These bars are adapted from Smitten Kitchen to make them a touch lighter and extra crispy crunchy! Perfect for a Halloween treat! It’s as if a rice crispy treat and reece’s peanut butter cup had a baby. SO yummy, AND you know everything that is in there. This is far from a healthy recipe, but comparatively, it is way better than processed candy. At least everything is natural, and if you really wanted to up the health factor, you could use brown rice cereal, and swap out peanut butter for almond butter.
Your choice, but either way, these are delicious and take very little time to make! Enjoy, and have a happy Halloween!
For the crispy crust
- 2 1/4 cups crisped rice cereal
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
For the chocolate peanut butter layer
- 5 ounces good-quality bitter sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
For the chocolate icing
- 3 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72 percent cocoa), coarsely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup chopped, lightly salted peanuts
Make the crispy crust: Spray a the bottom and sides of a lined 8-inch square baking pan.
Put the cereal in a large bowl and set aside.
Pour 1/4 cup water into a small saucepan. Gently add the sugar and corn syrup (do not let any sugar or syrup get on the sides of the pan) and use a small wooden spoon to stir the mixture until just combined. Put a candy thermometer in the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 235 degrees F.
Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and vanilla, and pour the mixture over the cereal. Working quickly, stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated, then pour it into the prepared pan. Using your hands, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan (do not press up the sides). Let the crust cool to room temperature while you make the next layer.
Make the chocolate peanut butter layer: In a large nonreactive metal bowl, stir together the chocolate and the peanut butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for about 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the cooled crust. Put the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the top layer hardens.
Make the chocolate icing: In a large nonreactive metal bowl, combine the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter.
Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the chilled chocolate peanut butter layer and spread (actually, I found it easier to just roll it around until it coated smoothly, avoiding the risk of picking up any of the peanut butter layer with it) into an even layer. Then, sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the top for extra crunch! Put the pan into the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the topping hardens.
Cut into 16-20 squares and serve. These are VERY rich, so I like smaller portions better. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly.