• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
Celebrating Sweets
  • All Recipes
  • Dessert
    • Brownies & Bars
    • Cake & Cupcakes
    • Cookies
    • Ice Cream/Frozen Desserts
    • Pies & Tarts
  • Drinks & Cocktails
  • Main Dishes
  • Breakfast
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Fall Favorites
  • Holiday Recipes
  • Drinks & Cocktails
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
×

Home » Brownies & Bars » Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Bars

Published: Jan 19, 2023 by Allison · 83 Comments

  • Share
  • Email
Jump to Recipe

These incredible Peanut Butter Bars are packed with peanut butter flavor! A soft and chewy peanut butter blondie topped with peanut butter icing and chopped peanuts. This sweet and salty treat is sure to be a hit!

I typically create my peanut butter desserts with a combination of peanut butter and chocolate (see peanut butter brownies and chocolate peanut butter cookies), but for this recipe I wanted peanut butter to be the star! These have an undeniable peanut flavor in every single bite.

Stack of three peanut butter bars.
Jump to:
  • These peanut butter bars are
  • Recipe overview
  • Two size options
  • Storage
  • Best peanut butter for baking
  • More peanut butter recipes
  • Recipe

These peanut butter bars are

  • Soft and chewy
  • Sweet and salty
  • Loaded with peanut butter flavor
  • Quick and easy (no mixer required!)
  • Perfect for feeding a crowd (or try the smaller recipe)

Recipe overview

*Full recipe below in recipe card*

Peanut butter blondie: The base of these bars is a combination of a blondie and a soft cookie. Peanut butter, melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla flavor the bars and makes them soft and chewy.

Collage of peanut butter bars being made (batter in a bowl and in a baking pan).

Peanut butter icing: This icing comes together quickly on the stovetop. A combination of butter, peanut butter, and milk is heated in a saucepan. Powdered sugar and vanilla are whisked in, then the icing is quickly added to the warm bars and spread into an even layer. This icing will firm up as it cools.

Peanut butter icing being spread on peanut butter bars.

Toppings: In order to add crunch and saltiness sprinkle roasted salted peanuts right on top of the icing. A sprinkling of flaky sea salt also adds great flavor and texture.

Two size options

9×13: I originally wrote this recipe for a 9×13 pan, which feeds anywhere from 12 to 18.

8×8: I found myself occasionally wanting a smaller recipe so I included the measurements for an 8×8 pan in the recipe card. This size will feed 6-9.

Peanut butter bar topped with peanut butter icing, peanuts, and sea salt.

Storage

Cool completely before cutting. Once cool, you can store them tightly-covered at room temperature for several days. I find that they are best within 2 days of baking.

These bars can also be frozen. I thaw them in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature. You can also reheat them individually in the microwave. Note: the warmer they get, the softer the icing will become.

Stack of peanut butter bars topped with chopped peanuts.

Best peanut butter for baking

When baking with peanut butter, it is almost always best to use a traditional, no-stir, emulsified peanut butter. This is the typical commercial brand peanut butters that are thoroughly combined straight off the shelf, and do not have a thick layer of oil on top.

All-natural peanut butter (only ground peanuts) separates and might not mix into the blondie base or the frosting as well as a fully combined peanut butter. Although I prefer natural peanut butter for snacking and sandwiches, I highly recommend that you go with an emulsified peanut butter for baking.

More peanut butter recipes

  • Salted Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats
  • Peanut Butter Pie
  • Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies
  • Monster Cookies

SUBSCRIBE to our free NEWSLETTER – LIKE us on FACEBOOK – Follow on INSTAGRAM

Recipe

Stack of three peanut butter bars.

Peanut Butter Bars

Soft and chewy Peanut Butter Bars topped with peanut butter icing and chopped peanuts. This sweet and salty treat is loaded with delicious peanut butter flavor.

4.90 from 39 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes
Servings: 18 see note for smaller serving
Calories: 354kcal
Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Bars:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter* at room temperature, see note
  • 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, make sure it is fresh and soft
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Icing:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter*
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 scant cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions

Bars:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang on at two sides for easy removal. Grease the foil or parchment, set aside.
  • In a large bowl, microwave butter and peanut butter until melted and smooth. Add brown sugar, whisking until combined. Add eggs and vanilla, whisk until combined, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Stir just until no streaks of flour remain, and be careful not to overmix. The batter will be thick.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and press it into an even layer. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until light golden brown.

Icing:

  • Once the bars are baked, remove the bars from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Immediately proceed with the frosting.
  • Place butter, peanut butter, and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking frequently, then remove from the heat. Immediately whisk in vanilla extract and powdered sugar, whisking until smooth and combined. Pour over the warm bars and spread into an even layer. Work quickly; this frosting will firm up fast. Sprinkle with peanuts and flaky sea salt, lightly pressing the peanuts into the frosting. Allow the bars to cool and the frosting to set before cutting and serving.

Video

Notes

*Peanut Butter: Be sure to use a traditional, no-stir, emulsified peanut butter. This is the typical commercial brand peanut butters that are thoroughly combined straight off the shelf, and do NOT have a thick layer of oil on top.
Smaller recipe: This recipe can easily be halved and baked in an 8×8 pan. Bake time is about the same.
Use the following measurements:
Bars:
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¾ cup PLUS 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
Icing:
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 scant cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped
  • flaky sea salt
Store tightly covered, at room temperature, for several days.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

Note: This recipe was originally made with maple flavored peanut butter. Feel free to use that in place of regular peanut butter, if you prefer.

