School Cafeteria Peanut Butter Bars
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes
Description: Remember those flat peanut butter bars you used to get in your school cafeteria lunches? Well, here they are!
Recipe Category: Bar Cookie
Keywords: Dessert, Cookie & Brownie, Fruit, Nuts, Kid Friendly, Potluck, < 30 Mins, Easy, Inexpensive
Aggregated Rating: 4
Review Count: 20
Nutritional Information (per batch):
- Calories: 4564
- Fat Content: 288.8g
- Saturated Fat Content: 138.9g
- Cholesterol Content: 674mg
- Sodium Content: 4457.1mg
- Carbohydrate Content: 437.5g
- Fiber Content: 18.4g
- Sugar Content: 225.9g
- Protein Content: 82.7g
Recipe Ingredients (for 1 batch of bars):
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Recipe Instructions:
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Prepare Ingredients: Start by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan and set it aside. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
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Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined and smooth.
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Incorporate Egg: Beat in the egg until it’s fully incorporated into the mixture.
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Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition until a smooth batter forms.
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Optional Chocolate Chips: If desired, you can add 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter at this point. However, if you’re staying true to the school cafeteria style, skip this step.
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Spread Batter: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
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Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Optional Chocolate Topping: For an extra touch, you can take 1 cup of milk chocolate chips and sprinkle them over the surface of the peanut butter bars immediately after removing them from the oven. The residual heat will melt the chocolate, creating a delicious topping.
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Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, cut them into bars of your desired size.
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Enjoy: Serve and enjoy these nostalgic school cafeteria peanut butter bars with a glass of milk or your favorite beverage.
Recipe Notes: Reduced-fat peanut butter is not recommended for this recipe, as it may result in drier bars. Stick to creamy, full-flavored peanut butter for the best results.
