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Home Dessert

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

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By: Diana Posted: 9/12/23

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

a stack of three peanut butter bars with frosting. Text overlay says "lunch lady peanut butter bars"

These Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars are exactly like you remember from school!

With a chewy peanut butter oat base, creamy peanut butter center, and rich chocolate buttercream topping, these cafeteria-style peanut butter chocolate bars are the best, and so simple to bake.

a pan of chocolate frosted peanut butter bars, cut into squares. Some pieces are removed, and mini chocolate chips are sprinkled in the space.


I don’t really know what kind of desserts they serve in school nowadays, but back in the day, the school cafeteria was known for having the best desserts!

Lunch Lady Brownies, Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies, and these Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars all get their name from the wonderful people who used to bake them for us.

Those ladies really knew what they were doing!

If you’re a big fan of chocolate and peanut butter together, you’re in luck! I have plenty of other sweet treats for you to make.

My Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars are a no-bake recipe that comes together quickly and easily.

There’s also Buckeye Brownie Cookies, Peanut Butter Pie, and snackable Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites.

peanut butter bars with chocolate frosting, cut into squares

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  1. Simple Ingredients – Lunch lady peanut butter bars are made with pantry staples, most of which you might already have on hand! I love recipes like this because I can whip up a batch whenever the mood strikes.
  2. Enough for a Crowd – Like most brownies and bar cookies, this bar recipe makes a large pan of peanut butter squares. Cut them into 24 generous pieces to share.
  3. They’re So Delicious! – I had to use a lot of self-restraint to keep from eating half the pan! The peanut butter cookie base is perfectly soft and chewy, and the rich chocolate buttercream frosting is just divine!

Key Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make the best Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars:

The ingredients needed to make classic lunch lady peanut butter bars.
  • Rolled Oats: The cookie base for these bars includes old-fashioned oats. Oats give the bars a chewy, wholesome texture.
  • Peanut Butter: Choose traditional smooth peanut butter for this recipe, rather than all-natural versions.
  • Brown Sugar: Both granulated sugar and brown sugar go into the cookie recipe. Brown sugar helps to keep the bars moist and chewy, while regular sugar allows the outside edges to get crispy.
  • Butter: Choose unsalted butter for baking. You’ll need melted butter for the base and softened butter for the frosting.
  • Cocoa Powder: To make a simple and delicious chocolatey buttercream.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set it aside.

A collage of four images showing how to make peanut butter oatmeal bars.
  1. Mix the Wet Ingredients: To make the oatmeal cookie base, start by mixing together the melted butter, 1 cup of peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs until well combined.
  2. Add the Dry Ingredients: Add the flour and oats to the mixture.
  3. Fold: Fold in the oats and flour until you have a smooth cookie dough.
  4. Press: Use your hands to press the dough evenly into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan.

Tip!

To make the bars really easy to remove from the pan, line the pan with parchment paper after greasing it. Leave enough extra paper on two sides of the pan to lift the bars out after they’ve cooled.

A collage of three images showing how to bake peanut butter bars, then spread melted peanut butter over them.
  1. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let the base cool completely before continuing.
  2. Add Peanut Butter Filling: Melt 1.5 cups of creamy peanut butter in the microwave at 20-second intervals, stirring after each. You can also use a double boiler on the stovetop if you prefer. Pour the melted peanut butter all over the cookie base. Refrigerate while you make the frosting to set the peanut butter layer.
A collage of three images showing how to make chocolate frosting and cover peanut butter bars.
  1. Make the Frosting: In a medium saucepan, melt the ¼ cup butter over low heat. Add the milk and cocoa powder, whisking until smooth. Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Then mix in the vanilla extract.
  2. Frost: Spread the frosting over the set peanut butter layer. Refrigerate the bars for at least an hour to set the frosting, then cut into squares to serve.

Recipe Tips

  • Choose the right oats: Quick or instant oats don’t have the right texture for this recipe. Be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best result.
  • Pay attention to the chilling steps: You want the base to be mostly cooled before adding the peanut butter, and you want the peanut butter to be set before adding the frosting. Before cutting into the bars, give them at least an hour in the fridge to set and cool fully.
  • Starting the frosting on the stove actually helps to bloom the cocoa powder, which makes the frosting extra rich and decadent. If you don’t want to do it that way, try my classic chocolate buttercream recipe instead.
  • Try some toppings! Cover the top of these peanut butter chocolate bars with chopped Reese’s cups, chocolate chips, or sprinkles to make them extra tasty and festive.
lunch lady peanut butter bar with chocolate frosting, held up with a bite taken.

