Peanut Butter Passion Bars

Source: Found on Pinterest

These bars are a buttery oat bar with a sweet peanut butter caramel filling
topped with chocolate chips and more oat crumble

Ingredients

  • 1 c. unbleached white all-purpose flour
  • 2 c. old fashioned oats
  • 1 c. light brown sugar
  • 1 t. kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 c. cold butter, cubed
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter (I used Jiff Natural)
  • 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 t. vanilla extract
  • 1 c. dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In a large food processor, combine the flour, oats, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add in the chunks of butter and pulse until crumbly. Or you can use a pastry cutter with butter or margarine at room temperature, and then switch over to your hands to get it combined well, if needed.

Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the oat mixture for the topping and press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

In a medium bowl mix together the peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla until combined. Pour the peanut butter mixture on top of the oat layer and spread evenly.

Distribute the chocolate chips evenly on top of the peanut butter layer.

Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top of the chocolate chips and press lightly.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the top is set.

Cool completely before cutting into bars.