Salted Caramel Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

I left "oatmeal" out of the title. But I think pretty much every other bar cookie ingredient is wrapped up in the title of these bars.

Yep, it has the new (relatively new) caramel-filled chocolate chips and caramel topping, plus peanut butter in the bar and in the frosting glaze. (You can use creamy or chunky peanut butter. Since chunky is what's in my cabinet, that's what I used.)

It has a sprinkle of coarse salt, if you're into that kind of thing. (If you're not, just leave it off.) I guess it would no longer be salted caramel, but that's OK, too.

And it has the ease of a bar cookie instead of standing there making drop cookies. Even my farmer, who isn't necessarily a PB fan, deemed these tasty. Put them on your list of treats to make for a Memorial Day gathering next weekend!

 

Salted Caramel Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Adapted from Inside Brucrew Life

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup caramel topping
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup quick oats
1 cup caramel-filled chocolate chips

Glaze
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp. caramel topping
3 tbsp. milk
Coarse ground sea salt

For cookie bars:  Cream butter and the sugars. Add the egg, vanilla, peanut butter and caramel. Blend until well combined. Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture; mix well. Stir in oatmeal and caramel-filled chocolate chips. Spread in a prepared 13- by 9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 24 minutes. Don't overbake!

Cool for 5 minutes. Stir together glaze ingredients. Spread over hot bars. After completely cool, cut into 24 bars. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if desired, before serving.