Peanut butter and chocolate is the best combo out there…fight me on this!! Have you tried Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars?? They are insanely good, and come in clutch with the pb/chocolate. We start out with a thick and chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookie base, (just like these PB Oatmeal Cookies recipe, but in bar form), but then we go and top it with a layer of straight up peanut butter, PLUS a rich chocolate frosting that is like the crackly frosting top on a Texas Sheet Cake. Y’AAALLLLLL it’s so good.
Table of Contents
- Peanut butter lunch lady cookie bars
- Why these are the freakin best
- Lunch lady peanut butter bar recipe ingredients
- How to make Lunch Lady peanut butter bars
- How to store leftover lunch lady bars
- Can you freeze peanut butter bars?
- Lunch lady peanut butter bars frequently asked questions
- More brownies and bars to fall in love with
- Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
“MOM, DAD! Valentine and I made the bed for you!”
This is Edison, my 4-year-old, with his cherub face shining. I look over at the bed, and he has indeed done a total B+ job making it, not bad for a lil pipsqueak. Seeing my delight, he immediately moves in. “Can I watch Bluey??”
Ahhh okay I see his angle here. I explain, “Edison, you don’t do nice things for people because you’re expecting a reward. You do it because you love them. And I know you love me a lot!” He immediately deadpans, “No. I only love you a little.”
EXCUSE ME. Does anyone know a church that offers midweek Sunday School. Because this kid needs some lessons. Once a week isn’t enough. 🤣 Just kidding, I love my church, I’m guessing I’m the problem here!! Who’s raising these animals anyway??
Peanut butter lunch lady cookie bars
These Lunch lady bars make a humungous batch, so I brought some over to my friend Roocha and her family yesterday. This morning I saw her husband while walking the kids to school, and he said, “Karen! Thank you for those energy bars you brought over! They are incredibly good! I love them so much!”
I had to break it to him… “Mitul, those are not energy bars, they are full of sugar and peanut butter, so sorry!!” And he was like, well I felt really energized after eating them so I’m going with it. Ha! Respect, Mitul. The things we tell ourselves right.
Have you ever tried Lunch Lady bars though?? You will be willing to tell yourself whatever story you can come up with to justify making these again and again.
My friend Stacy made these for my daughter’s church activity a couple months ago on a random Thursday. I tried one bite, and knew my life would never be the same. Ok maybe that’s dramatic, but you know when you try something someone made and you just KNOW it’s going to become a part of your permanent repertoire? I immediately asked for the recipe and made them myself at home within 24 hours. Stacy, you will always be my Lunch Lady and I love you forever for sharing!!
Why these are the freakin best
Read on guys. The Lunch Ladies cannot be stopped:
- We start off with a thick, chewy oatmeal peanut butter base, using quick oats and old-fashioned oats for the BEST texture. It’s basically like these PB Oatmeal Cookies (fan fav) but in bar form.
- Then, a layer of straight up peanut butter. You are vindicated for all those times you stuck your spoon directly into the peanut butter jar for a “snack”. You’re no fool. Peanut butter = frosting, now we know.
- THEN we go and top it with a rich, creamy chocolate frosting with a special ingredient, sour cream, to add tang, fullness, and creaminess! It’s exactly like my frosting for Texas Sheet Cake. It’s crackly and rich and perfect.
Add it all up, and somehow, magically, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We are going full Greek philosophy here. I really do think that Aristotle was referencing the peanut butter/chocolate combo when he said that. You will NOT be able to stop eating these. I read recently that dopamine is not really a happiness chemical. It’s a “give me MORE” chemical. Lunch lady’s got it in spades.
Lunch lady peanut butter bar recipe ingredients
These bars come together fast, and most of the ingredients are pantry items you probably already have at home (which means you can make them whenever you want, WATCH OUT.) Glance through the list to see what you need, but be sure to double check the recipe card for full ingredient measurements and instructions!
- butter
- brown sugar
- white sugar
- peanut butter
- eggs
- vanilla
- all purpose flour
- baking soda
- kosher salt, or sea salt
- quick oats
- old fashioned oats
- cocoa powder
- powdered sugar
- sour cream
How to make Lunch Lady peanut butter bars
First up, butta! As always. Every good baking project begins with butter, I mean right?
I like to beat the butter and sugars together before adding the peanut butter. I find that when I beat the butter and peanut butter together first, sometimes I end up with butter lumps, especially if my butter was not perfectly softened. So butter, sugars, THEN peanut butter.
Add the eggs and vanilla:
Get a little buddy to help you with the mixing! Edison’s in that stage where you tell him to smile for a picture and he has no idea what to do with his face, so he starts screaming and jumping and flailing his arms. Anyone with a 4-year-old can relate I think 🤣
Add in your flour and oats, as well as the salt and baking soda.
Mix up those dry ingredients! And then, here is the dough all mixed, it’s pretty sticky.
Scrape it onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Get your hands a little wet and press the dough into the pan, or fight with your spatula, you do you.
