Peanut Butter Snickers Bars

Sometimes I have a great idea for a recipe and am so excited to make it that I don't check the ingredients I have on hand first. Sometimes it's a disaster. Other times, it turns into a scrumptious treat that becomes a family favorite! The latter is what happened with this recipe, thankfully.

I had a craving for those little peanut butter cookies that have a Snickers hidden on the inside, but didn't feel like going through the work of rolling each individual ball. So, I went to my go-to, all-time-favorite, Peanut Butter Cookie recipe. I thought I would just chop up the fun-size Snickers I "knew" we had on hand and stir them into the batter . . . Well, as it turned out there were only 4 left! (I have no idea how that happened - it's like we have an uncontrollable, chocolate-craving, pregnant lady in our house or something.) Clearly 4 measly little pieces would not be enough for an entire pan of bars.

I got to thinking - what else did I have on hand? Milk chocolate chips? Check. Peanuts? Check. Caramel bits? Check. Sounded like Snickers to me! I stirred those into the cookie dough, spread it in the pan, topped it with what Snickers I did have and let it bake. Ooo-la-la - chewy, crunchy, deliciousness. Sometimes the best recipes come out of the blue!
*If you don't have those additional ingredients, you can certainly follow my original plan and just stir chopped Snickers into the dough.

Peanut Butter Snickers Bars
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. (2 sticks) softened butter
1 c. light brown sugar
1 c. sugar
1 c. peanut butter (we had creamy on hand, so that's what I used)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
3/4 c. peanuts, chopped
1 c. caramel bits
1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
4 (or more) fun-size Snickers, chopped
1/4 c. chocolate chips (for drizzling, if desired)
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.
2. Beat butter with sugars until creamy - 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.
3. Add peanut butter, vanilla, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat again.
4. Stir in flour until almost combined.
5. Add peanuts, caramel bits, and chocolate chips, and mix until just combined.
6. Spread evenly in pan and sprinkle with chopped Snickers. Bake 25-28 minutes, or until light golden brown on top.
7. Melt 1/4 c. chocolate chips and use a fork, spoon, or plastic baggie to drizzle over the top of the bars. Allow to cool before cutting.

Peanut Butter Crunch Bars with Reese's Pieces

Sometimes I just need a peanut-buttery treat. Okay, probably more than "sometimes" . . . Frequently . . . Most of the time . . . Alright, always! This recipe is the recipe for Peanut Butter Crunch Bars that they served at my high school, and they are soooo good. Peanut butter and oatmeal in the bars, plus a peanut butter frosting? Double score. Oh, and I added Reese's Pieces . . . Triple Score! These are really filling, but also really addicting. You know, the kind where you're really full, but you can't stop from eating more? Yep, these are like that. Eat with caution. :)

You can certainly leave out the Reese's Pieces, or the frosting, or both, but the combination of the two on top of the bars is really, really yummy. I found the recipe over here, on the blog of a girl I went to high school with and her husband. If you get a chance check it out! It's a fun blog and deals with lots of relevant problems including financial, spiritual, relationship, parenting, and many others.

Peanut Butter Crunch Bars with Reese's Pieces
1/2 c. margarine, softened
1/2 c. shortening
1 3/4 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. peanut butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. milk
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. flour
3 c. oatmeal
3/4-1 c. Reese's Pieces (could also use chocolate chips, Reese's PB Cups, M&Ms, or I think Snickers would be good, too!)
1. Preheat oven to 350, and grease an 11x15 pan. (This makes a lot, so you could probably put it in two 9x13 pans and bring one to a friend or to work!)
2. Cream together margarine, shortening, both sugars, and peanut butter until smooth, approximately 2 minutes.
3. Add eggs, vanilla, milk, soda, and salt, and beat again for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in flour and oatmeal until combined. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
5. Sprinkle Reese's Pieces over the top and press in lightly with your hand. Bake 25-28 minutes, or until light golden brown on top. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
3/4 c. peanut butter
2 1/2 Tbls. margarine
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar
1/3-1/2 c. water
1. Beat together all ingredients but water until smooth and creamy.
2. Slowly add in 1/3 c. water and see if it's the consistency you want. If you want it thinner, add water one Tbls. at a time until it's how you like.

Hugs and cookies,

Amanda