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Lunchroom Peanut Butter Bars
Rachel Kim

Lunchroom Peanut Butter Bars

These bars have the cafeteria structure people remember: a chewy peanut-butter oatmeal base, a thin extra peanut-butter layer and soft chocolate frosting. The formula fills one 9-by-13-inch home pan and cuts into 24 modest squares rather than a district-size sheet. Cool the base before frosting or the layers slide together.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings: 24
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter divided
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 350°F and line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment.
  2. Beat butter, 1/4 cup peanut butter and both sugars, then beat in egg and vanilla.
  3. Stir in flour, oats, baking soda and salt and press the thick dough evenly into the pan.
  4. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until the edges brown lightly, then cool for 15 minutes.
  5. Spread the remaining peanut butter in a thin layer over the warm base and cool completely.
  6. Whisk milk, confectioners' sugar and cocoa into a soft frosting, spread it over the bars and cut into 24 squares.