Back in my elementary school days, I remember enjoying something similar to these Lunch Lady peanut butter bars. So I was thrilled to try this recipe. I honestly can’t remember how this compares, but it is delicious!
Now, I actually have been a lunch lady before. I worked at our middle school for a few years. Due to allergy issues, the schools no longer make any recipes using peanut butter any more. So recipes like these Lunch Lady peanut butter bars have been retired.
This recipe makes a whole sheet pan, so it makes 24 servings. The base of the bars includes peanut butter and oatmeal. Then are topped with a tasty chocolate buttercream frosting.
Start the base of the bars by creaming some butter, sugar, and brown sugar together. Add in some peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
Next, fold in some flour, oats, baking powder and salt until combined. Then spread on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. This dough and be sticky. I actually use my hands to help spread it out. Bake 350 degrees at for 16-18 minutes until golden. Allow bars to cool, once cool you can mix together the frosting.
The frosting is just a basic buttercream made with butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Mix until smooth and creamy, then spread over the cooled bars.
Here is what you need to make the
Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars
- BUTTER
- SUGAR
- BROWN SUGAR
- CREAMY PANUT BUTTER
- EGGS
- VANILLA
- FLOUR
- OLD-FASHIONED OATS
- BAKING POWDER
- SALT
- UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER
- POWDERED SUGAR
- MILK
Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- FROSTING:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 to 5 Tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a (17 x 12 x 1 inch) baking sheet with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until combined and creamy.
- Add peanut butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Cream together until combined.
- Slowly fold in the flour, oats, baking powder and salt until all combined.
- Spread cookie dough out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. The cookie dough is sticky so I use my hands to help spread and press the dough.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 16 to 18 minutes. They will be nice and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- FROSTING:Â Beat all frosting ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Spread frosting evenly on top of the cooled peanut butter bars. Cut into squares. Serves 24.
This recipe is adapted from Lift in a Lofthouse.