Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars – This peanut butter cookie bars loaded with lots of oatmeal and topped with a peanut butter chocolate “frosting” that makes them over the top delicious!
If you have ever been to this site before you know that I love just about anything with peanut butter and chocolate. Reese’s Fudge is one of the most popular recipes of all time on this site, so I know that you guys love it too!
I have been trying to come up with the perfect peanut butter oatmeal bar for a long time. I have gone between a healthier version, a real cookie texture version with chocolate chips, but in the end this almost fudgy peanut butter cookie bar with the chocolate “frosting” was the winner hands down!
This Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie is probably my favorite cookie of all time. It is super peanut butter-y, and just might be the softest cookies you will ever make. So I wanted to turn that into bar form, with oats and more chocolate.
What You’ll Need
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- White Sugar
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Baking Powder
- Salt
The frosting isn’t really a frosting. It is really just milk chocolate chips and peanut butter that are melted together. The peanut butter keeps the chocolate from re-solidifying after it cools. So it is perfectly creamy and delicious.
How To Make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
- Using an electric mixer cream together the softened butter with both kinds of sugar and the peanut butter. You want it to come together and be light and fluffy.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla until they are fully incorporated.
- Add in the oats, flour, baking powder and salt and mix until it is just combined.
- Press into a 13×9 inch baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes, just until the edges are golden and the center is set.
- To prepare the topping place the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 60 seconds. Remove and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Pour over the bars and spread into an even layer. The the chocolate set and then serve!
Old Fashioned Oats vs Quick Cooking Oats
This recipe calls for old fashioned oats, and that is because of the texture they give the bars. The bars are very fudge like in texture, so the old fashioned oats brings everything together and gives the bars and nice bite. If you use quick cooking oats, the bars will work, but they will not be the same texture. The oats will disappear more into the bars and you won’t get quite the same experience.
Can I Freeze Peanut Butter Bars
Yes, you absolutely can. Let the chocolate set completely and then slice into bars. Store them in an air tight container for up to 3 months in the freezer.
As you can see these bars are pretty thick. I like to bake them in a 13×9 inch pan, because we like them this thick. but if you want thinner bars, you can press the dough into a small jelly roll pan, and you will get thinner bars.
So the next time you are craving something sweet or that beloved chocolate and peanut butter combination, look no further! These bars are the ultimate treat of a thick, sweet, almost fudgy cookie bar topped with a creamy layer of chocolate. And they are so easy to make! No shaping balls of dough and baking 3 different trays of cookies. Just one pan in the oven and you are done!
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
- Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies
- Easy No Bake Avalanche Cookies
- M&M Brownies
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- Oreo Cheesecake Bites
- No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Peanut Butter Cream Pie
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars - This peanut butter cookie bars loaded with lots of oatmeal and topped with a peanut butter chocolate "frosting" that makes them over the top delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 whole large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Topping
- 12 oz milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Using an electric mixer cream together the softened butter with both kinds of sugar and the peanut butter. You want it to come together and be light and fluffy.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla until they are fully incorporated.
- Add in the oats, flour, baking powder and salt and mix until it is just combined.
- Press into a 13x9 inch baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, just until the edges are golden and the center is set.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- To prepare the topping place the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 60 seconds. Remove and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Pour over the bars and spread into an even layer.
- Let the chocolate set and then serve!
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 386Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 39mgSodium 251mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 3gSugar 21gProtein 8g
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.
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Beth says
I cannot wait to make this. Peanut butter and chocolate is my favorite combo in a sweet treat. These are going to be great!
Juliane says
Looks really good! I can’t wait to try this!
katerina @ diethood.com says
Oh my, these looks SO delicious! I am so excited to try them!
Beti | easyweeknightrecipes says
My kids would love these!! SO yummy!!
Sandra says
This quickly became a favorite meal at my house1 So amazing!
Krystle says
These are dangerously delicious. Cannot stop eating them!
Tisha says
MMMM these look so good and great for a sweet treat during the day!
Allyson Reed Zea says
These are my favorite! Thanks for the easy recipe!
Kelsi says
Definitely going to make a batch of these today!! Was wondering if I was able to freeze these? Would be AWESOME to get ahead of holiday baking 🙂
Erin S says
Yes, you definitely can freeze them. They will last for a few months in the freezer no problem. Enjoy!
Jennie says
Has anyone used margarine instead of butter?
Erin S says
I haven’t heard of anyone doing that. The water content difference between the two might be a problem, that is often why it doesn’t work in cookies. But in bars like this I am honestly not sure how much it would change it.
Marlene Sarff says
Should the pan be greased
Erin S says
Nope
Tracy says
Has anyone tried with less sugar or can I use sweetener?
Rosie says
Has anyone tried making this gluten free?
Erin S says
You could definitely do a gluten free all-purpose flour with gluten free oats. But swapping for an almond flour or something else, I haven’t tested or much experience with.
Tracy says
Could I use cocoa powder instead of chocolate chips.?
Erin S says
I don’t think that would work well, you need the bulk from the chocolate chips to have enough to cover the whole pan of bars. Plus cocoa powder isn’t sweetened at all, so it would be very bitter.