Peanut Butter Bars

Did you know that Williams- Sonoma has a great recipe resource on their website? We found this wonderfully yummy resource about a year ago, and every recipe we have tried from the Williams- Sonoma website has been fabulous!  These peanut butter bars are light and delicious,  a simple treat to make with little helpers, and a perfect treat to slip into a lunch box!

  picture by Williams-Sonoma

Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients: 

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup quick oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter,  at room temperature

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan. In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking soda and salt and stir with a whisk until well blended. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar and peanut butter on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Turn off the mixer and add the flour-oat mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended. USing the rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Place the baking pan in the oven and bake until the top is very golden brown, and when touched in the middle  feels and looks firm, 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing into bars. After slicing dust cooled bars with confectioners' sugar before serving.

The top looks done at about 24 minutes, but underneath is not, when touched the underneath will look giggly. It will be very golden brown when its ready to come out of the oven.