Best Peanut Butter Bars

Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan:

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set it aside.

Make the Batter:

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until smooth.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter. Mix well until everything is combined.

Combine Dry Ingredients:

In a separate bowl, mix together the baking soda, salt, all-purpose flour, and rolled oats.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamy mixture, mixing until just combined.

Bake the Bars:

Press the batter firmly into the greased 9x13-inch pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 17-21 minutes, or until the center is just barely set. Be careful not to over-bake. The bars will harden as they cool.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.

Spread Peanut Butter:

Once the bars have cooled, spread a thin layer of creamy peanut butter over the top.

Prepare the Chocolate Frosting:

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the 1/4 cup of butter.
Stir in the unsweetened cocoa powder until smooth.
Remove from heat and add the milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. If needed, use electric beaters to remove any lumps.

Frost the Bars:

Spread the chocolate frosting evenly over the peanut butter layer on the cooled bars.