Salted Peanut Chews
Usually all it takes is me seeing the words “peanut” or “peanut butter” in a recipe title to get me to save it immediately. And sometimes it takes even less time for me to get my butt in the kitchen and whip it up. For some reason, however, these beauties slipped through the cracks. Part of it is probably due to my habit of saving recipes in multiple locations – doggy-eared magazines, binders with clipped recipes, Google Reader, regular ol’ bookmarks, and who knows where else. I don’t remember when I saved this recipe, but I was doing a purge of my bookmarks last week when it jumped out at me. A cookie bar topped with marshmallows and then a layer of goodness that can only be described as a cross between a Rice Krispy treat, peanut brittle and peanut caramel. So in essence, only the most fabulous things ever!
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This is a pretty easy recipe to throw together, with positively amazing results! The one caution I have is that when you make the peanut topping, you really need to work a bit quickly. It’s key to only heat the mixture until the chips are melted and everything is smooth; if you overcook the mixture it will start to thicken and harden (much like caramel). So, cook only until everything is melted, and then move swiftly with getting it smoothed out on top of the marshmallows.
Then pop it in the fridge and try to restrain yourself for about 45 minutes while it chills and sets. All of that willpower will be worth it, though, when you have a whole pan of these babies sitting in front of you. Totally delicious and addicting – consider yourself warned!
One year ago: Easy Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Salted Peanut Chews
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (146.67 g) light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) baking soda
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 cups (225 g) miniature marshmallows
For the Topping:
- ⅔ cup (227.33 ml) light corn syrup
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 ounces (283.5 g) peanut butter chips , (1-2/3 cups)
- 2 cups (37.33 g) crisp rice cereal
- 2 cups (292 g) salted peanuts
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat all the base ingredients except the marshmallows with an electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press the mixture firmly in the bottom of an ungreased 9x13-inch pan.
- 2. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately sprinkle marshmallows over the base. Base 1 to 2 minutes longer or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Cool while preparing topping.
- 3. In a 3-quart saucepan, mix all topping ingredients except cereal and peanuts. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, just until the chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in the cereal and peanuts. Immediately spoon the warm topping over marshmallows; spread to cover. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. Cut into 36 bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I have been making these for years but I have always used Butterscotch Chips instead of Peanut Butter. It is a wonderful combination.
Hi there! Would you mind if I share your blog with my zynga group?
There’s a lot of folks that I think would really appreciate your content.
Please let me know. Thanks
i also had my base turn out doughy. I used my kitchen aid mixer and tossed it all in there! we will see how it turns out
These sinfully and calorie inviting!! Definitely gonna try this.
However, where I am staying, there are no peanut butter chips and rice cereal.
Is it possible to substitute peanut butter with peanut butter spread and rice cereal for cornflakes?
Hi Sarah, I think crushed cornflakes could be substituted, however regular peanut butter would not work, I don’t think. Peanut butter chips melt and set like melted chocolate, while melted peanut butter will not set up firm like that.
i’m currently making these–my grandmother made something similar and i havent been able to find a recipe; but this looks like it. when i made the “base” mine wasn’t crumbly-it came together like dough. i beat all the ingredients together until crumby and then added yolks and extract. i’ve never just “thrown everything in a bowl and mixed”. after taking it out of the oven it doesnt look grainy like the picture-looks more like a shortbread. will the end product be different? next time should i just “toss it all in a bowl and mix’? I used my KA standmixer…
Hi Joey, Unfortunately, I can’t speak to results if the technique used was different than what the recipe states. How the recipe is written above is how I made it, so if a different mixing method was used, then that could be why the base has a different texture.
Yummy looking bars. I love baking with nuts but can’t do it that often – my son is allergic. So, when I know he won’t be around for a few days, I bake something like this. Thanks for adding to my collection of recipes my son can’t eat! And I can!
WOW these Salted Peanut Chews look totally yum to me I so want to try them!
Daniela
I’ve been making this exact recipe for oh…years and years…they’re so yummy :) I got the recipe from a Betty Crocker Baking Book, just FYI. I always make two pans of them at Christmas…one pan goes out as gifts, the other pan stays home with me :D
Holy heck! These look amazing!!! Can’t wait to make them! Thanks!
I made these for my family this weekend and they are sooooo good!! I can’t wait to make them again. Thank you so much – – from ALL of us! :)
This looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it. I shared this recipe on my Must Try Tuesday blog post.
http://therickettchronicles.blogspot.com/2011/03/must-try-tuesday-march-29-2011.html
Thanks!
It seems to be we are all about peanuts and pb! I made and posted Peanut Butter Cupcakes with PB&J Buttercream…yes really buttercream that tastes like pb&J, today. I want to try these bars…they look / sound goooooood! :)
Your Salted Peanut Chews so remind me of the flavors of one of my favorite candies when I was a kid – Pearson’s Salted Nut Rolls (http://www.pearsonscandy.com/nutroll.aspx)! I’m bookmarking this one!
These look fantastic! Yum!
hi! these look great – i hpoe you don’t mind if i put them on my april 7th round up of copycat recipes:?
last month was at http://www.buttercreambarbie.com/2011/03/copycat-club-march-2011.html
thanks!
Tia
Hi Tia, Sure you are more than welcome to include them.
Wow! These look heavenly! I’m gonna be thinking about them all night!
Quick question–I can’t get peanut butter chips where I live. Do you know if replacing the chips and the corn syrup with regular peanut butter would do? Thank you!
Hi Mariah, That’s a tough one, I am not sure about mixing peanut butter with corn syrup, if that would give the same consistency. It might, let me know how it turns out if you try it!
These look really delicious!
These are over the top, 100 percent up my alley! I will be making these really soon. Thank God for peanut butter chips and marshmallows.
okay- I am sold. I have to make these! looks crazy good!
These look so good. I am looking forward to trying this recipe.
That looks great.
Wow these chews look amazing! Love how simple the recipe is too. Yum!
These look and sound amazing! Lovely pictures. I’m having a MAJOR craving now!
Saw the picture on your Facebook page before I read it in my RSS Feeds and ran to my kitchen to see if we had any peanuts. Alas, we’ll have to wait until I get all the ingredients. Looks too marvelous to wait.
goodness gracious…yes, I have a total weakness for peanut butter. These looks so amazing and would not last very long in my home.