My favorite bar cookies are Peanut Butter Bars. I had a recipe for Peanut Butter Bars when my kids were little, now it's lost. Around once or twice a month I would make them and they would fly out of the pan, they loved them so much. When we moved to our new house 10 years ago, a whole folder of old recipes including the one for these bars, disappeared. Don't know where it is, who misplaced or threw it out! I have been on a search, for a recipe for these bars, forever. I don't even remember where I got the original recipe from. That recipe was baked from scratch, and all I remember is that it was handwritten on an index card, and never to be seen again.
While grocery shopping in different supermarkets, I did find a box version that came close to the homemade bars, but then that was pulled from the market too, can't find it anywhere. After much searching I am happy to say, I found a recipe that does come close, and after tweaking it a bit, these new Peanut Butter Bars will definitely be in the dessert rotation at our house.
Recipe below.
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I used a box yellow cake mix for this recipe, JIF peanut butter (is there any other brand, NO!). JIF is my favorite. Mix the egg, water and peanut butter together.
Whip it with a hand mixer.
It will look like the picture on the left, fluffy. Then add the cake mix.
It will be more like a soft cookie dough. Scrape the bowl so all the cake mix is incorporated.
Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish, use a spatula and start spreading it in the pan. It's pretty easy to do, as the dough is soft.
Make sure it's even and not lop sided. PERFECT! Now it's ready to bake.
After it's done baking and cooling, start mixing the frosting, the best part!
Add milk and whip into a delicious creamy, chocolaty frosting.
I chopped about 1/4 cup of peanuts in a small food processor, to sprinkle on 1/3 of the bars after they were frosted. Not everyone likes to eat peanuts so I didn't do the whole pan. If you do the whole pan 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts will do.
Cake, frosting and peanuts lined up and ready to finish off the bars.
I find it easy with a 9 x 13 pan, to plop down three scoops of frosting down the center of the cake and then spread it. After it's frosted, sprinkle part of the pan or the whole pan with chopped peanuts.
I made these Peanut Butter Bars to take to a friends house for a Saturday night get together of food, fun and talk, it was a great night!
I cut my bars into 2 inch squares for easy eating finger food. They were a hit!
Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
Cooking Spray
1/2 cup water
1 large egg
1 cup JIF Peanut Butter
1 box yellow cake mix
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside. In a medium size mixing bowl combine the water, egg and peanut butter. Beat with a mixer until fluffy and smooth. Pour the cake mix in and beat with a mixer until all is combined. Scrape down the bowl as you are mixing.
Spread the mix into the baking dish. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a light golden brown. Please remember all oven temperatures are different and bake according to your oven. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 - 3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Directions
Beat all ingredients in a medium size bowl with a mixer until smooth. Frost the bars, sprinkle with peanuts, cut into 2x2 inch pieces and serve.
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