Peanut Butter Finger Bars

One bowl. Mix everything. Spread. Bake. That’s the whole recipe. These peanut butter bars are the kind of thing you throw together when you need a batch of something sweet for a crowd and don’t want to fuss with layers or technique.

The base combines flour, rolled oats, both white and brown sugar, baking soda, butter, peanut butter, and eggs into a thick dough that spreads across two 9×13 pans. The oats give the bars a chewy, almost granola-like texture that holds up under the chocolate topping. Brown sugar keeps them softer and more moist than white sugar alone would.

The frosting is just melted chocolate chips spread over the warm bars. You can go straight chocolate with 3 cups of chips, or mix 2 cups chips with ⅔ cup peanut butter for a Reese’s-style topping that stays slightly soft instead of snapping when you bite through it.

Pro Tips

• Spread the batter thin and even. It puffs up during baking, so what looks thin raw will be just right when done.
• Melt the chocolate chips gently. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Scorched chocolate seizes up and won’t spread.
• Spread the chocolate topping while the bars are still warm from the oven. The residual heat helps it flow smooth.
• Let the bars cool completely before cutting. Warm chocolate smears instead of slicing cleanly.

Variations

• Use chunky peanut butter for visible peanut pieces throughout the bars.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the melted chocolate topping before it sets for a sweet-salty contrast.
• Swap half the chocolate chips for butterscotch chips for a peanut butter-butterscotch bar.