Peanut Butter Bars with Peanut Butter Icing

This family favorite recipe for Peanut Butter Bars was another specialty of my mother-in-law. These delicious bars were always a very popular item at our church fundraisers. The Peanut Butter Icing closely resembles Peanut Butter Fudge! 

Peanut Butter Bars with Peanut Butter Icing

Batter Ingredients:

1 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Cup white granulated sugar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Cup quick oats
1/3 Cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1 stick butter (softened)
1 egg (slightly beaten)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients and set aside.  In a mixing bowl, cream softened butter and peanut butter together; add egg and mix.  Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, and mix well. Press mixture into a greased 9" x 13" x 2" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes until edges are slightly brown. Cool and ice with Peanut Butter Icing.

Baked Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Icing

1 3/4 Cup confectioner's sugar
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter (softened)
1/4 to 1/3 Cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 3 Tablespoons milk

Combine icing ingredients and mix well.  Adjust amount of milk as needed for smooth spreading consistency. 

Mouth-Watering Peanut Butter Icing

Spread icing over baked batter. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Ice and cut into bars!

Nancy's Notes:

• The original recipe called for 1/4 cup of peanut butter in the icing, but since I am a "Peanut Butter Lover", I increased it to 1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter.
• I prefer crunchy peanut butter for the batter, but creamy works well.
• These bars are great with ice cream!
• For glass or dark baking pans, temperature may need to be reduced to 325 degrees and baking time adjusted.

Thanks, Heejin, for baking these for my birthday! Yummy!