Grandma’s Peanut Butter Fingers

This recipe for Peanut Butter Fingers comes straight from my grandma’s kitchen. Every time I make them, I’m transported right back to my grandparent’s house. The familiar smell of fresh peanut butter cookie bars brings back fond memories of big family summer gatherings, of playing and laughing into the night.

Grandma Marlene had many grandkids, and every time we visited her, she would have a fresh batch of these cookie bars made for us. Since her passing over a decade ago, my family has continued the tradition of baking a big batch of these for family gatherings. It’s a recipe that my entire family absolutely loves.

What exactly are peanut butter fingers? They’re a thick peanut butter oatmeal cookie bar, topped with melted chocolate and drizzled in peanut butter glaze. It’s a winning recipe for any peanut-butter-and-chocolate lover.

This is a large batch that feeds a crowd, so it’s perfect for a weekend with family or friends. Bring these to a party and they’re sure to be a hit – everyone loves them!

Tips for making peanut butter fingers

Peanut butter fingers are super easy to make. Everything can be mixed together by hand in one bowl! The final cookie dough is a thick batter. Spread it evenly into a 13×9-inch pan and bake it until the whole thing is golden brown and baked through in the middle.

Then, spread chocolate chips on top of the bars right when they come out of the oven. Turn the oven off, but stick the pan back in the oven briefly for just a minute or two, just enough to melt the chocolate to a spreadable consistency. Use the back of a spoon to spread the chocolate evenly across the top in a thin layer. Let the chocolate cool before adding the peanut butter glaze.

The glaze only takes three ingredients – just whisk together peanut butter, powdered sugar, and a little milk and drizzle it on top of the chocolate. Your peanut butter fingers are ready to be sliced and served! These cookies are excellent whether still warm from the oven or cold the next day. They’re great with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee!

Variations & Substitutions

You can use any type of chocolate for the glaze on these. My grandma always used classic semisweet chocolate chips, but every once in a while I use a darker chocolate. I think 60% is just about perfect. 

If you don’t have milk on hand, any non-dairy milk is fine for the glaze. Oat milk would be a great substitution. You could also try a different nut butter in place of the peanut butter, but I think peanut butter is best here!

Are you a big peanut butter and chocolate lover? Try these favorites:

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Peanut Butter Cookie Cups with Ganache
• Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Ganache