Classic Peanut Butter Bars
These classic peanut butter bars will transport you right back to your childhood. Not only are they fast to make, but will disappear quickly.

The Story Behind the Classic Peanut Butter Bars
Typically I will see this recipe called Lunchroom Peanut Butter Bars. However, I was never lucky enough to have these served in my school lunchroom growing up. In fact, I didn’t have these until I was 19-years-old. You better believe it was love at first bite.
While my husband and I were dating and engaged, I found myself in a terrible roommate situation. In order to preserve my happiness, I decided to move in with my brother’s in-laws. They lived close to the college I was attending and had extra room for me. It was a fantastic arrangement.
Every Sunday Tim and I were invited to the big family dinner. It was always delicious and always ended with dessert. The desserts would rotate between two recipes. One was store-bought cookie dough baked in individual tins and served with a scoop of ice cream. Obviously these were called pazookies.

However, my favorite was when my sister-in-law would whip up this classic peanut butter bar recipe. I always had a hard time staying out on them. In fact, I always left the house before 7am to get to my job on campus, and if there were leftovers, I would have a slice for breakfast.
This recipe comes together so quickly. While it may be hard to wait for them to cool for the frosting, I promise you it will be worth the wait. Chocolate and peanut butter are such a great combination and these will just prove that fact more.

F.A.Q.S for Classic Peanut Butter Bars

Additional Recipes You Will Enjoy
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- Peanut Butter Cookies with Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Caramels
- Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies

Classic Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter, plus more for spreading on top
For the Frosting
- 3 tbs cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- 2-3 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9×13 pan and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. This should take about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the egg and vanilla. Mix well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add in the baking soda, salt, flour, and oats. MIx until incorporated.
- Finally add in the peanut butter and mix.
- Press the dough in the the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light and golden around the edges.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes before spreading a thin layer of peanut butter on top. I used about ¼-⅓ extra peanut butter on top.
- Make the frosting by mixing together all of the ingredients. Add more milk if needed to make the frosting spreadable. Spread on top of completely cooled bars. Serve and enjoy!
These were so yummy! I loved how quick they were to make, too. We made them for a birthday party and everyone loved them.