Perfectly thick, soft and chewy peanut butter bars with a peanut butter and chocolate glaze.
You wont see me use the words “BEST” in too many recipes, because a lot of people have great variations of a lot of dishes. However, without hesitation I can say these are THE BEST peanut butter bars in existence!
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 🙂 
If I’m ever making these for a party I always have to make an extra pan for my family or else I’m in trouble! I’ve tried quite a few peanut butter bars in my day, and none compare to these.
First of all, they are thick, chewy, and soft. They’re in the same family as my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, but with a peanut butter twist. I love the taste and texture that the oats add.
They have the perfect ratio of chocolate and peanut butter, without being overwhelmingly sweet.
The dough for the bars has 1/2 cup of peanut butter in it. Once they’re baked and cooled, you spread a very thin layer of creamy peanut butter over them.
Then, you make a warm chocolate frosting and pour it over the top. YUM!
These really are the World’s Best Peanut Butter Bars!
Consider trying these popular “bar” recipes:
- Snickerdoodle Bars
- Butterfinger Cookie Bars
- Caramel Crunch Bars
- Perfect Lemon Bars
- Oreo Cookie Bars
- Butterscotch Blondies
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World's Best Peanut Butter Bars
Video
Ingredients
For the bars:
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (plus more for spreading over baked bars)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
For the chocolate frosting:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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 9x13'' 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.
Nutrition
I originally shared this recipe in April 2013. Updated February 2018.
Bobbie says
After making a boxer recipe from my local grocer I got online and searched for a recipe for Peanutbotter bars and this recipe is the first one I looked at that was over 8 months ago. During this time I’ve made them on average 6 times a month and they never turn out exactly like the last batch and I believed it the cooking time that makes each batch different. I’ve inadvertently left out the brown sugar, another time it was the vanilla and once I made it with a pancake mix thinking it was flour I’ve even used lard to replace 1)3 of the butter in the cooked mix. It wasn’t ever noticed by my friends and family that the ingredients were missing. I do use more peanutbutter then it calls for and I triple the chocolate topping. It’s a great recipe and want to say thank you to the cook, chef mother for posting online. I’m hooked as is everyone who hasbeen a guest in my home, and it’s a true story the waking up in the middle of the night for a snack.
Maisie says
Wi made them but after I took them out of the oven I found they sunk in the middle ,,but after I cut them they looked delicious
Yogi says
These are perfect! I didn’t alter a thing and used a pyrex dish. It took 21-22 minutes, but they were seriously so good.
Sam says
Much too sweet – yuk. The bar portion is good so we are modifying the recipe to reduce the sugar and put chocolate chips in the base to get the chocolate kick to the peanut butter.
Colleen Henry says
Hi Lauren,
These are delicious! I made a whole pan, but there are only two of us. Can I refrigerate or freeze them?
Thanks!
Lauren Allen says
Yes, either one.
Naru says
Can it be frozen?
PML says
We love this recipe. We found the thin peanut butter layer to be too rich, but we do everything else exactly as written. So good!
Synthia says
So good! We took the suggestion of someone and put on top: peanut butter, 1 c choc chips and 1/2 c of butterscotch chips melted together and it was like a scotcheroo and peanut butter bar combined. Thanks for a great recipe!
Synthia says
Oh and we also used crunchy peanut butter!
Lauren says
This Recipe was great and delicious! Deffinetly Recomend it!
Kellie says
Great recipe. I made it tonight with chunky Adam’s peanut butter and it turned out well, except the frosting. It was too runny.
I did a very small amount of creamy peanut butter for that layer. Overall, it was a good recipe, but I’ll add more peanut butter and a bit less sugar next time. And probably use a different chocolate frosting recipe. Overall, it was still very tasty and my family and some neighbors all enjoyed them.