And bake for about 15 minutes, it doesn’t take long.
Then, bust out your Jif. I don’t care if you pronounce it jif of gif, we can still be friends. We’re using a full cup and a half, and melting it a bit so it spreads easy.
Get your buddy to inspect your work again. Set aside the bars and let the peanut butter come to room temperature, or you could even pop them in the fridge for a few minutes. You just don’t want to chocolate frosting to swirl too much with the peanut butter. (Or maybe you do??)
Now it’s time for some frosting, because one layer isn’t enough, clearly! Melt some butter and cocoa.
Add in some of the powdered sugar to cool down the butter. Then add in some sour cream, vanilla, and salt.
Then add in the rest of the powdered sugar.
I like to beat the frosting at the end to get it really smooth, but a whisk and some elbow grease will do ya just fine. Pour it on your bars…
and ta-da!! That’s it! Slice em up and call over every single one of your neighbors. This batch feeds a small army. Or be prepared to eat your weight in peanut butter bars. (No judgment. Been there done that. These are “energy bars,” right Mitul?)
How to store leftover lunch lady bars
So easy! Wait for the bars to cool, then cover the pan well with plastic wrap. Or, cut the bars and put the pieces in an airtight container. The bars will keep on the counter at room temperature for about 5-7 days. I really did call the whole neighborhood the 3rd time I made this, so that they could come get some, and Eric was panicked that they would take them all, so he put some on a plate and stuck it on top of the fridge but forgot to cover it, and they got left out overnight. Tragic!! I mean we still ate them, of course, but they just get dried out.
You can also serve these bars chilled, if you’re into that. Store covered in the fridge. I have to say, I’m normally a room temp dessert girl, but these are so moist and frosting-y and intensely rich, that chilling is a fabulous option. Make sure the seal is very tight or the bars will dry out faster than you can say glass a water.
Can you freeze peanut butter bars?
Lunch lady style peanut butter bars freeze beautifully. You can store the entire tray (already baked and frosted) by putting it uncovered in the freezer for about 30 minutes to flash freeze. Then, wrap the whole thing very well in plastic wrap a few times, and then foil. When covered like this, I would only leave it in the freezer for a week or two at most, as it’s likely to dry out over time.
If you want to freeze the bars for longer, I suggest cutting any leftover cooked and cooled bars into individual pieces. Leave them on the sheet pan and flash freeze (freeze uncovered) for about 30 minutes or so. Once they are cold enough to not smear everywhere, wrap each individual piece in plastic wrap and add it to a ziplock freezer bag. Once full, squeeze out as much air as possible, seal the bag, and put in the freezer. Wrapped this way, the bars should last about 3 months!
Lunch lady peanut butter bars frequently asked questions
You’re in the right spot if you’re looking to recreate the bars from your childhood! Lunch lady peanut butter bars are a classic treat made with a chewy oatmeal peanut butter cookie-like base, a layer of creamy peanut butter, and topped with the most amazing chocolate frosting. They’re not a common thing you can purchase at a grocery store, but don’t worry, I gotchu!! Follow the how-to above in the post, or check out the recipe card below for all the deets on how to make these easy homemade cookie bars.
I have not personally tried it, but in theory if you use a gluten free baking flour replacement 1-1 for the all purpose flour, it should work. The main problem with gluten free flour is that is sucks at rising, but these bars don’t need to rise much at all. In fact, we want them kind of thick and chewy! Definitely double check the oats you use as well since not all oats are gluten free. Be sure to check your labels, but if you’re familiar with gluten free baking I think you could give it a shot!
Again, I have not tried out substitutions personally, but you should be able to sub in other options. Crunchy peanut butter has less peanut butter per cup since there are so many actual peanuts taking up space. I suggest adding in chopped peanuts if you want extra crunch to avoid the bars drying out. If you have some crunchy peanut butter you’re trying to use up, just add about 2 tablespoons more than what is called for to make sure you get enough fat to keep the bars moist.
To use a peanut butter replacement, both sunbutter and cashew butter are great 1-1 options. Almond butter can be a bit drier than peanut butter, so if you use it 1-1, add a tablespoon of milk to the dough.
Typically the bars are cooked in a half sheet or jelly roll pan, but you could make it in a 9×13 pan if you wanted a much thicker, more cake-like bar. The cook time will increase to 20-25 minutes. Check the bars after 20 minutes and take them out when lightly browned and barely set in the middle.
More brownies and bars to fall in love with
- Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars >> these bars are so rich and creamy, with SO many raspberries
- THE BEST Brownie Recipe I’ve Ever Made! >> my go-to, ride or die brownie recipe
- The Best Lemon Bars >> thick shortbread crust and a no-joking-around tart and creamy top
- Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars >> these are the stuff of dreams, I tell you – supremely chewy and delicious
- Mississippi Mud Cake >> what’s not to love about a decadent marshmallow and chocolate frosting topped sheet cake?!
