Description
These Peanut Butter Lunch Lady Cookie Bars combine a rich, chewy peanut butter cookie base with a luscious, creamy peanut butter frosting. Perfect for a sweet treat or dessert, this recipe yields large, flavorful bars reminiscent of classic lunch lady cookies, baked to golden perfection and topped with a smooth peanut butter glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, divided
- 1 ½ cup peanut butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons milk (for frosting)
Frosting Ingredients
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F and prepare a large cookie sheet by greasing it or lining it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together ½ cup milk, vanilla extract, and the beaten eggs until fully combined. Set aside.
- Melt Butter and Peanut Butter: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 cup of the unsalted butter along with 1 cup of the peanut butter. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Combine All Mixtures: Remove the saucepan from heat. Slowly add the dry flour mixture into the melted peanut butter and butter mixture, stirring continuously. Then, add the milk and egg mixture and mix everything until well combined into a batter.
- Bake the Bars: Pour the batter onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool Completely: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting to ensure the frosting sets properly.
- Prepare Frosting: In a saucepan, bring the remaining 1 stick of butter and ½ cup peanut butter to a boil. Once boiling, add 2 tablespoons of milk. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar and stir until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Apply Frosting: Pour the prepared peanut butter frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars. Spread it out smoothly to cover the entire surface.
- Set and Serve: Allow the frosting to set at room temperature or place the bars in the refrigerator briefly to firm up the frosting. Cut into 24 bars and serve.
Notes
- Ensure the bars are completely cooled before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
- Use creamy peanut butter for a smoother texture in both the batter and frosting.
- Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for a week.
- For an extra crunch, consider adding chopped peanuts to the batter or as a topping on the frosting.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
