Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
From Favorite Recipes from Great Midwest Cooks (1992) by the Editors of Midwest Living. This simple bar cookie recipe will top the charts of anyone who is looking for that classic peanut butter and chocolate combo. Sink your teeth into the soft bar cookie base. The chocolate topping is just enough, without being "too much." These bars kept well, covered, in a reusable plastic container. My only notes, that I penned during one of the times I made these bars since August 7, 2016; is to use a name-brand chocolate chip for this recipe. I don't remember why I made that note, but hey—that's a great reason for why I urge you to write in your cookbooks. I also upped the salt by 1/4 teaspoon (from 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon). Delish!
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
- 1/2 Cup Butter Softened
- 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup Quick-Cooking or Rolled Oats NOT Old-Fashioned Oats
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips I use Milk Chocolate Chips
Peanut Butter Icing
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar (also known as Confectioner's Sugar) If yours is clumpy, give it a quick whisk.
- 1/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons Milk
Instructions
- 350* oven.
- Spray a 13 x 9 pan with Baker's Joy or Pam for Baking with Flour. Set aside.
Peanut Butter Cookie Bar Instructions:
- Cream the peanut butter and the butter in your stand mixer for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure even blending.
- Add in the sugar and the brown sugar. Combine until fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract.
- First, combine the flour, the baking soda, and the salt together. Then, add them to the sugar and butter mixture. Combine until blended. DO NOT overmix.
- Stir in the oats.
- Spread the batter into the prepared 13 x 9 pan.
- Bake 350* for 18-20 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out NON goopy. The bars will have a light golden color and look like something you'd want to eat.
- Set the pan on a wire rack and sprinkle on the chocolate chips. Let the chocolate chips stand for 5 minutes and then spread the chocolate over the surface using a butter knife.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
Peanut Butter Frosting Instructions:
- Beat together the butter, powdered sugar, and the milk so you can drizzle the icing over the cooled bars. Begin with using 2 Tablespoons of milk and add more if the mixture is too thick. For me, 2 1/2 Tablespoons seems to be the magic amount needed. Go slow with your milk additions, measuring over a measuring cup or bowl, to avoid adding in more liquid than you want. DO NOT drizzle the icing over warm bars or it will melt and you will be sad.