Moist peanut butter oatmeal bars with a layer of peanut butter and chocolate frosting on top. Always a crowd favorite.
Ingredients
Each cost is for the amount this recipe uses, not the whole package. Pantry staples like flour, sugar, vanilla and spices cost more on your first trip, then last for many batches. Rows marked “Not priced”, like water and toppings, aren't in the total.
| Ingredient | Price used | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Bars | ||
| ¾ cup butter or margarine | $3.96/lbBLS, Sep 2026 · priced as butter | $1.48 |
| ¾ cup peanut butter | $0.16/ozEstimate · store-brand creamy, 16-oz jar | $1.05 |
| ¾ cup brown sugar | $1.40/lbEstimate | $0.49 |
| ¾ cup sugar | $1.02/lbBLS, Sep 2026 | $0.34 |
| 2 eggs | $2.27/dozenBLS, Sep 2026 | $0.38 |
| ½ teaspoon vanilla | $0.50/tspEstimate | $0.25 |
| 1½ cups flour | $0.55/lbBLS, Sep 2026 | $0.22 |
| 1½ cups quick oats | $0.09/ozEstimate | $0.41 |
| ¾ teaspoon baking soda | $0.01/tspEstimate | $0.01 |
| ½ teaspoon salt | $0.01/tspEstimate | $0.01 |
| Extra peanut butter, for spreading | $0.16/ozEstimate · priced as about ⅓ cup | $0.47 |
| Chocolate frosting | ||
| ½ cup butter or margarine | $3.96/lbBLS, Sep 2026 · priced as butter | $0.99 |
| ⅓ cup cocoa | $0.44/ozEstimate | $0.44 |
| ⅓ cup milk (or less) | $4.11/galBLS, Sep 2026 | $0.09 |
| 3 cups powdered sugar | $1.40/lbEstimate | $1.11 |
| Total | $7.74 | |
| Per bar (48 bars) | $0.16 | |
Bars
- ¾ cup butter or margarine
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cups flour
- 1½ cups quick oats
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Extra peanut butter, for spreading
Chocolate frosting
- ½ cup butter or margarine
- ⅓ cup cocoa
- ⅓ cup milk (or less)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a jelly-roll pan.
- Mix the dough. Cream the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and sugar together. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt and mix well.
- Bake. Spread the dough in the pan and bake for 10–12 minutes.
- Add the peanut butter layer. While the bars are still hot, spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the top. Let them cool.
- Make the frosting. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then take it off the heat. Stir in the cocoa, milk, and powdered sugar, whisking until it's the consistency you want.
- Frost. Pour the frosting over the cooled bars and spread it evenly. Cut into bars.
Notes
- Add the milk gradually. Use less for a thicker frosting, more for a thinner glaze.
How we priced this recipe
- BLS, Sep 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, U.S. city average, September 2026.
- Estimate: Food Butler estimate of a typical U.S. store-brand shelf price, October 2026. Neither BLS nor USDA publishes an average price for these items.
Your store's prices will differ. See all recipes.