Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal Bars

Mmm... peanut butter and chocolate.  Such a lovely combination.

I stumbled across this recipe a while ago and bookmarked it for another day.  I don't keep peanut butter cups on hand.  However, on a recent trip to Trader Joe's a container of mini peanut butter cups called my name (it really did:  Oh, Sally, come buy us) and I remembered this recipe.

Of course I didn't follow it exactly.  I cut the original amount of sugar.  I may cut it again.  The peanut butter cups are quite sweet all by themselves.  I'm happy with the addition of the whole wheat flour.  I replaced the peanut butter chips with chocolate chips - it's what I had on hand, and how can you go wrong with more chocolate?

They're lighter than I thought they'd be, have a nice texture and are very yummy.  I will definitely be making them again (once I make another Trader Joe's run).

Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal Bars
Adapted from Mom On Timeout

1½ sticks unsalted butter
1½ cups light brown sugar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs, room temperature
1 Tbls vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
2½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups mini peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.  Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add peanut butter and continue mixing.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.  Add in vanilla.

Combine flour, oats, baking powder, and salt in a small mixing bowl.  Add the flour mixture slowly stirring until well combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spread ⅔ of the dough on the bottom of the pan.  Top with mini peanut butter cups.  Drop the remaining dough on top by the teaspoon. Bake for about 30 minutes.  Let cool completely and then cut into bars.