Caramel Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

There's nothing like using 7 sticks of butter in one morning (two sets of bars including these and the world's largest batch of waffle batter for a family of 2 adults, 1 toddler and an almost 9-month-old babe). I felt much better knowing most of the bars would go to our church's Lenten fish fry, so I'm sharing the buttery wealth.

When I saw these bars on Buns in My Oven, I knew I wanted to make them. I also knew I didn't want to be tempted to eat a half batch of them, so taking them to the fish fry is the perfect solution for me.

Caramel Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 bag (11 ounces) milk chocolate chips
Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2014/03/27/caramel-peanut-butter-oatmeal-bars/#1987oijMM4Qzkzbv.99

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 bag (11 ounces) milk chocolate chips
Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2014/03/27/caramel-peanut-butter-oatmeal-bars/#1987oijMM4Qzkzbv.99

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 bag (11 ounces) milk chocolate chips
Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2014/03/27/caramel-peanut-butter-oatmeal-bars/#1987oijMM4Qzkzbv.99

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, divided
3 sticks plus 2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups oats
2 cups flour
11 oz. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a medium saucepan, melt together 2 Tbsp. brown sugar and 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add the sweetened condensed milk, and cook stirring almost constantly until the mixture thickens and deepens to a caramel color, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Set aside.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats and flour together. Melt the remaining 3 sticks of butter, and mix well into the dry ingredients. Press half the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of the pan, and bake 10 minutes. Immediately top with chocolate chips, and spread caramel peanut butter sauce evenly over the chocolate chips. Sprinkle evenly with remaining oat mixture.

Bake for another 15 minutes or until top is golden. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

make the caramel sauce by melting 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in a medium sauce pan over medium low heat. When melted, stir in the sweetened condensed milk and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and darkens to a caramel color, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla.
To make the crust, combine the flour, oatmeal, and remaining 1/2 cup of brown sugar in a large bowl. Melt the remaining 1 1/2 cups of butter and stir into the oatmeal mixture.
Press half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the oatmeal crust. Spread the caramel peanut butter mixture over the chocolate chips and crumble the remaining oatmeal crust mixture over the top. Return to the oven and continue baking for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting.
Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2014/03/27/caramel-peanut-butter-oatmeal-bars/#1987oijMM4Qzkzbv.99

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 bag (11 ounces) milk chocolate chips
Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2014/03/27/caramel-peanut-butter-oatmeal-bars/#1987oijMM4Qzkzbv.99