Storing Tips

Keep your frosted peanut butter bars in an airtight container. They’ll stay at room temperature for up to 5 days.

You can also store these in the fridge for the same amount of time. They’re actually very delicious when served chilled!

Freeze individual lunch lady peanut butter bars for up to 3 months. I suggest freezing them first on a baking tray, then wrapping each bar well with plastic wrap and adding them to a freezer bag. This way they won’t stick together.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

I haven’t tested it myself, but this recipe should work well if you substitute an all-purpose gluten-free baking blend for the flour. Be sure that your oats are certified gluten-free as well!

Can I use crunchy peanut butter?

I don’t suggest it for these bars. Crunchy peanut butter has less actual peanut butter per cup, since there are larger pieces of nuts in it. The bars will likely end up dry. Instead of using crunchy peanut butter, consider adding in some chopped nuts for a bit of crunch.

Can I use a different pan?

This recipe for lunchroom peanut butter bars calls for a 9×13-inch pan. You can also bake these in a jelly roll pan (usually about 15×10 inches) if that’s what you have to work with.

Favorite Bar Recipes

Lunch Lady Brownies

S’mores Cookie Bars

Cake Mix Cookie Bars

Biscoff Cheesecake Bars

All Desserts →

Just like you remember, these Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars are amazingly tasty! And even if you never at a peanut butter bar at school, you’ll be glad that you found this easy recipe.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe
three soft peanut butter bars with frosting, stacked on top of each other.
5 from 20 votes
(Click stars to rate!)

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Chilling Time: 1 hour hr
Total Time: 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
Author: Diana
Print Rate Recipe Email Recipe
Tasty Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars have a chewy peanut butter oat base, creamy peanut butter center, and rich chocolate buttercream topping.
24 Bars
Tasty Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars have a chewy peanut butter oat base, creamy peanut butter center, and rich chocolate buttercream topping.

Ingredients

Base:

  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup (240 g) creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar packed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups (150 g) old fashioned oats

Filling:

  • 1 ½ cups (360 g) creamy peanut butter

Chocolate Frosting:

  • ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter softened
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) milk whole or 2%
  • ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C fan oven. Grease a 9×13 inch (approx. 23×33 cm) baking pan.
  • In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, 1 cup peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs until well combined.
  • Gradually fold in the flour and oats until smooth.
  • Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let it cool.
  • Melt 1.5 cups of peanut butter in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each, or using a double boiler on the stovetop.
  • Spread over the cooled base and refrigerate to set slightly.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the ¼ cup butter over low heat. Add the milk and cocoa powder, whisking until smooth.
  • Remove from heat. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Mix in the vanilla.
  • Spread the frosting over the set peanut butter layer.
  • Refrigerate the bars for at least an hour to set the frosting. Once set, cut into squares and serve.

Notes:

  • Choose the right oats: Quick or instant oats don’t have the right texture for this recipe. Be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best result.
  • Pay attention to the chilling steps: You want the base to be mostly cooled before adding the peanut butter, and you want the peanut butter to be set before adding the frosting. Before cutting into the bars, give them at least an hour in the fridge to set and cool fully.
  • Try some toppings! Cover the top of these peanut butter chocolate bars with chopped Reese’s cups, chocolate chips, or sprinkles to make them extra tasty and festive.
  • Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 5 days. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 440kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 272mg, Potassium: 221mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 35g, Vitamin A: 321IU, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

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  1. Toni says

    Posted on 9/29/23 at 15:14

    5 stars
    My kids really enjoyed these bars! They couldn’t stop eating these!

    Reply
    • Little Sunny Kitchen says

      Posted on 9/29/23 at 21:56

      I’m so glad to hear that, Toni! Thank you for the kind review!

      Reply
  2. Sha says

    Posted on 9/19/23 at 05:40

    5 stars
    Kids love to have these peanut butter bars for after-school snacks! They are rich, creamy and decadent. Highly recommended!

    Reply
    • Little Sunny Kitchen says

      Posted on 9/20/23 at 21:56

      That’s so wonderful to hear your kids loved this recipe, Sha! Thank you for the great review!

      Reply
  3. Debbie T says

    Posted on 9/14/23 at 12:02

    5 stars
    Amazing!! Next time I will have to make a double batch!

    Reply
    • Little Sunny Kitchen says

      Posted on 9/15/23 at 21:55

      Thank you, Debbie! I’m so happy to hear that!

      Reply

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