Description
These Peanut Butter Lunch Lady Cookie Bars are a nostalgic American dessert featuring a rich peanut butter and oat base studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips. They offer a perfect balance of chewy and slightly crunchy textures, reminiscent of classic school cafeteria treats. Easy to prepare and bake, these bars are ideal for lunchboxes or a sweet snack anytime.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, which will help create a tender texture in the bars.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully incorporated to bind the ingredients and add flavor.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and seasoning.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined to avoid overmixing which can make the bars tough.
- Fold in Oats and Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the quick oats and semi-sweet chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Spread in Pan and Bake: Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish and bake for 22–25 minutes, until edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan to set properly before slicing into 24 bars and serving.
Notes
- Use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy for added texture in the bars.
- For extra sweetness, drizzle melted chocolate or a peanut butter glaze over the bars after they have cooled.
