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.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Dessert

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 18

Total Time 43

Servings 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 9x13 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 8x8 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