Try this easy-to-make and delicious Peanut Butter Bars recipe.
- Carbohydrate 55.887037616778 g
- Cholesterol 40.6708333677144 mg
- Fat 23.3302198124996 g
- Fiber 1.41462500457272 g
- Protein 3.25352604422745 g
- Saturated Fat 12.507130636391 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (87g)
- Sodium 226.027395962068 mg
- Sugar 54.4724126122053 g
- Trans Fat 1.40553448036043 g
- Calories 430 calories
Step-by-step
- In a medium bowl, mix together the butter or margarine, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
- In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.
Refrigerated confections containing a high proportion of saturated fats often develop a brittle, chalky mouthfeel if stored incorrectly. Hermetically sealing these squares in an airtight glass container prevents ambient refrigerator odors from degrading the delicate cocoa butter compounds in the topping. Maintaining storage temperatures between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit preserves the dense, fudgy crumb of the base without rendering the chocolate shell entirely inflexible during slicing.
Substitutions demand strict attention to fat ratios when altering foundational components. Replacing butter with plant-based margarine containing less than 80 percent fat introduces excess water, which causes the confectioners' sugar to dissolve and creates a grainy texture rather than a cohesive dough. Pressing the mixture firmly into the 9x13-inch pan using a flat-bottomed measuring cup ensures uniform density before the chocolate layer is applied.
Portions scale easily by multiplying all ingredients by 1.5 to fit a larger half-sheet pan, though chilling times must extend by thirty minutes to compensate for increased mass. Second-day leftovers actually improve as the graham cracker crumbs fully hydrate from the surrounding fats, softening the crumb structure while keeping the chocolate coating stable.
