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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Bea
Monday 25th of September 2023
I’d like it less sweet. How much sugar should I cut back on? Any suggestions ?
Erin S
Tuesday 26th of September 2023
You can reduce the sugar in any amount you would like. It depends on how less sweet you would like if you start with 1/4 cup of 1/2 cup.
Jo
Sunday 27th of August 2023
These taste absolutely amazing!!! And they're so easy to make as well!
JJ
Sunday 13th of August 2023
This is delicious! And I like to think a little healthier than other bar type desserts ! Lol my college age son lived them so I had to make them again when he came home for the weekend
Marcia
Sunday 13th of August 2023
I just made and I’m waiting for the chocolate and peanut butter to harden. Very simple to make. I can’t wait to taste.
Debbie
Thursday 10th of August 2023
These look absolutely delicious. I would love them as is but my husband doesn’t like chocolate, so weird. But on the plus I don’t have to share anything chocolate. Is there something else you could add to peanut butter to make the frosting, that would be equally delicious??
Sarah
Sunday 3rd of September 2023
@Debbie, you could maybe try butterscotch chips. They melt well with peanut butter in other recipes. Hope it works!