Our old fashioned Peanut Butter Bars recipe has a thick and chewy base topped a quick chocolate glaze. They're perfect for potlucks or parties and can be made ahead or frozen!
I get more attention for these Peanut Butter Bars than any other cookie bar.
I get more attention for these Peanut Butter Bars than any other cookie bar. These chewy peanut butter bars are THE treat to bring to every potluck and way better than the Lunch lady peanut butter bars you may remember as a kid. A family friend (thanks Chris McLaws!) shared this recipe with us decades ago and it's been the most popular cookie bar in our family, since. They have the BEST soft and chewy texture and peanut butter flavor and you can double the recipe to bake in a baker's half sheet pan.
How to make Peanut Butter Bars:
Make Dough: With a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar together. Add eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter then mix again. Stir dry ingredients in separate bowl, then combine.
Bake: Press dough into a greased 9×13″ baking pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 17-21 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake! They shouldn't look glossy, but barely set in the center (they will continue to harden as they cool).
Peanut butter and chocolate topping: Cool bars completely then spread a thin layer of peanut butter and melted chocolate glaze on top.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Peanut butter bars will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The cookie dough could be made a day ahead of time, stored in the fridge until ready to bake.
To Freeze: Cover homemade peanut butter bars with plastic wrap, then a double layer or aluminum foil and freeze in a freezer safe pan up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then bring to room temperature before serving.
More “Bar” Recipes:
- Blondies
- Magic Bars (7 Layer Bars)
- S'mores Bars
- Key Lime Pie Bars
- Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Scotcheroos
- Lemon Bars
- Butterfinger Bars
- M&M Cookie Bars
- Snickerdoodle Bars
- Sugar Cookie Bars
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Recipe
Peanut Butter Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Bars:
- 3/4 cup butter (170g), room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (220g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (135g), plus more for spreading over baked bars
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (188g)
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (170g)
Chocolate Frosting:
- 1/4 cup butter (57g)
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (150g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter and mix well.¾ cup butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients.2 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- Combine: Add dry ingredients to creamy mixture. Press firmly into a greased 9×13'' pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 17-21 minutes or until no longer glossy, but just barely set in the center. Do not over-bake; they will harden as they cool. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Spread Peanut Butter: Once cool, spread a thin layer of creamy peanut butter over the bars.
- Chocolate Frosting: Add butter to a small skillet over medium heat. Once melted, stir in cocoa. Remove from heat and stir im 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.¼ cup butter, 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ Tablespoons milk, 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe in April 2013. Updated February 2018, May 2021 (frosting recipe amended), June 2023 and March 2025
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Your ‘best ever’ peanut butter bars were mushy on the bottom and had way too much peanut butter. The peanut butter, along with the salt called for in the recipe, gave these bars a very salty taste. There was way too little icing to really taste the sweetness! A very big disappointment!
Maybe you just suck at cooking lol
🤣
🤣
Tried these for the first time. They were tasty, but next time will add a wee bit more peanut butter in the base and omit the thin peanut butter layer on top. My husband wants to try Raisins or dried Cranberries in the base, since he loves the oatmeal and Raisin combo. An easy square with lots of possible alternatives. Yummy.
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.
These bars were the best for sure. Made exactly as stated & would not change a thing.
The are soft from edge to middle. I could eat the whole pan.
The oatmeal makes me feel like it is a health food. lol
This Recipe was great and delicious! Deffinetly Recomend it!
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!
Oh and we also used crunchy peanut butter!
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!
Can it be frozen?
Hi Lauren,
These are delicious! I made a whole pan, but there are only two of us. Can I refrigerate or freeze them?
Thanks!
Yes, either one.
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.
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.
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