• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • My Craft Room
  • FAQ
  • Work with Me
  • Contact
  • Homemade Cookie Cakes

Design Eat Repeat

Food Crafting, Free Printables, Recipes, Paper Crafting, Graphic Design and more!

Display Search Bar
  • Printables
  • Recipes
  • Food Crafts
  • Party Themes
  • Holiday Ideas
  • About
  • Blog View

Soft Baked Peanut Butter Bars

Share
Comments 11
Last Updated:August 26, 2018Published:November 16, 2013
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links
Jump to RecipeRate this Recipe

These peanut butter bars are something I ate for a good 6 years straight. Before you go thinking I feasted on them morning, noon, and night, let me explain. This is the exact peanut butter bar recipe my jr/high school made at lunch for dessert, and they were one of the favorites among the school. Our schools used to put out recipe books every year, and this is the recipe someone submitted as a exact replica of those coveted bars. The only thing different about these & the ones we had at school, is that the original recipe is also topped with a peanut butter frosting. I had every intention of making the frosting too, but my mixer bowl was still in the sink from making the bars, and I just didn’t feel like washing it. It’s safe to say that 30 Days of Cookies has brought me one too many dishes. I’ve already Googled if I could hire a maid to do dishes, and the answer was no.

Soft Baked Peanut Butter Squares

While the frosting is good, the bars alone are just as good. Maybe one day I’ll post the frosting recipe, as it is actually one of the best peanut butter frosting recipes I’ve come across.

Soft Baked Peanut Butter Squares

The bars are so soft, not too peanut butter-y, and are so easy to cut. You know how some bars look destroyed after cutting into them? Well, not these. As long as you let them completely cool before cutting into them, they cut into perfect, beautiful, blog-worthy squares.

Soft Baked Peanut Butter Squares

Not too thick, not too thin. Perfect little melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter bars, in the house. Well, they were in the house until…well, you know.

Soft Baked Peanut Butter Squares

Soft Baked Peanut Butter Bars

The bars are so soft, not too peanut butter-y, and are so easy to cut. 


Recipe Source: Design Eat Repeat


Author: Melissa Rose
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Category: Cookie
Servings: 16 bars (depending on the size you cut them)
Print this Recipe
5 from 1 vote
Did you make this recipe?
Leave us a review

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup oatmeal quick oats

Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add egg and continue to mix for 10 seconds.
  2. Add baking soda and mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Add flour and oatmeal and continue to mix until incorporated.
  3. Evenly spread dough into a greased, 9x13 pan. (You may need to lightly grease your hands to help press the dough down. I find that it is hard to get an even spread when using a rubber spatula.)
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
  5. Allow bars to cool for 1 hour before cutting.
  6. If not serving immediately, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcal
Fat: 9g
Saturated fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 116mg
Potassium: 66mg
Carbohydrates: 21g
Sugar: 13g
Protein: 2g
Vitamin A: 190%
Calcium: 14%
Iron: 0.7%

I always love these select few family recipes that turn out every time, and are guaranteed to please the crowds. And these peanut butter bars are one of those recipes. I stole a few of our family cookbooks last time I was home and I can’t wait to browse through more of these recipes. I plan to post the more traditional recipes we always make for  holiday cookie platters here in the next two weeks. They aren’t fancy, but they are delicious and turn out every time. The family secret recipes are about to be revealed.

Did you make this?
Tag me on Instagram @designeatrepeat or leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out! I love seeing what you’ve made.
  • Soft Baked White Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Sprinkled Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Previous Post
Sugared Apple Pie Cookie Tarts
Next Post
Brown Sugar Banana Cookies with Cream Cheese Pecan Frosting

Reader Interactions

11 Comments

  1. Rachel @ Itty Bitty Ivie says

    03/31/2014 at 10:51 am

    I love how simple the ingredients are and how delicious they look! We are definitely peanut butter lovers in our house, so we will be trying these soon! The oatmeal sounds like it’s a great touch. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. lisa @ being stepmom says

    03/29/2014 at 6:48 pm

    looks yummy. going to try these now!

    Reply
  3. Judy Teich says

    03/27/2014 at 5:00 pm

    I remember the bars at my school had coconut in them. What about you?

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      03/28/2014 at 4:01 pm

      Ours didn’t have coconut in them, but that sounds like it could be a nice addition!

      Reply
  4. Christina says

    12/05/2013 at 1:36 pm

    Hi! Can you share the frosting recipe? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      12/05/2013 at 6:48 pm

      Sure can! If you check out my Layered Shortbread Crunch recipe, the frosting is made exactly like the Peanut Butter Layer in that recipe! It will be the perfect amount for a 9×13 pan.

      Reply
  5. Dina says

    12/01/2013 at 10:01 pm

    they do look soft and yummy!

    Reply
  6. Catherine says

    11/20/2013 at 4:15 pm

    Please do post the peanut butter frosting recipe!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      11/20/2013 at 5:57 pm

      I sure will! Maybe I’ll slather it on some other cookies here soon ;)

      Reply
  7. Megan - The Emotional Baker says

    11/17/2013 at 8:21 am

    I love the addition of oatmeal in these bars. They look delicious!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      11/17/2013 at 7:59 pm

      Thanks, Megan! They are so soft I often forget there is actually oatmeal in them!

      Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome

I’m Melissa - a Graphic Designer & Paper Crafter creating easy-to-assemble printables, party DIY's, and food crafts for family fun.
Read More...

Freebies Delivered

Free Baking e-club

Trending Now

Fudgy Cosmic Brownie Cookies

Fudgy Cosmic Brownie Cookies

Cosmic Christmas Tree Brownies

Cosmic Christmas Tree Brownies

Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf

12 EASY Circle Christmas Cookies

12 EASY Circle Christmas Cookies

Christmas Cookie Frosting

Christmas Cookie Frosting

The Ultimate Moist Banana Bread

The Ultimate Moist Banana Bread

Favorites

Chewy M&M Cookie Cake

Chewy M&M Cookie Cake

The Ultimate Moist Banana Bread

The Ultimate Moist Banana Bread

Quick 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls

Quick 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe

Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe

Copycat Panera Chocolate Chip Cookies

Copycat Panera Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Best White Wedding Cupcakes

The Best White Wedding Cupcakes

Trending Recipes

The Ultimate Moist Banana Bread

The Ultimate Moist Banana Bread

Quick 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls

Quick 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe

Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe

Homemade Cheese Crackers

Homemade Cheese Crackers

Free Monthly Baking Challenge
Join Now!
Back to Top

Footer

Melissa is a graphic designer & craft stylist living in the Midwest, specializing in easy food and paper crafts for holidays, parties, and everyday.
Read More
  • Contact
  • Image Usage Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact
  • About
  • Free Printables
  • Work with Me
Copyright © 2023 Design Eat Repeat Site Credits Designed by Me Developed by Once Coupled