Peanut Butter Bars

I made these for Anna Elise's baptism and they are SO GOOD!  Everyone loved them.  They are pretty rich so I cut them into really small bars, but I'd like to see you try and only eat one!

The recipe is from Our Best Bites:

Cookies
1 cup  butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1  1/2 cups peanut butter
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons table salt
3 cups all purpose flour
3 cups quick oats

Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a rimmed cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) with non-stick spray and set aside.

Cream butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add  peanut butter and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add eggs, one at a time and beat between each addition. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and add mixture to dough.  Beat to combine.  Add oats and mix until incorporated.  Press dough into prepared pan into a flat layer.  Bake for about 10-12 minutes.  The center should be puffed and set, but still soft. (Mine took a couple minutes longer to bake, it still almost looked doughy, but it's suppose to)

While crust is baking, prepare frosting.  Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt.  Add butter, boiling water, and vanilla.  Beat until smooth and glossy.

When cookie crust is done baking, drizzle about 3/4 cups melted (just nuke it in the microwave) peanut butter on top and then spread on frosting while everything is still warm.  Let cool and cut into squares to serve. 

I made mine ahead and froze them and they were just as good defrosted as they were fresh!