Name: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
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; 12 oz milk chocolate chips; 1 cup creamy peanut butter

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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!

stack of peanut butter bars with a bite taken out of the top one

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.

bowl of chocolate chips with peanut butter

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!

peanut butter oatmeal bars cut into slices in baking tray

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.

stack of peanut butter oatmeal bars on white plate

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

Yield: 24

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!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

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

Serving Size

1
Amount 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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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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Rola

Saturday 17th of February 2024

These look delicious! Can I use crunchy peanut butter for this?

Sunday 18th of February 2024

You can, it will just change the texture some, and not be quite as creamy.

Teddi

Sunday 29th of October 2023

Could I substitute the white sugar for maple syrup?

Wednesday 15th of November 2023

I have not tested it that way, so I am not sure if it would work. Give it a try with a smaller batch and see how it works

Mickie

Thursday 26th of October 2023

I made this exactly as written. In my opinion, the crust had no real taste, and crumbled when cut. The chocolate peanut butter frosting was bland. I won't be making this again.

Sorry this didn't work out for you. The base of the bars should not crumble, it sounds like they might have been over cooked if that was how they turned out.

Betty R

Monday 9th of October 2023

These look absolutely delicious I am going to make them tomorrow

Janet

Wednesday 4th of October 2023

How can I measure this recipe in ozs rather than cups please

I don't have those measurements, but you can usually google 1/2 cup = ounces, and it will tell you