About This Recipe
I am always thinking of recipes to use one of my favorite combinations: chocolate chips melted with peanut butter. The peanut butter mellows out the chocolate, making it extremely mild, smooth, and creamy, and adding another layer of flavor. And the combination stays soft and creamy, yet you can still pick it up with your fingers and eat it. This recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Candy Bars is fabulous.
This recipe is kind of like homemade Kit Kat Bars, which is one of the best candies ever. The Rice Chex cereal provides the perfect amount of crunch in the chocolate-peanut butter mixture. The cereal stays crisp and crunchy too, which is kind of like a miracle. Oh – and they’re no bake!
This recipe uses three packages of chocolate chips. I don’t know of a more decadent recipe!
And the peanut butter sandwich cookie base is the perfect complement to the rich topping. Make these bars soon! They will disappear in a flash.
Tips for the best Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Candy Bars:
- You really don’t need any tips, because no part of this recipe is tricky. How’s that for easy!
Why this recipe works:
- Chocolate chips and peanut butter, melted together in the right proportions, create an excellent base for any frosting or bar cookie topping. About 2 cups of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of peanut butter will make an excellent mixture that firms up but stays soft.
- Peanut butter sandwich cookies are sturdy enough for the base, but the frosting in the middle makes the base tender.
- The Rice Chex is the perfect crunch factor in these cookie bars. They are tender enough so the bars aren’t hard to eat, but are sturdy enough so they stand up to the chocolate mixture and don’t get soggy.
- Part of the chocolate mixture is held back for the frosting; kind of a self-frosting, if you will. That’s the perfect finishing touch.
Steps
|
1
Done
|
Crush the sandwich cookies, either by putting them into a ziplock bag and smashing them with a rolling pin, or grinding them in a food processor. Combine with the 5 tablespoons melted butter and mix well. Press into a 13" x 9" pan. |
|
2
Done
|
In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, peanut butter, and 3 tablespoons butter. |
|
3
Done
|
Microwave the chocolate mixture on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring after each minute, until the mixture is melted and smooth. |
|
4
Done
|
Now remove 2 cups of the melted chocolate mixture for the topping. |
|
5
Done
|
Stir the Rice Chex into the larger amount of melted chocolate until combined. Spoon over the peanut butter cookie crust and spread evenly. Press down lightly with the back of a spoon. |
|
6
Done
|
Now spoon the reserved 2 cups melted chocolate mixture on top of the cereal layer and spread until smooth. Let stand until set, then cut into bars. You can chill the bars for about an hour to speed up the setting time if you can't wait! Store them, covered, at room temperature. |
