Glazed Peanut Butter Bars with Chocolate Drizzle
Sneak Peek: Bake these chewy peanut butter cookie bars, spread with a thin vanilla glaze, then finish with a decorative chocolate drizzle. They cut neatly for trays, lunchboxes, or gifting.
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Peanut butter cookies were always in my recipe box, but these bars feel like the dressed-up version. They remind me of the treats my mom saved for church potlucks—familiar flavor, but a little fancier with frosting and drizzle. I still like to serve them on a platter at the holidays, cut into small squares so everyone can sneak “just one more.”
Ingredients and Substitutions
PEANUT BUTTER: Creamy or crunchy; either works well.
BUTTER: Unsalted or margarine; salted butter is fine too.
BROWN SUGAR: Light or dark; firmly packed for best texture.
VANILLA EXTRACT: Rounds out the flavor.
EGGS: Large size (50 g), added one at a time.
FLOUR: All-purpose, bleached or unbleached.
POWDERED SUGAR: Smooth base for the frosting. No substitute.
CHOCOLATE: Semi-sweet or bittersweet; chips or chopped bar.
SHORTENING: Helps the chocolate drizzle smoothly; coconut oil works in cool weather or omit if warm.
Step-by-Step: How To Make Glazed Peanut Butter Bars
⬇️ Jump to the recipe below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
?Tips That Make a Difference
• Make Ahead: Bars freeze beautifully. For the neatest look, add the drizzle after thawing.
• Foil Sling Lining: Use nonstick foil or parchment to lift the whole pan out—perfect cuts, no sticking.
• Small Servings: These bars are rich; trim them into bite-sized squares.
• Drizzle Practice: Test your chocolate drizzle on a plate first; then sweep across the glazed bars with confidence.
• Avoid holes: If you brown sugar has any lumps, be sure to squash them before adding to the batter. Otherwise, they will leave tiny holes in your cookies when baked.
Glazed Peanut Butter Bars with Chocolate Drizzle
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup (258 g) peanut butter crunchy or smooth
- ⅔ cup (151 g) butter, softened
- 2 cups (440 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (120 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) table salt
Frosting
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons water
Drizzle
- 2 squares (56 g) semi-sweet chocolate OR 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
- 1 teaspoon shortening (see discussion in the post)
Instructions
- Make the Batter: Combine 1 cup (258 g) peanut butter and 2/3 cup (151 g) butter, softened, in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups (440 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and continue to beat for 1-2 minutes. Beat in 3 large eggs, one at a time.Stir in 1 cup (120 g) unbleached all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) table salt just until combined—don’t overmix.
- Bake the Bars: Spread batter evenly into a foil- or parchment-lined 9×13 pan. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 35–40 minutes, or until the center springs back lightly when touched. Let bars cool for about 15 minutes.
- Glaze the Bars: Stir 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar with enough water to form a thin, spreadable glaze. Spread lightly over the warm bars with a spatula or spoon.
- Drizzle the Chocolate: Place 2 squares (56 g) semi-sweet chocolate OR 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces and 1 teaspoon shortening into a small plastic zipperd bag. Melt in the microwave just until melted. Snip a small tip from one corner and drizzle over the white glaze in a random back-and-forth pattern. When cool, use a sharp knife to cut into 36 rectangles. (I like them best cold out of the fridge.)
Notes
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temp for 1–2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Freeze unfrosted bars for up to 3 months. Add glaze and drizzle after thawing for the best look.
- Serving: Cut into small squares—these bars are rich.
- Warm Weather Tip: Keep bars chilled so the chocolate drizzle doesn’t soften.
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Final Thoughts
These peanut butter bars are undeniably rich, which is why I always cut them into small squares—just enough for a satisfying bite without overdoing it.
The foil-lining trick makes bar cookies like these easy to remove and slice neatly, and it’s the same method I use for my Chewy Coconut-Pecan Bars, Easy Chocolate-Topped Shortbread Bars, and these Meyer Lemon Bars for Clumsy Cooks.
If you don’t need a full pan, the recipe halves well—simply whisk one egg and use half, then save the rest for breakfast the next day. And if peanut butter desserts are your weakness, you might also enjoy my Chocolate Peanut Butter Pinwheels, or my PB2 Recipe for Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt Snack
I can’t deny it. This cookie is RICH but not like peanut butter fudge! I recommend you cut them into small pieces for maximum enjoyment.
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My mom always made these bars and I could never find the recipe online until now. These are THE BEST peanut butter bars ever! So glad I can pin this because I’m always losing her recipe.
I’m so glad you like these. Me, too.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. My mother used to make these in the 70s. I remembered that the recipe was from a set of Family Circle cook books that she had, but she had long ago gotten rid of them. I never thought I’d find the recipe again, but I put a description in google and your post came out on top. So glad that I can make these again.
Hi Melissa,
Fantastic! I love hearing this–makes it worth all the trouble. Enjoy.
these look SO great!! bookmarking them now!!
Those darn nuggets of sugar…. I’m sure they were still good – they look fantastic! I love how the drizzle design makes them look so festive.
These look wonderful!
Such a pretty bar! My mother-in-law used to type all her recipes on little cards with an old manual typewriter!
whoa–those look super good. even better than the TWD ones.
wow…those look spectacular! i will make you something fabulous if you make me these!! even trade!
These look fabulous and are going on my list of holiday goodies for sure. Thanks! I’ve found that I have to sift all of my brown sugar these days, even if it’s freshly opened. Either brown sugar is lumpier now, or I’m just noticing it more!
I thought it was just me because the brown sugar I wrote about came out of a freshly opened bag.
OMG! I am making these for my husband and little guy they love PB! These look and sound fantastic!
YUMMMMMY!
This recipe goes at the top of my to-make list, especially with finger foods needed for Christmas parties that are just around the corner. I usually prefer milk chocolate in my cookies…. What do you think? Maybe I will drizzle half the cookies in semi-sweet and half in milk chocolate.
Der, milk chocolate would be GREAT!
So pretty…I love things with a drizzle on them…it always just looks extra special with a drizzle!
Now that looks so good! I am going to have to try this recipe very soon!
Laughing at “moth-eaten.” I use that phrase, too! Beautiful photo at the top, Paula! Woo-hoo!