Years ago I posted this recipe for Chewy Chocolate Peanut Bars. They were baked, enjoyed, then forgotten about. Poor bars. They were so forgotten about that six years later, a woman gave us a batch saying that they were her "secret recipe", and I only vaguely recognized them. Maybe it was because she used graham crackers and I've always made these with Ritz. At any rate, I've put these bars back into my own baking rotation because I now have a lot of friends who don't eat eggs, and these, with the Ritz, are egg-free.
Texture-wise, these are super chewy. They have a crust of oatmeal, cracker crumbs and peanuts, all bound together with sugar, corn syrup and butter, then topped with a mixture of chocolate and peanut butter. Snacks don't get much healthier! But seriously, they are filling and the recipe makes a ton. You can cut them very small or very large. They're basically like candy bars.
Chewy Chocolate Peanut Bars Pan Size
The recipe calls for a 15x10 inch pan, which makes a ton of bars. I tend to halve the recipe and use either an 8-inch pan for thick bars or a 9-inch pan for thinner bars. For the recipe card, I've used the original 15x10 inch pan size. Just know that it halves easily. If you want an even smaller batch, you can make ⅓ and use a ⅛ sheet pan!
Bake Time
The first time I made them I over-baked them and they were a bit crispy. However, I took another shot at it and the second time the bars were delicious. They are bar cookies, but similar to candy.
Recipe
Chewy Chocolate and Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups oats, quick or rolled (150 grams)
- 1 cup cracker crumbs, Ritz or Graham (75 grams)
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar (150 grams)
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup salted peanuts finely chopped (85 grams)
- ½ cup salted butter or use unsalted and add a pinch of salt
- ½ cup light corn syrup (150 grams)
- 1 tsp vanilla
Chocolate Peanut Butter Topping
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (170 grams)
- ½ cup peanut butter (130 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Line a 15x10 inch pan with a sheet of parchment or foil, then grease the parchment or foil as well as any exposed part of the pan. These are sticky!
- Combine oats, cracker crumbs, sugar, baking soda and peanuts in a large mixing bowl.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the corn syrup and vanilla. Combined corn syrup mixture and oat mixture and mix well. Press into pan and bake for 12-14 minutes. Definitely check at 12 so that you don't accidentally overbake.
- It will come out of the oven a bit soft and hot, so let it cool down about 10 minutes before you pour on the chocolate topping.
- Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together in a bowl set over barely simmering water or in the microwave. If using the microwave, you can do this on high and stir every 30 seconds or use one of the lower powers.
- Spread chocolate over warm baked crust. Let cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to refrigerator for about 20 minutes to partially set. Pry the bars away from the edge of the pan, then transfer them to a cutting board and cut into bars.
- Return to refrigerator to fully set the chocolate.
sweetie says
krispies or granola in the base layer would also be yummy!
CakeSpy says
These look amazing. I am curious to try it out with different nuts too (in addition to the peanuts!). I love the oats too, they're so good in bars!
anth says
I am making these right now... They are currently cooling. Smell AMAZING.
Mimi says
I'm all for anything chocolate and peanut butter.
Mimi
katherine says
Do you think you could omit the peanuts or use almonds or pecans instead? I don't have any peanuts and don't want to make a special trip to the store.... actually pretzels would probably be good in this...
Sue says
Thinking about your lighting and camera. I struggle with this in a HUGE way and have considered getting or making a light box. So far I haven't found the time to do either. I take almost all of my photos by daylight, but once in awhile I give in and use artificial lighting, or gasp, even the flash on my camera!! The days are so much shorter now, and this time of year it tends to be cloudy a lot so I really need to come up with a better solution. BTW, my camera is Nikon D40X. I love it. It's an entry level DSLR, but it works for me.
Dolce says
Before you get a new camera, it's indeed all about the lights... But then, who can resist a nice DSLR?? Though, again, the best pictures I take (with, ahem, a point & shoot camera) are by daylight. Anything else needs to be edited, and that's never as good as sunlight.
I am sure this chocolate & peanut butter bars would make a great hostess gift for Thanksgiving 🙂
Anna says
About the oats, I used old fashioned. If a recipe says quick, I try to use quick because it affects the texture. In this case I don't think it mattered too much,
Soshana, my light box is the portable type. Look up on portable light box on Amazon. It's the one that's about $40.
Susan, the chocolate topping gets soft at room temperature, but not too melty. I think it would work for you.
Thanks all for all the picture remarks and tips. Nikon is a great camera, but I've become a little brand loyal to Canon and will probably go that direction. A friend of mine had a Nikon and her pictures were great.
Louise says
These look similar to a David Lebovitz treat I've had on my list to try. Matzoh is the base of his.
Susan says
These look so perfect for a holiday show I'm doing soon. Do you think the chocolate on top will stay set and not melt? I always wonder about drizzled and covered chocolate on goodies once packaged.
Shoshana says
These look great! What kind of light box do you use? I have been only taking daytime pictures, but it would be much more convenient to have more flexibility.
tanya says
They look perfect to me - yumm!
Tanya
Therese B. says
Maybe it's me...but, I don't see a problem at all with the pics. Your pictures and
explanations of the recipe always tempt me to make them. These look so good
I just want to make them!!!
p.s. I made the butternut squash lasagna...it's cooking in the oven right now!
Chris Mower says
These are looking like the perfect treat for my family get-together tonight. The temptation to buy a super-deluxe DSLR is always there... so hard to resist.
justJENN says
MAN that looks good, with or without light bulbs!
Amanda says
Sorry about your bulbs :-/ but your cookies look fantastic!
Diane says
Whoops, I see Dee beat me to the punch!
Diane says
These are my kind of treat. Quick question: what kind of oatmeal is best to use, old-fashioned or quick?
Thanks,
Diane
Dee says
When a recipe like this calls for "oatmeal," does it matter if you use the quick cooking kind or regular oatmeal? Thanks.
Sally says
If you are looking at new cameras check out http://www.bakeorbreak.com. Her photos are just amazing. I can taste what she bakes while I'm drooling over the photos. Somewhere in her website I think she mentions the camera she uses. If I remember correctly hers is a Nikon.
clumbsycookie says
Those look delicious Anna, even with the light issue 😉 And they do look very crunchy and not chewy at all...
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
These cookies look phenomenal. What a great addition to my Christmas baking list!
Sue says
These look so good! And funny you should mention chocolate chip cookies because I've been craving them lately.