Peanut Butter Intensity Bars

Peanut Butter Intensity Bars

Hey, it’s been almost a week since I’ve posted a PB and chocolate recipe. In my world, that’s one week too long!

There are times when life gets a little intense, friends. This is one of those times. It’s been a rough month, and reading the newspaper really doesn’t help. I don’t understand how people can watch the news before they go to bed. Do they want to have nightmares? Lie awake in their beds imagining worst-case scenarios?

Peanut Butter Intensity Bars

Every day, I skim headlines. When they’re not too bad I feel a vague sense of satisfaction. But when (as has been the case for the past few weeks) I see a lot of scary and disturbing stuff, I retreat into my kitchen to bake. And the worse the headline, the more crazy I go with the food. That’s why these peanut butter bars are so intense.

Peanut Butter Intensity Bars

Nestle has been selling these amazing filled chocolate chips. They have lots of flavors: mint, cherry, caramel, and of course, peanut butter. So these bars are chock-full of the PB-filled chips and peanut butter chips as well. Why hold back?

Peanut Butter Intensity Bars

These are kind of a blondie-peanut butter bar hybrid. Blondies are characterized by their intense levels of brown sugar. If you’ve ever had brown sugar with peanut butter, you know what I’m talking about when I say that I had to dump an entire cup of brown sugar in this and eschew (yes, I’m an English teacher, I use big words) any granulated sugar. It made for a chewier, denser bar. Brown sugar all the way!

Peanut Butter Intensity Bars

If you don’t like peanut butter, avoid these at all cost. There’s no place for you here! Don’t you know me by now?

Peanut Butter Intensity Bars

Seriously, enjoy these. But not while watching the news. Avoid the news! Instead, watch reruns of Gilmore Girls while you chow down. It will feel so much better.

 

Peanut Butter Intensity Bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 and 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Nestle peanut butter-filled chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Combine the melted butter with the egg, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in the peanut butter. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until just incorporated.
  3. Fold in the filled chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Pour batter out into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until center is just set and golden.
  5. Allow bars to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.
http://justaboutbaked.com/peanut-butter-intensity-bars/

 

 

 

 

Mir

I fulfill many roles in life: wife, mother, teacher, everlasting learner. This site is dedicated to one role that expresses my creativity in ways that I find consistently challenging and rewarding: baker. Inventing new ways to enhance food, especially if that food involves chocolate or peanut butter (or both!), is a passion of mine. I look forward to sharing my ideas with you.

This Post Has 22 Comments

  1. annie@ciaochowbambina.com

    Yes, please! I love everything peanut butter! These sound awesome!
    annie@ciaochowbambina.com recently posted…Orange Biscotti with Grand MarnierMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Thanks, Annie! I’m with you on all things PB!

  2. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

    I love the name of these bars, Mir! So full of peanut butter flavor! And making them blondie hybrids sound even better!
    Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Caramel Apple Cake Bars with Caramel Apple FrostingMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Hybrids make me happy, Gayle. I’m posting my brownie/donut mashup on Friday!

  3. Danielle

    I love peanut butter and these look delicious! I need to find these filled chocolate chips too, that’s such a genius idea.
    Danielle recently posted…Small Batch Chocolate Chip CookiesMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I love Nestle. They’re always doing cool stuff!

  4. Mira

    I love peanut butter and these looks and sound “intensity” delicious!!! I love the use of the peanut butter filled chips and must try them !
    Mira recently posted…Pumpkin And Peanut Butter CupcakesMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I know you’re a big PB fan, Mira!

  5. Manali @ CookWithManali

    Oooo, looks so good Mir. Give me peanut butter everyday and I will not complain..I think I have around 8 jars of PB in my house right now! I need to use some of those and make these bars!
    Manali @ CookWithManali recently posted…Halloween Donut MacaronsMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I need to get to your site and check out those macarons, Manali! But yep, I have a lot of PB jars in my own arsenal. Best stuff ever!

  6. Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat.

    Mmmm, those look amazing! I love peanut butter bars, and these look perfectly chewy and dense. More peanut butter is always better, especially when combined with chocolate! I haven’t seen those filled chocolate chips yet, but they sound awesome.
    Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. recently posted…Chewy Coconut Granola BarsMy Profile

    1. Mir

      They’re dangerously good, Stacey! See if your grocery has them! I need to find more things to do with them.

  7. Heather @ Shards of Lavender

    I have a love/hate relationship with headlines… I know I should be up-to-date with the latest news, but most of the times it’s just do negative and depressing. Baking definitely makes me happy when life can sometimes try to drag me down:) Peanut butter and chocolate chip blondies definitely would make my day! I’ve been meaning to try the new stuffed chocolate chips, but I’d have to dump the whole bag in to prevent myself from eating all of them! These look perfect, Mir!
    Heather @ Shards of Lavender recently posted…Skinny Chocolate Chip Banana Bread MuffinsMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I admit, I have been snacking on them, Heather. And I feel the same about the headlines. Oh well. We have to keep cheery!

  8. Trish - Mom On Timeout

    I love the name of these bars Mir! And they look SO good! Love me some peanut butter!
    Trish – Mom On Timeout recently posted…Easy Halloween Magnetic TrayMy Profile

    1. Mir

      You and me both, Trish! I have to bake with PB at least once a week. I’m so glad you feel the same way!

  9. Jess @ whatjessicabakednext

    These bars look delicious! Love peanut butter, addicted! Definitely trying this recipe ASAP! Thanks for sharing Mir! 😀
    Jess @ whatjessicabakednext recently posted…Giant Chocolate Chip Skillet CookieMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Thanks, Jess! I love that it’s only one bowl!

  10. Michele @ Two Raspberries

    wow these are definitely Intense PB in an amazing way!!! they had to have been gone like right away… did they even last the whole day?! … and I 100 percent agree with you, I don’t know how people watch the news or read the newspaper and then go to bed… in all honesty the “real world” everything on the news and stuff it all gives me crazy anxiety and like you said makes me think worst case scenarios! I try to stay in my own lil land so that I can have some peace of mind… although I’m un-decided if thats a good thing or not… at least you had some PB bars to relax you a bit 😉
    Michele @ Two Raspberries recently posted…Happy Halloween Ghost Themed Link LoveMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I know, Michele. I don’t know if head in the sand is good, either. But it’s a need sometimes!
      These did go instantly. I’ll have to make another batch!

  11. Jocelyn@Brucrewlife

    I wish I had a a whole pan of these in front of me right now!! 🙂 And I wouldn’t want to share with anyone! Everything about them sounds wonderful! And the news, oy. I skim headlines also. It’s hard to take all of the negativity in all the time, although I do like to be somewhat aware of what’s going on.
    Jocelyn@Brucrewlife recently posted…Pepperoni Alfredo Pizza DipMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Oy is right. I kind of hope that all the sugar balances the bad headlines. But probably not. Sigh!

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