Happy Friday, MBA Readers! We’re celebrating the weekend with a delicious guest post from one of my favorite bloggers on the planet, Shaina Olmanson of Food for My Family. Shaina is the author of the creative book, Desserts in Jars: 50 Sweet Treats that Shine – if you don’t have a copy, you definitely need to pick up a copy! Thanks so much for being here today, Shaina!
There are foods that should be consumed only the seasonally appropriate times. For example, green bean casserole should only be served and eaten in the context of Thanksgiving. It’s nearly a sin to be caught creating that creamy conglomerate of crunchy onion and cream-laced green bean at any other time.
This is also the case for several dessert-related items. Can you imagine if you showed up with almond-flavored spritz cookies pushed through the cookie gun at Labor Day or any time other than just before St. Nick comes calling?
Such is the case with peanut butter balls for me. (You might know them as buckeyes. I am not from Ohio, so I can’t comment, but do as you must.) Peanut butter balls come out once a year: December. They do not exist for me any other time of year, and any failure to eat your fill is paid in penance by waiting a long year to consume them again. They’re like Girl Scout cookies you hand roll instead of ordering them from badge-clad teeny boppers at the door.
Seeing as how we’re well past the New Year at this point, I’m not sure what to do about the lack of peanut butter bliss for I certainly did not have my fill of sugared goodness this season. The answer? Turn them into something else. Yes. Not only did I deconstruct my favorite peanut butter ball recipe into bar form, but I added a crust and delighted in the not rolling of the balls, the lack of dipping them into chocolate, and the 2″ squares that qualify as a “serving.”
I’m not sorry.
Shaina Olmanson is the cook, freelance writer, and photographer behind Food for My Family, which was named one of the top ten Top 100 Mom Food Blogs by Babble.com in 2010, 2011, and 2012. She is the author of Desserts in Jars: 50 Sweet Treats that Shine, has served as the food editor for LifetimeMoms and daily contributor to Babble’s Family Kitchen, and contributes regularly to FoodYourWay.net and SimpleBites.net. She lives in Minneapolis, MN with her husband and their four kids.
Peanut Butter Bars
Yield: 16 bars
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (like Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butterFor the peanut butter layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbsFor the chocolate layer on top:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup 60% bittersweet chocolate, choppedDirections:
1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line an 8x8" baking pan with parchment. In a small bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/3 cup unsalted butter until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the crumbs into the parchment-lined pan, packing down with the bottom of a glass. Bake for 15 minutes until set. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Melt the 1/2 cup butter for the peanut butter layer. Mix in the powdered sugar until smooth. Add in the peanut butter and whip until smooth. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs. Spread the layer over the cooled crust. To avoid breaking the crust, Drop several spoonfuls throughout the bottom of the crust before smoothing the top.
3. In a double boiler melt the remaining 1/4 butter. Once melted, add in the chocolate and stir until melted. Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars and serve.
Source: Food for My Family
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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
Could you clarify what we are supposed to be doing with the graham crackers? Are we finely crushing them to thicken the peanut butter mixture or leaving them big enough to add crunch? Thanks.
Yep, they should be crumbs, Lisa. They’re used to add some substance to the peanut butter mix so it makes it easier to cut into bar form.
Beautiful photos! I love chocolate and peanut butter anything, anytime of year!
Wonderful guest post! These look incredible.
IT SAYS 1/2 C. GRAHAM CRACKERS. HOW MANY GRAHAM CRACKERS EQUAL 1/2 CUP PLEASE AND THANK YOU?
HONEY FROM NEW ORLEANS
It is 1/2 cup of crumbs. Thanks!
Can not go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter…..ever!
Ohhh Man! More! More!
Oh my – love that creamy peanut butter treat!
These look so awesome, and they’re so simple! Great recipe!
You got too excited to make these huh!!
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs. These are FABULOUS!!
Oh, dear these look good.
Monica.
Ooooohh goodness! All that peanut butter and chocolate yumminess! Cant even handle it!
Thanks for sharing Sandra…I love this one!
These look delicious! But I have to disagree about the foods… I’m one of those weirdos making Pumpkin bread in July and grilling foods out in the snow hehe. A rebel without a clue or something like that
Peanut butter and chocolate…a dream team in my books!
Wow these look very rich, but very tasty too.
These look like the best bars ever! I have Pinned them and cannot wait for an excuse to make them!
Love peanut butter and chocolate. I could probably live on these for a while! haha
luv your blog. don’t leave comments b/c i see you via Google reader. but ihave many of your recipes. thanks!!
This reminds me of a recipe we used to make when we were kids. Hate to say it, but yours looks a little better
I was lucky enough to grow up in Ohio, where buckeyes/”peanut butter/chocolate ____” is not seasonal and can be enjoyed year-round. We love shoving peanut butter and chocolate together in any form and calling it buckeye, balls, bars, brownies, ice cream… Pretty much the best thing ever. We served a similar bar in the cafe at Ohio State.
They’ve definitely become a seasonal treat since I moved to AZ… Imagine trying to eat this when it’s 110 degrees…. not quite as easy lol – My gram sent me a whole container of “authentic” Ohio “buckeyes” for Christmas, since I consumed the lot of them my cravings have been subdued…. until seeing this post, of course. CAN’T WAIT to make these
I’m the same way with some foods. I refuse to bake with pumpkin before October 1st and after November 30th. And maple goods are reserved for December only, and so on and so forth. Anyways, these peanut butter bars look fantastic!
So glad to hear I’m not alone in my neuroses, Becca!
This look wonderful. I can’t wait to try these.
Oh- these look good.
I never thought about Peanut butter bars. that bars look so delicious and recipe also seems easier. Hope I’ll make it without any problem. Thanks for sharing.
omg. boy, they look good but what is the cals and fat content!!!