Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 27 mins | Course: Dessert | Serves: 18 

 These peanut butter oat bars get topped with additional peanut butter and a layer of ganache. The perfect blend of chocolate, peanut butter and salt with a crunchy oat cookie base. You will probably have some ganache left over for an ice cream topping or for making truffles. Inspired by Cade and Carrian of Oh Sweet Basil for the peanut butter oat cookie base https://ohsweetbasil.com/norwood-peanut-butter-bars/ and Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest for the toppings https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/glazed-peanut-butter-bars/ 

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

¾ cup butter, softened

¾ cup peanut butter + ½ cup, divided

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 ½ cups oats

Ganache:

1 cup heavy cream

11.5 oz dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350*. Spray oil a 9.13 pan and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. In a stand mixer, cream the sugar, brown sugar, and butter together. Add ¾ cup peanut butter, egg and vanilla. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. Pour over the dough in the mixer and stir until the mixture comes together and the flour is incorporated. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Make ganache while the bars are baking.

Heat the cream in a 2 quart measurer or large microwave-safe mixing bowl for 2 minutes or until boiling in the microwave. Add in the chocolate chips and wait 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Allow to cool for a few minutes while the cookie bars finish baking.   

Allow the cookie bars to cool for 10 minutes, then spread the top with ½ cup remaining peanut butter. Top peanut butter with a generous layer of ganache smoothing over the top. You might see beautiful swirls of peanut butter through the ganache. Allow to cool before slicing.