« Small Batch Brownies

Never Miss a Recipe

Get NEW POSTS delivered to your inbox!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Candace

    December 09, 2020 at 10:36 am

    5 stars
    Love this recipe. Lots of compliments. I added some chocolate chips to frosting ingredients and used crunchy peanut butter for frosting and creamy for bars. YUMMY!

    Reply
    • Allison

      December 09, 2020 at 2:42 pm

      I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply
    • AC

      June 16, 2022 at 10:12 am

      Can you use crunchy peanut butter

      Reply
      • Allison

        June 20, 2022 at 7:05 pm

        That should be ok.

  2. Jan

    January 29, 2021 at 10:34 pm

    What size pan would I use if I want to cut the recipe in half?

    Reply
    • Allison

      February 02, 2021 at 9:24 am

      Probably an 8×8, I think a 9×9 might be a bit too big.

      Reply
    • Marsha

      February 05, 2022 at 12:37 pm

      4 stars
      I always do a little math with pan sizes. 13 x 9=117 square ” Half of that is 58.5 square “. An 8 x8 pan is 64 square inches. Pretty close.

      Reply
  3. Teresa

    February 03, 2021 at 6:24 pm

    Yummy I put reese’s peanut butter chips and hershey chips on top while it was still hot and spread with a swirling motion. When cooled frosting was set.

    Reply
    • Allison

      February 04, 2021 at 1:36 pm

      That sounds delicious! I’m glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Dave

    February 19, 2021 at 2:32 pm

    5 stars
    My wife loved these! The recipe is perfect, I really liked the addition of sea salt to balance the flavors. Also, thanks for the detailed information regarding the types of p.b. in baking.

    Reply
    • Allison

      February 23, 2021 at 10:58 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Sir Rattson

    February 23, 2021 at 3:45 pm

    4 stars
    it doesn’t say the cool time but is delicious!!!!

    Reply
  6. Rebecca

    February 25, 2021 at 6:30 pm

    I’ve been looking for a true recipe for Peanut Butter Chews, like the one I grew up with from the San Diego Unified School District. The recipe that I found is similar to this one, but it’s just not the same as I remember. I can’t wait to try your version. (Bummer…I just made a batch of the other ones)

    Reply
    • Allison

      February 26, 2021 at 1:33 pm

      Hey, Rebecca! Fellow San Diego girl here. 🙂 I tried to recreate this recipe based off the version from my childhood. This was as close as I could get (a little better actually, haha). I hope you enjoy them!

      Reply
      • Sarah

        August 12, 2022 at 10:25 am

        Could I use salted butter instead?

  7. DEBORAH WELCOME

    February 03, 2022 at 9:02 am

    can i freeze these bars once they are frosted???

    Reply
    • Allison

      February 07, 2022 at 12:56 pm

      That should be fine. Enjoy!

      Reply
  8. Caroline

    May 29, 2022 at 5:09 am

    5 stars
    So yummy! I have made these several times. I decided to try browning the butter and the result was even better.

    Reply
    • Allison

      June 01, 2022 at 5:50 pm

      Oh! Great idea! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Pat

    June 20, 2022 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    Can these be made with gluten free flour?

    Reply
    • Allison

      June 20, 2022 at 7:01 pm

      I haven’t tried it, but I usually have success with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour blend.

      Reply
  10. Sarah

    August 15, 2022 at 4:46 am

    Could I make this with salted butter instead of unsalted?

    Reply
    • Allison

      August 16, 2022 at 2:26 pm

      That should be fine. I’d omit any other added salt. Enjoy!

      Reply
    • Allison

      August 16, 2022 at 2:30 pm

      That should be fine. Just leave out any added salt.

      Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Primary Sidebar

About

aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

Dessert Recipes

Peaches stuffed with streusel and topped with ice cream.

Streusel Stuffed Peaches

Stack of carrot cake cookies on a white plate.

Carrot Cake Cookies

Pumpkin smoothie in a glass topped with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Healthy Pumpkin Smoothie

Layered fruit salad in a glass trifle dish topped with pudding and whipped cream.

Fruit Salad Recipe

Pile of oatmeal cookies topped with brown maple icing.

Maple Oatmeal Cookies

Close up of a slice of berry cake topped with whipped cream and berries.

Easy One-Bowl Mixed Berry Cake

More Dessert Recipes...

Popular Recipes:

Slice of strawberry shortcake cake on a white plate.

Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake

Sweet potato souffle on a large spoon

Sweet Potato Souffle

Closeup of chocolate chip cookies with melty chocolate chips.

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Blueberry Pancake Casserole in a white baking dish.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake Casserole

Stack of banana bread slices on a white plate.

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

Whipped cream in a white bowl with strawberries.

Easy Homemade Whipped Cream

More Popular Recipes...

Never Miss a Recipe

Get NEW POSTS delivered to your inbox!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.
Logo for country living, food network, buzzfeed, msn, delish, good housekeeping

Footer

Connect With Me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright 2013-2022 Celebrating Sweets

All images and content are copyright protected. Please contact me for permission to use my original images. If you want to republish a recipe, please re-write it in your own words, or link back to my post for the recipe.