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Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies
We all know and love lunch lady bars. Delicious peanut butter oatmeal cookie bars spread with peanut butter and melted chocolate (or chocolate frosting). Cut into squares, they are a rich treat. Our cookies are just as delicious and even more decadent. Spread with gooey peanut butter right out of the oven then topped with a chocolate ganache glaze. These are the richest peanut butter cookies you'll ever eat!
Why are they called Lunch Lady Bars (Cookies)?
I can tell you right now that I never went to a school cafeteria that served lunch lady peanut butter bars, but apparently many cafeteria kitchens over the years have made the delicious peanut butter bars during lunch for kids. Thus, earning the name Lunch Lady bars.
Our cookie version starts with our FAVORITE chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookie base. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven they are topped with a teaspoon of peanut butter and then sit until the peanut butter gets gooey and spreadable. Chocolate ganache is spooned over the cooled cookies. The ganache will stay soft, but set up slightly, making them easy to pick up and eat.
I highly recommend serving these with a cold glass of milk.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Ingredients
(Scroll down to the end of the post for an easy-to-follow printable version.)Cookie Dough
1 cup butter, softened 1 cup packed brown sugar ¾ cup white sugar 1 cup peanut butter 2 large eggs 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup quick-cooking oatsSpread and Ganache
¾ cup peanut butter (for spreading) 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips 4 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. milk 2 Tbsp. honey (or corn syrup)
How To Make Peanut Butter Lunch Lady Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs until well blended. Combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed egg mixture. Mix in the oats until just combined. Scoop cookies, using a medium cookie scoop, on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Note: no need to press the cookies with a fork, they'll flatten perfectly on their own. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 5-6 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Add a small spoonful (about a teaspoon) of peanut butter to the top of each warm cookie. Allow peanut butter to stand a few minutes then spread over the cookie.
Microwave glaze (ganache) ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments. Spoon ganache over cookies.
These cookies can be enjoyed at room temperature or chilled. Lightly cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Cookies
If you love the classic lunch lady cookie bars, you'll LOVE our cookie version! Rich, decadent, and loaded with peanut butter and chocolate goodness!
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Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 230kcal
Ingredients
COOKIE DOUGH
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
SPREAD AND GANACHE
- ¾ cup peanut butter for spreading
- 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- 2 Tbsp. honey or corn syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. A stand mixer or electric hand mixer works well.
- Beat in the eggs until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture.
- Mix in the oats until just combined.
- Scoop cookies, using a medium cookie scoop, on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool for 5-6 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Add a small spoonful (about a teaspoon) of peanut butter to the top of each warm cookie. Allow peanut butter to stand on cookies for a few minutes then spread over the cookie with a butter knife.
- Microwave glaze (ganache) ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments (for about a minute). Stir until completely smooth. Spoon ganache over cookies.
Notes
- Want to really take these up a notch? Add a handful of chopped peanuts to the cookie dough!
- You can use quick oats and old-fashioned oats interchangeably in cookie recipes.
- You can use unsalted butter if you’d like, but I use salted butter in all of my recipes.
- These cookies can be enjoyed at room temperature or chilled. Lightly cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 230kcal
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