Nostalgic Peanut Butter Cookie Bars from Childhood Recipe
Nostalgic Peanut Butter Cookie Bars bring back the comforting flavors of classic school cafeteria treats with a soft, chewy peanut butter base topped with a smooth, sweet peanut butter frosting. Perfect for sharing or indulging in a homemade dessert that’s rich in flavor and full of childhood memories.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bars
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Frosting
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup milk (plus more as needed)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Melt and blend for that nostalgic base: In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and peanut butter together until smooth and fragrant. Stir occasionally to ensure a glossy mixture. Remove from heat and stir in both sugars while still warm. Let cool 5 minutes before proceeding.
- Whisk in the heart of the batter: Add eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each. Stir in vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually fold dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture until just combined, forming a thick batter.
- Bake until golden and fragrant: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line or lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Pour batter evenly and smooth. Bake 20–22 minutes until edges are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Avoid overbaking to keep the center soft.
- Simmer the frosting for that old-fashioned gloss: While bars bake, melt butter and peanut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until smooth. Stir in milk and vanilla, bring to gentle simmer with small bubbles at edges. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar one cup at a time until smooth and pourable. Adjust thickness by adding milk if needed.
- Pour and spread while warm: Immediately after baking, pour warm frosting over bars and spread evenly with a spatula. Allow frosting to set as bars cool completely before slicing, creating a glossy, slightly cracked topping.
- Slice and share the sweetness: Once cooled, cut into squares. Serve on parchment-lined plates or pack for lunch. Store in an airtight container for several days or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- Use creamy, no-stir peanut butter for best texture; natural peanut butter requires thorough stirring.
- Reduce powdered sugar in frosting for less sweetness or add a pinch of salt to balance flavor.
- Add ¼ cup crushed peanuts or chopped pretzels to batter for crunch.
- Bake and frost a day ahead to enhance flavor as frosting melds with the base.
- Store bars at room temperature up to 4 days or refrigerate up to 1 week.
- Freeze individually wrapped bars up to 3 months; thaw before serving.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.
- Try a chocolate drizzle or replace ½ cup flour with oats for variations.
Keywords: peanut butter cookie bars, nostalgic dessert, school cafeteria cookies, soft and chewy bars, homemade peanut butter dessert
