A sweet peanut butter bar is topped with decadent milk chocolate and served up lunchroom style. A no-bake blast from the past!
You know the ones. Those magical bars of peanut butter goodness topped with a layer of crunchy chocolate. I always knew when one of those babies showed up on my lunch tray that it was going to be a good day. They were my favorite dessert! If you’ve been missing that lunchroom treat as much as I have, it is indeed your lucky day. I have an easy recipe that will take you back to the good old days of good old fashioned, home-cooked elementary school food.
I had so may favorite lunches at Lincoln Elementary School in Idaho Falls, ID. Chili with homemade cinnamon rolls, mashed potatoes with turkey gravy and homemade chocolate cake…So much goodness came from that cafeteria! But not many things could be the delectable peanut butter bar.
Lunchroom Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- ¾ c. butter
- 2 c. powdered sugar
- 12 graham crackers crushed into crumbs (about 1 3/4 c.)
- 1 c. creamy peanut butter
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with aluminum foil so foil hangs over the edges so bars can easily be removed. Set aside.
- Place butter in the microwave and heat for 1 minute, or until melted.
- Stir in graham crackers, powdered sugar, and peanut butter and stir until well combined. Press mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 45 seconds. Stir, then heat for another 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.
- Pour chocolate over peanut butter bars and spread smoothly and evenly over top. Allow to cool for three hours then cut the bars while the chocolate is still soft. Cover and serve when the chocolate has hardened.
Kitchen tools and gadgets needed for this recipe:
For National Peanut Butter Day today, I’ve got a pretty fantastic round up for you! Over 10 of the yummiest most mouthwatering peanut butter recipes that will make you want to cook and bake your way through. These recipes aren’t messing around! Enjoy!
Three Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Fondue // Tried and Tasty
Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies // Sugar & Soul
No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie // Dessert Now Dinner Later
Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes // The Love Nerds
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Granola Bites // A Kitchen Addiction
Thai Peanut Skillet Chicken // Eazy Peazy Mealz
Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes // Lemon Tree Dwelling
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies // Like Mother Like Daughter
Lunchroom Peanut Butter Bars // Cupcake Diaries
Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Tart // A Dash of Sanity
Peanut Butter Banana Bread // One Sweet Appetite
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aimee @ like mother like daughter says
I’m wondering how I missed out on these babies for all of my elementary school days, what a deprived child I was! 😉 At least I can make these at home now and I think I need to right away. Yum!
Rebecca says
I would like to know why these weren’t served at my school, I feel like I was cheated, because these look AMAZING!
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! says
I have never had lunch lady bars with graham crackers and I am intrigued! I want to try this variation! They look fabulous!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
I’m jealous of your homemade elementary food! We never had anything that was this good!
Alli says
Oh man. Our lunchroom food was the best! There were only a couple things I didn’t like. Those were the good old days!
Yvonne [Tried and Tasty] says
If we were to barter, what could I trade for you to make me a pan of these? No. Don’t.. I’m watching my figure. Wait. Actually – maybe this could be my last hurrah.. back to the bartering.. what’s it gonna be? YUM!!!!
Whitney says
I too went to elementary school in Idaho falls, idaho and my life may be complete with this recipe! I know school lunches aren’t what they were when I was growing up… I dont even force my kids to eat them…but I looked forward to lunch and these were especially a favorite day! Thank you sooo much for sharing!!
Alli says
Whitney, I love that you also went to elementary school in Idaho Falls! Those were definitely better lunch days, that’s for sure. I hope you enjoy the peanut butter bars!
Michelle says
Is there a missing ingredient? The peanut butter mixture is very runny. I followed the directions exactly.
Alli says
Hi, Michelle! It looks like all the ingredients and measurements are correct. Did you use enough graham crackers? Twelve graham crackers is 12 whole rectangular crackers and not 12 squares. Could that be it?
Michelle says
Yes! That is it! I used 12 individual graham crackers. Thanks for replying!
Beth says
Alli
These look great! #4 Confused me though – “Place chocolate chips into the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 45 seconds.”
Some of them go in the bottom of the pan and some go in the microwave to melt for the frosting? What quantity for each? What am I not understanding there?
If I’m totally reading something wrong.. well then please set me straight someone, anyone! Hurry! I want to make these Yummy Bars. :O)
Can’t wait to make them. I too was a lucky girl in the lunch room, we have wonderful lunches, well, except the Lima beans days.
Thanks,
Beth
Alli says
Hi Beth! Thanks so much for your comment. I have no clue what I was thinking about when I wrote that step. So weird! There isn’t any chocolate at the bottom of the pan. That step is now fixed. Thanks so much for pointing that out to me!
DJ Morris says
Hi! I found your recipe for Lunchroom Peanut Butter Bars in Pinterest and making them right now. Just have one stupid question, when you say Graham crackers, What do you consider a single cracker? Do you mean the whole rectangle of 4 small ones or a single perforated of the large?
Thanks for your help!!😁😁
Alli says
Hi DJ! I apologize for not responding to your question sooner. We got a puppy and all of a sudden my life turned into total chaos. haha I consider the entire rectangle to be one cracker. Great question!
Jessica says
Does the melted butter go in the mixture? It doesn’t specify
Alli says
You’re going to stir the graham crackers, powdered sugar, and peanut butter in with the butter. I believe that’s in steps 2 and 3. Thanks for asking!
Alice Davis says
Good job.. I made these in the 80’s and lost the original recipe. All the “new” ones are wrong. Finally you got it! Thanks.
Alli says
Hi Alice! I saw your comment last month when you left it and forgot to respond to it, but I have to tell you that it made my day! I’m so happy that you approve of this recipe. My goal was to make them taste like the ones from lunch in the good old days and I’m so glad I achieved that. Thank you so much for leaving your comment!
Amir says
I was just talking to my 8 year old son and he told me their lunch menu in school. It dawned on me he has no clue what these are. I just showed him your pics and he is so excited to try these ( and me too…..again.)
Can’t wait to bring back old taste bud memories
Alli says
Your comment makes me so happy! Thanks so much. I hope you loved the bars!
Shannon says
These look so good! I want to make them in the next few days. I have a bix of graham cracker crumbs do you know how much i would need in place of the actual crackers? Any help would be appreciated! These look like the bars served in y school in Michigan.
Alli says
Hi Shannon!! I’m so sorry that I’m just now responding to your comment.The measurement for the graham cracker crumbs is about 1 3/4 c.
Ally says
About how much is 12 crushed graham crackers? I have a box of graham cracker crumbs I would like to use up. Thanks!
Alli says
Hey!! That is a great question and I need to edit the recipe now that I know the answer! We just blended up 12 graham crackers and the crumb amount came to about 1 3/4 c. Thank you for asking that!
Robert says
Amazing page. Recipe was excellent thank you
Jamie L Moore says
OMG. I went to Lincoln from 84-90 I loved turkey fricasse day it was the best!
Sheela says
If I wanted to make these using a 9×13 pan do you have any suggestions as to how I would modify the recipe?
Alli says
Great question! I would double the recipe for a 9×13 pan. Thanks for asking!