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These Lunch Lady Bars come together fast, bake in minutes, and disappear even faster. This is the classic school-lunch dessert I still crave, soft peanut butter oatmeal bars topped with a thick layer of chocolate frosting. If you’re looking for Peanut Butter Bars with Chocolate Frosting that taste nostalgic, slice clean, and feed a crowd, this is the pan you want to make.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I am a sucker for anything peanut butter. These were amazing.” – Sandy
“One of my absolute favorite recipes for peanut butter bars! Thank you!” – Nellie
“I am glad to get this recipe as I have misplaced mine! I always topped them with chocolate chips. Let them melt on the hot bars and then spread.” – Marie
Why I Love These Bars
When I was a kid, one of the best parts about school lunch was dessert, especially when the lunch ladies would make homemade peanut butter bars. I know school lunch gets teased sometimes, but honestly, there were a lot of great things to eat. Even kids who didn’t really like school lunch still loved the peanut butter bars.
Fast forward a few years and I realized how much I missed those peanut butter chocolate bars from my childhood. My sister made these Lunch Lady Bars the other day, and I’m not proud to say I ate about half the pan myself. Sweet, simple, delicious memories. Now you can enjoy the same peanut butter-and-chocolate combo at home, no lunch tray needed. They are so good with a cup of milk or hot chocolate or with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.
🩷 Echo
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter works best here (Jif, Skippy, or your favorite).
- Butter: I use unsalted since the peanut butter and salt already bring flavor.
- Sugars: Granulated sugar and brown sugar make the bars sweet and chewy.
- Eggs: Helps bind everything and keeps the bars soft.
- Vanilla extract: Adds that warm, bakery-style flavor.
- Dry mix: All-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda for structure and lift.
- Oats: Quick oats or old-fashioned both work, the texture just changes slightly.
- Chocolate frosting: Store bought milk chocolate frosting is the easiest, or our easy chocolate buttercream frosting tastes even better.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Crunchy peanut butter: You can use it, the bars will have more texture.
- Old-fashioned vs quick oats: Old-fashioned oats give a heartier bite, quick oats make them smoother.
- Homemade frosting: Swap the canned frosting for a simple chocolate buttercream if you prefer.
- Chocolate chips topping: Sprinkle chocolate chips over the hot bars, let them melt, then spread smooth.
- Extra peanut butter swirl: Dollop a few spoonfuls of peanut butter over melted chocolate and gently swirl.
How to Make Lunch Lady Bars
- Prep your pan and oven. Heat oven to 350°F and use a sheet pan or jelly roll pan. You can line it with parchment for easy lifting (my favorite).
- Cream the base. Mix butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth, then stir in eggs and vanilla.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking soda, and oats.
- Make the dough. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Press dough evenly into the pan.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, just until set (do not overbake).
- Cool and frost. Cool completely, then spread chocolate frosting evenly over the top and cut into squares.
Recipe Tips for Perfect Squares
- Do not overbake. Slightly underbaked is better than overbaked for soft, lunch-lady style bars.
- Parchment helps a lot. You can lift the whole slab out, frost, and slice neatly.
- Chill before slicing. For clean edges, chill the frosted bars 30 to 60 minutes before cutting.
- Spread frosting easier. Let frosting sit at room temp for a few minutes so it glides on smoothly.
- Want perfect squares? Wipe your knife between cuts, especially if the frosting is thick.
Frequently Asked Questions
If using buttercream frosting, wait until the cookie layers cool completely before frosting. If melting chocolate chips on top, you can melt directly on the warm cookie.
Yes! Cover completely with foil and store in the freezer for up to two months.
You can use either quick oats or regular oats. The texture will change slightly, depending on which you choose. With regular oats the texture will be a little more coarse, which some people prefer. With quick oats, it’s a little more smooth.
A jelly roll pan or rimmed baking sheet works great for thinner bars like the classic lunchroom style. If you use a smaller pan, they’ll be thicker and may need a few extra minutes.
Parchment paper is the easiest answer. A light coat of cooking spray also helps if you skip parchment.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: Bake the bars a day early, cool, cover, and frost the next day for the cleanest top.
- Room temp: Store covered up to 3 days.
- Fridge: Store up to 1 week (I like the texture chilled).
- Freezer: Freeze unfrosted or frosted up to 2 months. Thaw, then slice.
More Peanut Butter Recipes
- Peanut Butter Popcorn
- Homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Cinnamon Peanut Butter Granola Bars
- One Pot Thai Peanut Pasta
- Easy Crock Pot Peanut Clusters
- Two Minute Thai Peanut Noodles
- 100+ Snack Ideas for Kids
These Lunch Lady Bars are the easiest way to recreate that classic school dessert at home: chewy peanut butter oatmeal bars topped with rich chocolate frosting, ready in about 30 minutes. If you make them, I’d love to hear how it went. Leave a rating and share any tweaks so others can try them too. 💛
Lunch Lady Bars
Video
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
- 16 ounces milk chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Blend butters and sugars together, then stir in eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, stir flour, salt, baking soda, and oatmeal together.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
- Press dough evenly onto an ungreased cookie sheet/jelly roll pan.
- Bake at 350-degrees for 12-14 minutes (do not overcook).
- Allow to cool, then spread chocolate frosting evenly over the bars.
- Cut into individual squares.
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet Pan (18×26)
- Conventional Oven
Notes
- Quick oats or old-fashioned oats both work, texture will vary slightly.
- Use parchment paper for easy clean up.
- Do not over bake. For the softest bars, pull them when they look set and lightly golden, not dark.
- Chocolate chip option: sprinkle chips on warm bars, let melt, then spread.
- Cool completely before frosting (unless melting chocolate chips).
- For clean slices, chill the frosted bars before cutting and wipe the knife between cuts.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe?
We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.
Can these be made gluten free?
Yes, just sub the flour for your favorite cup for cup gluten free flour blend.
Yummy. Lucky you. In my school days (early 40’s) the peanut butter was mixed with over ripe (almost black) bananas and put between two slices of bread. But, they were actually pretty good and we were fortunate to have them. Times do change.
I am glad to get this recipe as I have misplaced mine! I always topped them with chocolate chips. Let them melt on the hot bars and then spread.
Why, oh why, can’t you give pan sizes. We cannot read your mind.
Sorry about that, it is an 18×26 cookie sheet. I just updated it on the recipe. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
I am a sucker for anything peanut butter. These were amazing.
One of my absolute favorite recipes for peanut butter bars! Thank you!
Do you frost this right out of the oven or allow to cool first? Thank you
Why does the pan need to be ungreased?
Wont it all stick??
It won’t stick, but you can spray it with cooking spray if you want.
What type if oatmeal is used?I plan to makes these they sound great.thanks
You can use quick or regular oats. The cookie bar will be a little more coarse with the regular oats, which I like, or a more fine and smooth with the quick oats. Enjoy!
Thank you!!
I make something like this, but my topping is different. After it cools for maybe five minutes I sprinkle chocolate chips, and sometimes add a few dabs of peanut butter, on the top. Let it melt for a minute and spread it around. So, so good. I am going to compare my recipe to yours and try switching it up.