled with the dough for making peanut butter bars.

Bake. 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.

Process photos for spreading peanut butter over the top of baked peanut butter bars, and then pouring chocolate frosting on top.

Spread with peanut butter. Once cooled, spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the bars.

Top with Chocolate Glaze. 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.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

Peanut Butter Bars will keep well for up to 1 week, stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Freeze, covered well, 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

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I originally shared this recipe in April 2013. Updated February 2018 and May 2021–Frosting recipe was amended. 

Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

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About The Author

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. I thought bars were dry, I used quick oats so wondering if that would have made them dry. I put extra scoops of peanut butter in the base, only used 1 1/2 tsp baking soda. They could have had more of a peanut butter taste.

  2. 5 stars
    Made these exactly as recipe says and they were perfect! My husband said, “please make these as much as you want!” Haha thanks for the yummy recipe!!

  3. I was thrilled to find this recipe…. ticked every box for middle of winter blahs pick-me-up. I am a seasoned cook , followed recipe to the T, and was shocked at the awful ” salty” taste they had when completed. I finally figured out it was the amount of baking soda listed in the recipe, which I thought was quite a lot when preparing the dry ingredients. My husband concurred about the baking soda taste. Sadly, I threw the whole pan out, quite an expensive disaster. I was determined to get this recipe right, so I remade them using half the baking soda (i.e 1 1/4 tsp.), and they came out beautifully. I then came here to read the comments, and was interested to see more than a few commented on the “saltiness”….. it’s not the salt, folks, but the baking soda (which IS salty in and of itself!). Give it a try next time you prepare these

  4. Great recipe. I use extra crunchy in the cookie. The mention of keeping in the fridge is laughable, if these aren’t gone in a few hours you need to sort out your priorities.

  5. Because I can’t eat anything with chocolate in it I make the frosting using melted Reese’s peanut butter chips. My grandsons think it is better than chocolate frosting
    !

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