These easy, one-bowl peanut butter bars are loaded with chopped peanuts and mini chocolate chips, and topped with Hershey’s Kisses!
Owen had his first peanut butter blossom cookie the other day, and I think his mind was officially blown. I was letting him eat a cookie and Hershey’s Kisses at the same time? It’s so fun to introduce him to foods I know he will love for the rest of his life. And really, who doesn’t count peanut butter blossoms among their favorites? My old roommate’s grandmother used to mail her a tin of them every year at Christmas, and I remember sitting in our Park Slope kitchen, devouring them (probably with wine instead of milk, because…I was 24).
Anyway, if Owen really likes something, he will ask where I got it. If I say the supermarket, he wants to know which one. Stew Leonard’s, the one with the car carts, or the one with the mini carts for “customers in training”? Then he will tell me that I have to buy it again. On this particular occasion, the cookie came from our local bakery, and instead of agreeing to buy more, I suggested that we bake them for ourselves.
But who needs another recipe for straightforward peanut butter blossoms? The best one is right there on the back of the bag of Hershey’s Kisses. I wanted to get a little creative. You should all know by now that I love cookies, but the truth is, when push comes to shove, I’ll chose a bar (like a brownie or a blondie) over a cookie every time. Just make sure it’s thick, gooey, and loaded with all the chocolate, please.
So that’s how I landed on this idea: chunky chocolate peanut butter blossom bars. I think it’s a pretty good one 🙂
One of the things I love best about this recipe is that it is one-bowl. These bars aren’t fussy–go ahead and dump everything in all together. Another bonus? I usually have all the ingredients on hand, so I can make them on a whim (or let’s face it: when it’s 5pm, I sense a tantrum is brewing, and I need a diversion–fast). They are also adaptable. You can use chunky peanut butter if you don’t have creamy (whyyyyy? I am so anti-chunky but Alex loves it, so we weirdly always have jars of both), and regular chocolate chips in place of the mini kind. If you don’t have peanuts feel free to leave them out.
Classic peanut butter blossom cookies are rather small, maybe three- or four-bite affairs. I kept these bars small too, in order to preserve the traditional peanut-butter-to-Kiss ratio. Plus, then you can eat two of them. Or three. Preferably with a tall glass of ice cold chocolate milk, because… I’m a mom now and that’s how I roll these days.
Chunky Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossom Bars
2016-06-22 20:56:09
Yields 16
Move over brownies and blondies, these peanut butter blossom bars are the ultimate comforting, indulgent dessert. This recipe yields 16 small bars. You could certainly use fewer Hershey's Kisses and make bigger bars. You can also easily double this recipe and bake it in a 13-x-9-inch pan.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 16 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped
Instructions
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 8x8-inch square baking pan with foil and line the bottom with parchment. Spray the sides of the pan with nonstick spray. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
- Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the peanut butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and beat just until combined. Stir in the peanuts and chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until just set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the bars for 5 minutes. Press the Hershey's Kisses into the surface of the bars, spacing them evenly, in 4 rows of 4. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the Kisses are set. Cut the bars into squares. Bars will keep, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days.
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Tania says
The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is my favorite! I’ve been craving for sweets all week, and now I finally found what I was looking for! Thanks!
Raia says
I love these! I’m sure my kiddos will love them too, if I share… 😉
Peter Block says
OMG. We are all saying that we are making these for the kids so we can eat a whole bunch for our selves. These look delicious.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
Pass me some of these please! Chocolate and peanut butter go so well together.
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says
I love easy, one bowl cookies and bar cookies! The less that stands between me and eating cookies the better. And you can’t go wrong with the peanut butter/chocolate combo. 😉