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Small batch peanut butter bars are a reduced size version of those delicious soft peanut butter cookie bars topped with chocolate frosting that the lunch lady at school use to make.
Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars
Some of you might actually have been lucky enough to have a lunch lady who made these delicious bar cookies, I was not. My school didn’t even have a cafeteria and I walked home for lunch every day.
But I have heard about them over the years and when I finally tried one I understood why they were so popular. Eating school lunch would totally be worth it if you were able to have a peanut butter bar.
Because the lunch lady was making them for the whole school, the recipe makes an entire large sheet pan worth so of course I had to redo the recipe for a reduced size, small batch version. Just the perfect amount for 2-4 people.
You can find my family size version of this recipe here.
How to Make The Best Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
I use a 9 x 7″ baking sheet which is the perfect size for this small batch version. You could use an 8 x 8 ” pan also.
- In a bowl cream butter and sugars together.
- Add in beaten egg. We only use 1 Tbsp of beaten egg. You can pour the rest of it into ice cube trays (1 Tbsp per cube) and freeze for later.
- Add 1/4 cup peanut butter and vanilla
- Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and pinch of salt.
- Spread evenly in pan and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and drop teaspoons of remaining peanut butter on top of baked bars. Allow the peanut butter to soften up and melt before spreading.
- Gently spread softened peanut butter over top of warm bars. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting.
- Mix together frosting ingredients and spread over top of cooled bars.
This small batch version is perfect for up to six people if you don’t want a very big piece! They will keep for several days if you don’t eat them all in one sitting. They are the perfect flavor combo.
Whether you had a lunch lady who made these peanut butter bars or not you are going to love them!
Other favorite peanut butter and chocolate treats:
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie
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Small Batch Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp butter salted
- 1/2 cup peanut butter plus 2 Tbsp, divided
- 1 Tbsp egg beaten
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour plus 2 Tbsp
- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
Chocolate Frosting
- 2 Tbsp butter softened
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp cocoa
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly grease 9 x 7 baking pan
- In a bowl cream butter and sugars together.
- Add in beaten egg , 1/4 cup peanut butter and vanilla
- Add in oats, flour, baking soda and pinch of salt.
- Spread evenly in pan and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and drop teaspoons of remaining peanut butter on top of baked bars. Allow to soften up and melt before spreading.
- Spread softened peanut butter gently over top of warm bars. Allow bars to cool.
- Mix together frosting ingredients and spread over top of cooled bars.
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Nutrition Facts:
Sharon says
These were very scrumptious! I made them in an 8×8 pan. They’re very thin but so tasty & gooey. I think I might try using crunchy peanut butter next time. Thank you for the recipe!