These lunch lady peanut butter bars are sweet and salty with a chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookie base, chocolate frosting on top and more peanut butter in between!
Peanut Butter Lunch Lady Cookie Bars
Whether you grew up eating these in the school cafeteria or not, these lunch lady peanut butter bars are a classic! Every bite is so full of texture and flavor from the chewy oatmeal cookie base, rich peanut butter flavor in the middle and chocolate buttercream on top.
I swear I could have lived off these during school days in rotation with other easy peanut butter desserts like this easy scotcheroos recipe or peanut butter Rice Krispie treats!
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Oats: I prefer old-fashioned oats as they make the bars chewier, but you can use quick oats.
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter in the base of the bars as the peanut butter and added salt add enough salty flavor.
- Sugars: Granulated white sugar and packed brown sugar are needed for the base.
- Peanut butter: I love to use Skippy or Jif creamy peanut butter but a crunchy peanut butter works, too. I would not use a natural peanut butter that you have to stir.
- Chocolate frosting: Butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and cocoa powder. Unsweetened natural cocoa powder like Hershey’s or Ghirardelli are my preference.
How to Make Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars
In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, granulated white sugar and brown sugar. Add vanilla, eggs and peanut butter and mix well. Stir in oats, flour baking soda and salt.
Spread dough on prepared parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean. Melt peanut butter until easy to spread, add on top of warm bars then cool completely.
Using a hand mixer or standing mixer, cream butter. Slowly add milk, vanilla, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth then spread on cooled bars.
Recipe Tips
- Size of pan: A 11×17 inch baking sheet will also work.
- Reddit famous lunch lady peanut butter bars: While I recall there definitely being oats in the base, these no bake peanut butter bars are another lunch lady favorite.
- Peanut butter frosting: Talking with friends and family, some schools didn’t make these with peanut butter filling but instead topped with a peanut butter frosting.
- Add-ins: Mix in some chocolate chips to the dough, or top with Reese’s pieces, chopped peanut butter cups or even dry roasted peanuts.
Storage
- Store: Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 5 days. If your pan has a lid, even better! You can also store them in the refrigerator and serve them chilled.
- Freezing: First, slice the bars into squares then flash freeze on a parchment lined paper baking sheet. Wrap in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn then transfer to a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Remove plastic wrap before thawing.
If you love peanut butter and chocolate desserts, try peanut butter balls, chocolate peanut butter cupcakes and chocolate peanut butter fudge.
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Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars
Video
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Bars
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar , firmly packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups peanut butter
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
Chocolate Frosting
- 6 Tablespoons butter , softened
- 4-6 Tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13×18 baking sheet with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
- Cream together wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 cup brown sugar. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 eggs and 1 1/2 cups of the peanut butter and mix well.
- Add dry ingredients: Add 1 1/2 cups oats, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir until combined.
- Spread out dough: Spread dough on baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean (be careful not to over-bake).
- Top with peanut butter and cool: Melt remaining 1 cup of peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl for 20 seconds. Then spread over the bars. Allow bars to cool completely (you can place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes).
- Make and spread frosting: Using a hand mixer, mix 6 Tablespoons softened butter in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add in 1/4 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 3 cups of powdered sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth. Add more milk if needed. Spread on cooled bars.
- Cut into 24 pieces and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Bars, Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Reader Favorites, Snacks
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
These are as good as I remember! 5 stars!
So glad you enjoyed the lunch lady peanut butter bars!