Sneak Peek: These irresistible Frosted Peanut Butter Cookie Bars, topped with a vanilla glaze and chocolate drizzle, are surprisingly easy and delicious. Don’t miss the must-know baking tips for perfect results!
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Are you a peanut butter lover looking for a cookie recipe beyond the usual? These Frosted Peanut Butter Cookie Bars aren’t your typical crisscrossed cookies or candy-filled blondies. They’re elegant and perfect for a holiday tray or gift box. I love serving them on a crystal plate after dinner or at a card party—comfort food with a touch of class!
Happy Bakers Speak Up
My mom always made these bars and I could never find the recipe online until now. These are THE BEST peanut butter bars ever!–CASEY
Pick Me, Pick Me 🙋🏻 (Why You Will Love This Recipe)
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.
Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate; chips or bar form
SHORTENING:
Coconut oil (in cool weather), or omit fat and use chocolate only in warm weather
Read Before You Start
📌Kitchen Secret📌– Pick those hard lumps out if you notice dark lumps in your brown sugar as you measure or mix it into the cookie dough. If you don’t, you may have a moth-eaten appearance in your finished cookies, as seen in the picture below.
PinThe tunnels were caused by tiny lumps of brown sugar that melted during baking.
Pin1. Tear off a piece of nonstick aluminum foil big enough to cover the outside of the pan you will use to bake your cookies. The shiny side should be up. You could also use regular aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray.Pin2. Use your hands to fold the foil down over the sides and corners of the pan until it looks this.Pin3. Flip the pan and the aluminum foil over. Take the shaped foil and slip it inside the pan. It should fit perfectly. Use your fingers to make the corners and creases smooth. The dull side is the non-stick side. That is what you should see inside the pan when you’re finished. Pin4. After the cookie batter bakes, lift them out of the pan using the foil “handles.”
What is your reward for this extra step? You probably won’t have to wash the pan. Also, every piece can look perfect since you shouldn’t have difficulty getting the first piece out of the pan.
If you don’t have any non-stick aluminum foil on hand, use regular foil and spray it with oil. Parchment paper slings are another option.
📌Kitchen Secret📌 If you are nervous or have never tried drizzling chocolate, here are a few tips:
PinAfter melting the chocolate in the bag, snip a small hole in one corner.Pin2. Use a plate to practice and make sure the hole you cut in the plastic isn’t too big or too small. When you are feeling confident, decorate the bars.Pin3. Squeeze chocolate out of the bag as you sweep back and forth over the frosted peanut butter cookie bars.
📌Kitchen Tip📌 – This recipe makes a lot, but it’s easy to make a half-batch except for the 3-egg dilemma. I find the easiest way is to break one egg into a cup. Whisk it well and only use half of it. Beef up your breakfast omelet the next morning with the remaining half egg.
How To Make This Recipe for Frosted Peanut Butter Bars
PinCombine peanut butter and butter in a large bowl. Beat until smooth.
PinAdd the brown sugar and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
PinAdd eggs one at a time and mix until fluffy.
PinBlend in flour and salt.
PinStir or slowly mix in the flour just until it disappears.
PinPour the batter mixture into a prepared baking dish or pan. (Note: If you make the recipe as written, use a 9 x 13-inch pan for baking the cookies.) Bake at 350˚F or 180˚C. Bake time is usually 35-40 minutes. Be careful not to overbake and dry out the brownies. The whole batch will rise while it bakes, then fall when it’s done, similar to a brownie recipe.
PinAfter 15 minutes of cooling, use a small rubber spatula, spoon, or knife to spread the frosting thinly over the top of the bars.
PinThe frosting should be somewhat irregular and see-through.
PinDrizzle with melted chocolate mixed with shortening. Refrigerate before cutting the bars.
Happy Bakers Speak Up
Your Peanut Butter Bars are the most delicious treats ever, I totally adore them, I’m addicted. Thank you for the recipe.–LESLEY F.
Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!
2squares(56g)semi-sweet chocolate OR 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 teaspoonshortening (see discussion in the post)
Prevent your screen from going dark
Instructions
Brownie Base
Preheat your oven to 350. °F
Combine1 cup(258g) peanut butter and 2/3 cup(151g) butter, softened in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups(440g) 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(120g) unbleached all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon(3g) table saltuntil well blended; spread batter in greased or foil-lined 13×9 inch baking pan.
Bake at 350 °F for 35-40 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly touched with a fingertip. Allow cookies to cool for about 15 minutes in the pan.
Frosting
Combine 1 cup(120g) confectioners’ sugar with 1-2 tablespoons water in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Drizzle from a spoon over still-warm cookies. Swirl to make a random pattern.
Chocolate Drizzle
Combine 2 squares(56g) semi-sweet chocolate OR 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces and 1 teaspoon shortening into a small zippered, plastic bag for one minute on MEDIUM power in a microwave. Knead with fingers to make sure it is all melted. Return to microwave for a few additional seconds if necessary. Chips may take a little longer.
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 Tips:
Fridge: Keeps fresh for 4-5 days
Freezer: Double-wrap and store for up to 3 months
Storage: Use an airtight container in the refrigerator
Warm Weather: Keep chilled to prevent soft, messy chocolate
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.