I am going back to my Iowa roots for these lunch lady chocolate peanut butter bars, which is all the way back to high school! I remember my classmates and I looking forward to the days these were on the menu with lunch! High school may have been a long time ago, but these bars are still a favorite anytime I make them.
The History of These Lunch Lady Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
I graduated as a Dodger in 2008 and was actively involved in numerous activities, including cross country, track, set building, and A Cappella choir. It’s funny looking back because I am not musical at all anymore. The running sure stuck with me though! Little did I know at that time that I would someday develop a passion for distance running and complete 8 marathons and 20+ halves! My marathon PR is 3:32:36 and my half PR is 1:38:02.
Here was our little FD cross country team at the Webster City meet back in fall 2006. Pictured are a few of my favorite running mates!
I certainly changed a lot during that time to eventually be able to run marathons. The picture below was from the Chicago Marathon in 2014 when I ran my insanely fast time of 3:32:36 and secured a Boston qualifying time. Below I am with my supportive momma who came all the way from Iowa to cheer me on:
Recipe Credit
We all loved it when the school lunch program was selling these peanut butter bars. They are a soft and chewy peanut butter bar base covered in chocolate chips. To top them off, these bars have a generous drizzle of peanut butter icing. They are sheer perfection! I loved these bars so much that I wanted them at my graduation party and asked for the recipe one time. Thankfully, I was kindly given a scaled-down version of the recipe Since that time, I have made these bars countless times and they are always a hit!
Why these Peanut Butter Bars are Extra Special
This peanut butter bar recipe is also extra special to me because it was my first recipe posted on my former blog called Mitch8 Blog. Since that time, I have grown so much as an individual and have certainly improved my photography skills. I am still learning the tricks of the trade when it comes to blogging, but I am progressing and that is what matters. It is such a rewarding feeling to share my favorite recipes and a little bit about me! It is each and every one of you who has made my blogging journey worthwhile and enjoyable.
One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is these bars. They are still a fan-favorite just as much now as they ever were. I honestly can't even guess how many times I've made them!
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Lunch Lady Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Bar Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup quick or old-fashioned oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Peanut Butter Icing Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp milk
- Approximately 1-½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Peanut Butter Bar Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and grease or line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugars and peanut butter until light and fluffy with an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla.
- Combine the flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture, just until combined.
- Spread the dough into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top evenly with chocolate chips.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and puffed—do not overbake!
- Cool completely on a wire rack. Drizzle the bars with peanut butter icing.
Peanut Butter Icing Instructions
- Whisk together the peanut butter and milk until completely smooth.
- Add 1-¼ cups powdered sugar and mix until the icing is smooth. If too thin, add the remaining ¼ cup of powdered sugar or add milk if too thick. The icing should be light tan in color and thick enough not to spread but thin enough to drizzle (photo below).
- Drizzle over the cooled bars and let set before cutting.
Step-by-Step Photos:
Ingredients for the bars:
Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper (or grease the pan):
Cream your butter, peanut butter, and sugars:
Add the egg and vanilla:
Add flour, oats, baking soda, and salt:
Mix it until it looks like this:
Spread evenly into the pan:
Top with chocolate chips:
Top view:
And bake:
The finished icing should look like this:
Let cool before drizzling the icing:
Let icing set and cut into bars:
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I love your blog entry and these bars!
These are my favorite! I make them all the time, they're perfect.
Delicious! Very easy to make and great for any occasion!
I have made these several times now and I’ve been asked to share the recipe! They are always a hit!