- Apple Pie Bars >> all the goodness of a luscious apple pie, in easy bar form. It’s glorious.
- Nutella Stuffed Browned Butter Blondies >> as rich, gooey, and addicting as they sound. Don’t skip the milk with these bars!
- Gooey Pecan Pie Bars with Toffee >> absolutely delish, and an amazing pie substitute
- Salt River Bars from Lovely Little Kitchen
- No Bake Cereal Bars from Eating Bird Food
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Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
For the bars
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or sea salt
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
For the peanut butter frosting
- 1 and 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
For the chocolate frosting
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup cocoa
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar, plus an extra 1/2 cup, if you want thick frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 11×17 inch (half baking sheet) pan with parchment paper, or spray with nonstick spray.
- Make the bars: In a large bowl or stand mixer, add 1 cup softened butter. Beat until soft and creamy. Add and 1 and 1/2 cups packed brown sugar. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Beat well for a full minute, scraping down the sides and bottom at least once. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
- Add 1 cup peanut butter (I'm a Jif girl). I love to use my adjustable measuring cup for this! Beat in the peanut butter until the mixture is smooth.
- Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and beat well, scraping the sides and bottom.
- Add 2 cups all purpose flour, using a spoon to add flour to the cup, then leveling it off. (You don't want it packed in). Don't stir yet. Add 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or sea salt.) Use your teaspoon to mix the soda and salt into the flour a bit.
- Add 1 cup quick oats and 1 cup old fashioned oats.* Use the beaters to mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, but don't over do it. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix one more time, then stop right away. You don't want to over mix this, or the cookie layer will turn out tough.
- Scrape the dough into the prepared half baking sheet pan. The dough is quite sticky. If it's annoying to do this with your spatula, get your hands a little damp, and press the dough in with you fingers.
- Bake the cookie layer at 350 for 14-17 minutes. The edges should be golden, and it should have a light golden hue all across the top. It might have puffed up and even cracked in the middle; that's fine, it will go down, plus we're frosting it anyway. Set aside to cool at least 10 minutes.
- Add the peanut butter layer. Meanwhile, add 1 and 1/2 cups peanut butter to a bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds, until it's easier to pour. Spread the peanut butter all across the center of the bars, not covering the edges, which will be lifted up a bit higher than the center.
- Set aside to cool. I like to stick mine in the fridge or freezer to speed this up. You need the peanut butter to be at least room temperature (if not cold) so that when you add the frosting, it doesn't mix together. We want clean layers. Maybe.
- Make the frosting. Add 3/4 cup butter and 3/4 cup cocoa to a medium saucepan. Stir together over medium heat until it comes to a boil, then remove from the heat.
- Add 1 cup powdered sugar and whisk well. (This helps cool down the mixture.) Add 1/2 cup mounded sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir well.
- Use a hand mixer to beat in the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, getting all the lumps out. (You can also use a whisk and some elbow grease). If you like a thicker frosting, add another 1/4 or 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
- Add the frosting. Once the peanut butter layer is totally room temperature or chilled, add the chocolate frosting on top. Use an offset spatula to spread it not quite to the edges of the peanut butter. It looks pretty to be able to see the peanut butter and chocolate layers. That said, this does leave the edge-eaters rather frosting-less, so spread all the way to the edge if you are feeling compassionate toward them.
- Storage: Keep covered on the counter! They also taste phenomenal when chilled. Just keep the air out!
Fantastic :) Cut them into small bars, they are very rich and delicious…
In the ingredients list it calls for 1/2 cup cocoa, but in the instruction steps it says 3/4 cup cocoa. Which one should it be? Thank you! I’m in the midst of making these and can hardly wait to try one!
Hi Larry! Not sure which option you went with (sorry for the delay!) but we like the frosting with 3/4 cup cocoa. Thanks for pointing out the discrepancy so we could fix it! (And if you did use 1/2 cup cocoa, I bet they were still pretty dang good…probably a little less “dark chocolate” but I’m guessing still awesome).
Can these be made up to the point of frosting them, then frozen, and when thawed, frosted?
I LOVED this recipe and will certainly be making it again. Of course I had to sample before serving (shame) to make sure it is good since it’s a new recipe and all. I found that using all the frosting was overpowering the flavor of the peanut butter. I scraped away about half and that was the perfect balance, for me at least. Also, if I had peanuts, I would have crushed some on top for a garnish. This is absolutely delish, as are all your recipes. Keep posting. You keep me inspired or give me ideas of my own. Thanks for what you do! <3
Rachel, sampling is NO shame, it’s up to your to make sure you’re not poisoning your guests. It’s a SERVICE 🤣 Love the idea of the crushed peanuts, and I totally hear you on the frosting amount. My son Truman AND my dad both are not big on frosting and are always scraping off half. Not sure how we’re all related.. haha. Thank you so much for chiming in and for your kind words, comments like yours seriously keep me going! 💕💕