These Peanut Butter Lunch Lady Cookie Bars are a soft, chewy, and decadent dessert inspired by classic cafeteria treats! A rich peanut butter base topped with a creamy peanut butter frosting makes them irresistible for peanut butter lovers.
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🥜 Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars:
✔ 2 cups flour
✔ 2 cups sugar
✔ 2 large eggs, beaten
✔ 1 ½ cups peanut butter, divided
✔ 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
✔ ½ cup milk + 2 tablespoons, divided
✔ 1 teaspoon baking soda
✔ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
✔ 1 teaspoon salt
For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
✔ 4 cups powdered sugar
✔ ½ cup peanut butter
✔ 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
✔ 2 tablespoons milk
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📝 Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare
1️⃣ Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2️⃣ Grease a large cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
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Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
3️⃣ In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4️⃣ Set the bowl aside.
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Step 3: Prepare the Wet Ingredients
5️⃣ In a separate bowl, whisk together:
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 beaten eggs
6️⃣ Set aside.
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Step 4: Make the Peanut Butter Batter
7️⃣ In a saucepan over medium heat, melt:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup peanut butter
8️⃣ Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then remove from heat.
9️⃣ Slowly mix in the flour mixture, followed by the milk and egg mixture. Stir until well combined.
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Step 5: Bake the Cookie Bars
🔟 Pour the batter onto the prepared cookie sheet, spreading it evenly to the edges.
1️⃣1️⃣ Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
1️⃣2️⃣ Let the bars cool completely before adding frosting.
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Step 6: Make the Peanut Butter Frosting
1️⃣3️⃣ In a saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil:
½ cup peanut butter
1 stick butter
1️⃣4️⃣ Remove from heat, then add:
2 tablespoons milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1️⃣5️⃣ Stir until smooth and creamy.
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Step 7: Frost the Bars
1️⃣6️⃣ Pour the warm frosting over the cooled cookie bars, spreading evenly to the edges.
1️⃣7️⃣ Allow frosting to cool and set before cutting into squares.
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⭐ Pro Tips for Perfect Cookie Bars
✔ Use creamy peanut butter – Avoid natural peanut butter, as it can make the texture too crumbly.
✔ For extra flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon or chopped peanuts to the batter.
✔ Make them chocolatey – Drizzle melted chocolate chips on top for a peanut butter-chocolate combo.
✔ Store leftovers in an airtight container – These bars stay fresh for up to 5 days at room temperature!
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🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these peanut butter cookie bars with:
✅ A cold glass of milk 🥛
✅ A drizzle of chocolate sauce 🍫
✅ A scoop of vanilla ice cream 🍦
These Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars are nostalgic, gooey, and incredibly delicious—perfect for potlucks, parties, or a sweet treat at home!
🥜 Try them today and let us know how they turn out!
