Peanut Butter Oatmeal Fudge Bars

Bring together the classic pairing of peanut butter and chocolate in these easy bar cookies. A chewy oatmeal cookie base holds a rich chocolate fudge center, then gets topped with more cookie for a layered dessert that’s as pretty as it is delicious. Perfect for bake sales, potlucks, or holiday trays.

Friends, if you’ve been around the blog for a while, you know how much I love chocolate and peanut butter desserts. It’s one of my favorite flavor combinations of all time! Well, I’m back with another PB dessert! These Peanut Butter Oatmeal Fudge Bars are so good and really easy to make. 

Love peanut butter? Check out this collection of all my favorite peanut butter dessert recipes.

Not only are they made of my favorite flavor combo, but they are also a duo of crunchy and creamy textures which always makes for a more delicious dessert.

This is one of those recipes, that if left on the counter, I would use any excuse to snack on every time I was in the kitchen. Thankfully, I’m working ahead to make some sweet treats for an upcoming party so I quickly packed these up and put them in the freezer.

Anyway, I highly recommend you add these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Fudge Bars to your baking list! I know you’re going to love them.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• These bars bring together two favorite treats in one bite: a chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookie and a creamy layer of chocolate fudge. It’s the perfect combination of flavors and textures that feels indulgent but also familiar and comforting.
• They’re simple to make with everyday pantry staples. If you have oats, peanut butter, and a bag of chocolate chips, you’re well on your way to having a pan of these ready to share. No special equipment or advanced baking skills required.
• The recipe makes a big 9×13 pan, which means it’s ideal for parties, bake sales, or when you just want a dessert that can stretch a little further. Plus, the bars slice cleanly, so they look beautiful on a cookie tray or dessert table.

Looking for more dessert bar recipes? You’ve got it. Check out this collection of all my favorite sweet dessert bar recipes. There’s something for everyone! 

Ingredients

It’s time to get together all of the ingredients you’ll need to make these dessert bars.

• All-purpose flour – Gives structure to the cookie layer, creating a soft but sturdy base for the bars.
• Old-fashioned oats – Add a hearty chew and subtle nuttiness that pairs perfectly with peanut butter.
• Baking powder – Helps the cookie layers rise slightly so they bake up tender instead of dense.
• Kosher salt – Balances the sweetness of the bars and enhances all the other flavors.
• Unsalted butter – Adds rich flavor and keeps both the cookie and fudge layers soft and moist.
• Brown sugar – Brings a warm, caramel-like sweetness that deepens the overall flavor of the cookie base.
• Granulated sugar – Lends additional sweetness and helps achieve just the right cookie texture.
• Vanilla extract – Infuses a cozy, aromatic flavor that ties the layers together.
• Eggs – Bind the ingredients in the cookie base and give it a light, tender crumb.
• Peanut butter – The star of the cookie layer, adding nutty richness and a creamy texture.
• Sweetened condensed milk – Creates a luscious, silky base for the fudge filling with built-in sweetness.
• Milk chocolate chips – Melt into the condensed milk to form the smooth, fudgy chocolate center.

How to Make

Feeling tempted to try these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Fudge Bars? (Good, my plan worked! Ha!) Let me walk you through the steps. A detailed and printable recipe card with ingredient amounts and instructions is available at the bottom of this post.

1. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, then spray with baking spray. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. 

3. In a large bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. 
5. Add the peanut butter and mix to combine. 
6. Add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

7. Spread about half of the peanut butter oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer.  
8. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, and salt. 
9. Cook while stirring until melted. Remove from the heat. 
10. Pour this chocolate mixture over the cookie layer in the pan. Spread into an even layer. 

11. Refrigerate the pan for about 10-15 minutes to allow the fudge layer to set slightly. 
12. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
13. Add the remaining peanut butter oatmeal mixture to the top of the fudge layer.
14. Bake for about 40 minutes or until set and lightly golden on top. 

15. Cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. 

That’s it! I know that seems like a lot of steps, but that’s because I broke it down for you to make it painfully simple. Trust me, these are super easy to make and failure-free, even for those that find baking to be a struggle.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store them?

You can pack and store these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Fudge Bars in an airtight container. If you’re storing in layers, I recommend using a piece of parchment or wax paper in between each layer. They’ll stay fresh for about 5-6 days. No refrigeration is needed unless you live in a particularly hot and humid climate.

Can you freeze them?

You bet you can. In fact, I froze this whole batch and they were just as delicious when I served them. For ultimate freshness, I recommend only freezing cookies for about 1 month.

Can you make these gluten-free?

I don’t see why not. Unfortunately, I haven’t tested this recipe for every food allergy and/or preference. However, I assume this would be lovely with a flour alternative or even a different nut butter if you can not have peanuts. Make it your own!

And that’s all from me for today. I hope you enjoyed these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Fudge Bars and plan to give them a try. If you do, please stop back and let me know what you think! You can leave a star rating and note in the comment section below. 

Happy baking! 

More Brownies and Bars You’ll Love

• Salted Caramel Crumb Bars
• Cherry Cream Cheese Bars
• Pumpkin Pie Bars
• Cinnamon Bars
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Bars

If you give these bars a try, I’d love to hear what you think. Please stop back and leave a comment and a 5-star rating below. I’d appreciate it! 

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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Fudge Bars

What do you get when you combine a soft but crunchy peanut butter oatmeal cookie with creamy chocolate fudge? These amazing Peanut Butter Oatmeal Fudge Bars! This quick and easy recipe is certain to become a new favorite sweet treat.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bars, chocolate, fudge, oatmeal, peanut butter

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 485kcal

Ingredients

Cookie Layers:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup peanut butter

Fudge Filling:

• 1 can (14 ounces) sweet condensed milk
• 1 bag (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

• Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, then spray with baking spray. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, using a hand mixer (or stand mixer), cream together the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the peanut butter and mix to combine.
• Add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
• Spread about half of this peanut butter oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, and salt. Cook while stirring until melted. Remove from the heat.
• Pour this chocolate mixture over the cookie layer in the pan. Spread into an even layer. Refrigerate the pan for about 10-15 minutes to allow the fudge layer to set slightly.
• During this time, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add the remaining peanut butter oatmeal mixture to the top of the fudge layer.*
• Bake for about 40 minutes or until set and lightly golden on top. Cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.

Notes

*I like to do this in thin sheets of dough that I press between my hands to create an even layer with full coverage. Alternatively, you could roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper or just crumble the mixture onto the top for a more rustic look.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 494IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg