Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

These bars from Britney Breaks Bread are irresistible ... at least to me. I can't resist the combination of peanut butter and chocolate, and these bars are no exception. My entire family enjoyed these bars, yet I was the one who kept sneaking them for breakfast, snacks and treats. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tsp. vanilla

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups whole oats

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar and sugar. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Then add peanut butter and vanilla, and continue to mix until combined. Then add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. 

Gradually add the dry ingredients until batter is just combined. Press batter into the baking pan, using your hands or spatula to flatten the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the center is set. Allow the bars to cool completely.

Meanwhile, melt together the chocolate and peanut butter. Once bars are cooled, spread the chocolate mixture evenly on top. Let the chocolate harden before slicing into bars. Makes 12 to 20 bars.