Sweet Sundays: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

As much as I love cookies, I don't always feel like scooping and then waiting in between batches. Thank goodness for cookie bars! I found this recipe online, changed it around a little bit, and made a batch of bars this morning. From now until our Christmas break my coworkers and I are bringing in a baked good each week, and this week it's my turn.

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Ingredients:

• 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter 
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup quick oats
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup Reese's peanut butter chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease your baking pan, I used a 13 X 9 and sprayed it down with butter spray.

With your mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Be sure to scrape the sides. Next mix the egg in.

Gradually add the flour, baking soda and salt in with your mixer on low speed.

Fold in the oats, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips with your spatula.

Next press the mixture into your greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

 Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting the bars.

If you like crunchier bars, this timing is good. If you are looking for a softer, chewy bar you may want to cut the baking time down and start checking on them around 15 minutes.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend! I'm busy today hunting down ideas for handmade Christmas gifts I can make myself.

Have you seen any good ideas or made some of your own already?