Perfectly equal parts chewy, crusty, and soft, these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars are one of the best chocolate-peanut butter cookie desserts around. This simple dessert recipe, made with chocolate chips, is prepared in only 30 minutes!
An Easy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookie Bar Dessert
If you’re a fan of oatmeal chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies, buckle up. These Peanut Butter Oat Jumbles are basically the bar version of both of those beloved cookies — COMBINED. I know, life really is that good. I love these for when I need to throw together a quick dessert — who has time to scoop out a bunch of cookie dough into balls, anyway?
The bottom oatmeal and peanut butter cookie crust gets covered with irresistible melted chocolate, which makes the crust super soft and chewy after baking. The top “jumbles,” those little hunks of the cookie dough that get baked on top of the layer of chocolate goo, become perfectly crunchy, almost like a streusel, but cookie-fied. I mean, just writing about them makes me hungry and is tempting me to run and turn on my oven. Enjoy them after they’ve cooled and the chocolate has set with a tall glass of milk!
How do you store cookie bars?
If your baking pan has a lid, you can go ahead and just cover your jumbles with that, and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. If not, cut them into bars and store them in a sealable bag or airtight container.
Can you freeze Peanut Butter Oat Jumbles?
Totally! In fact, you may prefer them frozen! I LOVE me a good frozen cookie bar. Keep these in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Can you substitute other flavors in this recipe?
One-hundred percent — have fun with it! A few variations I can think of off the top of my head include:
- Sub butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips for the chocolate chips.
- Use chopped walnuts or pecans in place of oatmeal.
- Try almond, cashew, oat, or your favorite nut butter rather than peanut butter.
Peanut Butter Oat Jumbles
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
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Perfectly equal parts chewy, crusty, and soft, these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars are one of the best chocolate-peanut butter cookie desserts around. This simple dessert recipe, made with chocolate chips, is prepared in only 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 cups peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups old-fashioned or rolled oats
- 1 bag chocolate chips
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup butter
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening, butter, and sugars.
- Add peanut butter, and combine.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing to combine.
- Add all of the dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated.
- In a small saucepan or a double boiler, combine chocolate chips, milk, and butter. Heat on medium-low, until just melted.
- Put 2/3 of the cookie mixture in the bottom of a greased large sheet pan or cookie sheet (you know, jelly-roll sized). Press down evenly with your hands.
- Spread the chocolate mixture over the crust. Break up and sprinkle the remaining cooking mixture evenly over the top of the chocolate.
- Bake in a preheated oven (350 degrees F.) for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookie top turns a light golden brown. Let cool completely before cutting.
Notes
- I bet that you could half this recipe and put it in a 9-by-13-inch pan, but then what would you do with the other half a can of sweet milk? Just make the whole thing and love it!
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: oatmeal cookie bars, oatmeal cookie bar recipe, how to make oatmeal cookie bars, peanut butter oatmeal cookie bars, how to make peanut butter oatmeal bars, peanut butter cookie bar recipe, peanut butter chocolate oatmeal bar, cookie bar dessert recipe, easy dessert recipe
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For more peanut butter dessert recipes, check out:
- Life-Changing Peanut Butter S’mores Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
- Perfect Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
- Perfect Peanut Butter Blossoms
- No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites
- Honey Sweetened Peanut Butter Cookies (whole wheat flour)
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- Rich Peanut Butter Brownies
- Reese’s Stuffed Peanut Butter S’mores Bars
Perfectly equal parts chewy, crusty, and soft, these Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookie Bars are one of the best chocolate-peanut butter cookie desserts around.
This post was originally published in 2010 and has been updated and rephotographed in June 2019.
About Melissa
I have a lot going on, and I’d much rather spend my time enjoying my messes than fretting about what I’m going to make for dinner. Over the past few years, I’ve nailed down a few strategies that helped me keep my kitchen running like a well-oiled machine, so I started Bless This Mess to help other mess-loving parents solve the nightly dinner delimma—no stress, no drama, just really great food your whole family will love. Read more...
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Hello,
Would you happen to know the exact size of the pan you used?
Hey Melissa! I came across your blogs on Facebook and I love them! Now, I have to let all your readers know that this recipe truly is divine since I was a lucky recipient. 🙂