Chocolate Peanut Chews!

If you are like me and you love the flavors of chocolate and peanut butter and love them even more when combined, these little bars are going to be right up your alley.   These are so easy to make and most of the time we have the ingredients on hand that you need for these.   

This is  also a good beginner recipe to have the children help with since the prep is fairly basic.  Children always enjoy food they help cook so much more than food they are just served and the memories they make in the kitchen will always be with them every time they smell certain foods or see certain recipes.  

Let's make some memories this holiday season in the kitchen! 

Here is what you will need for these yummy bars:

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1  1/2 cups all purpose flour

1  1/2 cups quick cook oats (not instant)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips

Glaze

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups confectioners sugar

6 Tbs. milk

1 cup chopped peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.   Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add vanilla.

In another bowl combine the flour, oats, soda and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Pour into a well greased 15"x10"x1" pan or what is considered a jelly roll pan.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Do not over bake. 

When you remove from oven, immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.  Let them sit a few minutes to soften and then spread the evenly over the top.   You can speed the melting by sliding the pan back in the oven that has been turn off for about a minute or two...not long though.

Next, prepare the glaze by beating the peanut butter with the 2 cups confectioners sugar until smooth, add the milk 1 Tbs. at a time just until the glaze is spreading consistency. 

Drop the glaze by spoonful over the top of the bars and then carefully spread it to cover without it mixing too much with the chocolate chip layer.   Sprinkle the chopped peanuts evenly over the top. 

Allow to cool and cut in 1"x2" bars.   Store in an airtight container. 





Toffee Chip Bars!

 

These "Toffee Chip Bars" are a delicious bar type cookie that are so easy to make!  They are a perfect after school snack for the kids or an afternoon pick me up with a good cup of coffee.  I will warn you though, they are addicting and it's hard to eat just one.  Here is what you need for these yummy bars:

 

 

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup Heath Bar toffee chips

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

In a mixing bowl, mix together the brown sugar and flour.  Using a pastry cutter or two knives cut the butter into the flour and sugar mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.   Remove 1 cup and set aside.

 

Add baking powder and salt to mixture in mixing bowl.  Lightly beat in milk, egg, and vanilla. 

 

When a smooth batter forms, pour mixture into a 9"x13" baking pan that has been liberally sprayed with nonstick spray or greased with butter.

 

Sprinkle the top with the reserved crumb mixture. 

 

Mix the Heath chips, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and nuts together and sprinkle evenly over the top.  The Heath chips can be purchased on the baking aisle in the area with the chocolate chips and such.

 

Bake the bars for 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool completely, then cut into 24 bars.  Store in an airtight container.