"Just like Reese's" Peanut Butter Bars

If you like Reese's Peanut butter cups, you'll love these! They are super easy to make, and I actually had everything in my cupboard already. I left the graham crackers a little chunky for some texture, but you can crumble them up to dust if you want :) I also stuck mine in the freezer, I love my desserts cold! mmmm..... enjoy!

Peanut Butter Layer:

1/2 c. butter

1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 c. peanut butter

3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs


Chocolate layer:

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. milk chocolate chips

*Line an 8×8, 9×9, or 7×11 pan with foil for easy removal of bars later.

Directions:

Peanut butter layer: On low heat, melt 1/2 c. butter. Remove from heat and stir in confectioner’s sugar. Add peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs, stirring until creamy. Spread mixture evenly into pan. Refrigerate while making chocolate layer. 

Chocolate layer: On low heat, melt butter. Add chocolate chips and stir until chips are nearly melted and very soft. Remove from heat and continue stirring until chocolate is smooth and shiny. Spread over peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut into bars.

Store peanut butter cup bars in refrigerator or freezer.

Makes 16 or more bars

Mini Reese's Brownies

My sister Paula made these for Halloween, and they were AMAZING! They are little brownie bites with a miniature Reese's pressed into each one and then topped with peanut butter frosting! YUMMY! And they are so EASY to make :)

All you have to do is:

1. Make a brownie mix as directed on the box.

2. Line mini muffin tins with paper liner, and fill half way with brownie mixture.

3. Cook about 10 minutes, or until you stick a toothpick in it and it comes out clean.

4. Immediately after taking out of oven place a miniature Reese's into the middle of each cupcake until level with brownie.

(if the cooked brownie has expanded all the way to the top of the liner, don't worry it won't overflow! It magically stays the same height)

5. Cool, and top with frosting of your choice. :)

SO EASY!

My peanut butter frosting:

1 jar of pillsbury vanilla frosting mixed with 1/4 cup of peanut butter.

(This time I was lazy and just used the jar frosting because it was quick--but it was good with the peanut butter mixed in!)

Peanut Blossoms

This is my mom's recipe. I used to beg her to make them when I was growing up because they were my favorite! Now they are my husband's favorite and he begs for them! :)

Peanut Blossoms

1-3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

1 egg

2 T. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Hershey's Kisses (48)

1/2 c. sugar, set aside

Preheat oven to 375. Combine sugars, butter, egg, peanut butter and mix. Add flour, soda, salt, milk and vanilla. Chill. Shape dough into walnut size balls. (I use a cookie scoop to measure). Roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Immediately after removing from oven, place an unwrapped Hershey's kiss on each cookie. So yummy!!!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Madness!

I should have taken a picture of these all cut up to show the inside chunky texture....I will next time... Anyway, they were super yummy! They even tasted better the next day....even though I only had one little square, cuz that's all that was left.. :( "Thanks Justin"... Hehe... At least he was nice enough to think of saving me one....I'm sure it took lots of willpower!

*After I baked these I found out that Trader Joe's makes little mini peanut butter cups, about the size of chocolate chips. They would have been really good to use instead of the Reese's...or in addition! :)

Reese's Peanut Butter Blondies

1 c. AP flour

1/4 c. cake flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1/3 c. peanut butter (smooth)

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm

1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

3/4 c. peanut butter chips

1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or spray an 8X8 baking pan and line it with parchment paper or foil that overhangs the sides (you will use it to lift the blondies out of the pan).

Mix together the AP flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together (by hand) the melted butter and peanut butter. Add the brown sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Switching to a wooden spoon or a spatula, mix in the sifted flour mixture. Stir in the chips and peanut butter cups. The dough will be thick and chunky.

Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and spread it in evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating front to back halfway through. The bars are done when the dough is set and golden.

**Optional: you can press peanut butter cups into the surface of the blondies while they are still warm. Let the pan and bars cool completely on a cooling rack. Slice the bars into 4 quadrants--and then slice each quadrant into 4 squares. Try not to eat them all! :)