Peanut Butter Oatmeal Dream Bars

These bars are just wonderful! The crust and topping has a subtle caramel flavor thanks to all that butter and brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar, which intensifies and deepens the caramel flavor). The filling has a nice light peanut butter flavor without being too overpowering or sweet, almost like creamy peanut butter fudge. Infact, I thought the filling would be sweeter than what it turned out, and was pleasantly surprised. The filling is smooth and creamy and compliments the sweetness of the Milk choclate chips and Reese’s Candy bar pieces that I added to the topping.

 Right out of the oven these bars are ooey, gooey and very good. You definately need a spoon to eat and scoop up every last drop of the filling from the dish! I did chill these until set and they are much easier to eat, I can’t decide which way I like them best; warm with melted chocolate and peanut butter all over my spoon and fingers (MMMM, I love to lick my fingers) or chilled and set making the filling seem almost fudge-like (only a bit softer). Either way these are sure to please any Peanut Butter and Chocolate lover, and with the oatmeal, these are almost a health food!

The down side is that I don’t think these will travel well or stand up to summer heat. They are great but messy, but heck, as complaints go, that is a minor one! Next time I might add more chopped Reese’s candy bars because I can’t get enough of those babies!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Dream Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup melted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar (I used Dark brown sugar)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/4 cups Quick Cooking oatmeal (NOT instant)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2  cup peanut butter (I used creamy)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 King size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup candy bars, roughly chopped
• 1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray lighlty with PAM.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together melted butter, sugar, soda, oatmeal, flour & salt until it’s crumbly.

Set aside about 1 cup or a little more.

Press the rest of the crust into prepared pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes. May 118

While crust is cooking, in a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk.

Once crust has baked, evenly pour and spread peanut butter filling over the baked crust.Be gentle so you don’t pull up the warm crust while you spread the filling. 

Evenly sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top of the peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk mixture. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle the chopped candy bars and chocolate chips evenly over the top. Return to oven to bake for another 5-10 minutes or until topping is light golden brown and candy bars/chips are melting.

Allow to cool to make cutting and serving easier. 

Source: http://bakingblonde.wordpress.com/2009/05/14/peanut-butter-oatmeal-dream-bars/

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