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Friday, August 9, 2013

Loaded Peanut Butter Bars


I wanted to make a batch of cookie bars but I had peanut butter on the mind. I've had a bag of Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in the pantry. I have resisted opening them because I knew once I did they would be just too much temptation. Can you resist an opened bag of your favorite treat??? 
So using them in a dessert was the only solution. I was taking dinner into a new mother tonight, perfect timing. I loaded a plate for the new mother, shared a couple with friends at lunch and quickly cut the rest of them, double wrapped them and hid them in the freezer for upcoming company!
This recipe is my Thick and Chewy Cookie Bar with a peanut butter spin. Try them, they are delicious with any combination of chips!

Loaded Peanut Butter Bars

2 1/8 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 cup (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/2 (3 1/2 ounces) cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, cut in half
3/4 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position. Line a 9X13-inch baking pan with foil, letting the excess hang over the edges of the pan by about 1 inch so you can grab those edges and pull the brownies from the pan after they have baked. Spray the foil-lined pan with Pam.

Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the melted butter and sugars in a large bowl until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined; do not over mix. Fold in the Peanut Butter Chips, Cups and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula.
Bake until the top of the bars is light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from sides of pan, 24-28 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the foil overhang and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.
Printable Recipe 

8 comments:

Unknown said...

These looks amazing! Definitely something that would be eaten quickly at my house!

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

I'm sure you've figured out how much I love bar cookies...and yours with the double dose of pb look incredible! Have a great week, Cindy!

Beth said...

Any time I open a treat like that, I HAVE to bake them into something immediately. And having baked them, I try to get most of them out of the house as fast as I can! Self-control is much easier when I don't have goodies looking me in the eye.

Unknown said...

I love bar cookies--so much quicker than regular cookies. And I love peanut butter, so I'll be making these for sure!

Amber @ DessertNowDinnerLater.com said...

I love PB! Thanks for sharing at Sweet & Savory Saturdays #25!

~Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later!
http://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com

sklinn62 said...

I made these over the weekend for my running friends' party. They were a big hit! I left out the peanut butter chips though. So yummy!!

Thanks for another great recipe.

Kayte said...

Wow those look fabulous and you know I don't like chocolate so that is saying something! Such a good photographer you are! Matt would love this...summer is almost over, he goes back to IU for his junior year on Saturday. How time flies these days.

Andrea_TheKitchenLioness said...

Cindy, your peanut butter bars sound like a real treat - they look moist and delicious - I always think that peanut butter adds a really nice flavor to cookies and cakes and adding some peanut butter cups and chips sounds even more delicious - we can actually buy the "Reeses" products at the "British Shop" - they are kind of hard to resist. How nice of you to share these treats with a new mother and some friends!