No-Bake Peanut Butter Squares

Boy were these good!
adapted from Betty Crocker


2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (36 squares)
½ cup coarsely chopped graham cracker pieces
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup peanut butter

Line square pan, 9x9x2 inches, with aluminum foil, leaving 1 inch of foil overhanging on opposite sides.

Mix powdered sugar, butter, 1 cup of peanut butter and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in cracker crumbs and pieces (mixture will be a little stiff). Press in pan.

Heat chocolate chip and ¼ cup peanut butter over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Spread over crumb mixture. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is set.

Remove from pan, using foil to lift. Fold back foil; cut peanut butter mixture into 36 (small!) squares. Refrigerate uncovered about 2 hours or until firm. Cover and refrigerate any remaining squares.

*If you want to double this, please don't try putting the entire thing into a 9x13 pan. MUCH too thick and rich. Try sharing between a 9x13 and an 8- or 9-inch square pan.

Peanut Butter and Jam Bars

Really really good. Adapted slightly from Our Best Bites.

Bars:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup strawberry jam (or your favorite flavor)

Glaze:
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons hot water (no more than 2T!)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and mix just until combined. Add egg and vanilla and mix again. Measure out the 1 1/4 cups flour in a separate bowl. Add small amounts to the peanut butter mixture while mixer is running (about 1/4 cup at a time). When about half of the flour is left, add the baking soda and powder to it. Combine it well, then add to the peanut butter dough and mix until all is incorporated.

Reserve one full cup for the topping. Take remaining dough and press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. (Tip: crumble it all across the bottom and then press down with your fingers.)

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until slightly set.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Spread jam over the top evenly.

Take the reserved dough and cover jam layer. (Tip: it's easier to flatten little pieces of dough at a time with your fingers, then place on top of jam. Some of the jam will show through when you're finished, but that's fine.)

Bake at 350F for 14-15 minutes. The top should be set and just barely golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on rack in pan.

When cool, mix up the glaze with wire whisk. Pour over top and spread evenly. Let glaze set for a bit to harden a little, then cut into squares.

Bakerella's Lemon Bars

adapted slightly from Bakerella's site

FOR THE CRUST:
1 cup Butter
1¾ cup Flour
⅔ cups Confectionary Sugar (plus More For Dusting)
zest of half a lemon

FOR THE TOPPING:
1½ cup Sugar
¼ cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
juice and zest of 2 large lemons (or a bit more than ½ cup Lemon Juice)
4 whole Eggs, Slightly Beaten


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan.

To make crust:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, zest and confectioner’s sugar.
Cut in butter until combined and crumbly.
Press crust mixture into bottom of pan.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

To make topping:
While crust is baking, prepare topping.
In a larger bowl, add sugar, flour, and baking powder.
Then add slightly beaten eggs and lemon zest & juice.
Mix well and pour on top of warm baked crust.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.

When cool, dust with confectioner’s sugar and refrigerate.
Cut into bars and enjoy them cold!

(Or eat them warm - they're too yummy to wait!)

Fudge Revel Bars

adapted slightly (notes at the bottom) from recipe found on Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen.

1 cup Butter, plus 1 Tablespoon, divided
2 cups brown sugar
2 whole eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
2½ cups flour
3 cups quick oats
1 can (14 Oz. can) sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips


Cream together butter, brown sugar and eggs. Add the vanilla. Add 1 teaspoon salt, baking soda, and flour. Mix. Add oats and mix well. Press 2/3 of the dough into a greased cookie sheet.

Put sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute and stir. Keep cooking at 30-second increments and stirring until melted. Pour over the dough and spread out. Sprinkle the rest of the dough over the fudge. (You may think you won't have enough, but you will.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Note: I couldn't fill a large Texas sheet cake cookie sheet with the amount of dough here. I was short about 2 inches, and just barely had enough to sprinkle on top. Next time I do it I will multiply the dough ingredients by 1.5 in order to get the best ratio. I also forgot the Tablespoon butter in the chocolate filling and didn't miss it... in case you're counting calories and all!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars

1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. Beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla till fluffy and add dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chunks. Press into a greased 9x13 inch pan and bake for 18-20 minutes until light golden brown. Or double the recipe and press into a large sheet pan (11X17).

creamy lemon squares

20 Nilla Wafers, finely crushed
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
¼ cup cold butter
3 Tablespoons lemon zest
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

HEAT oven to 350ºF. Line 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends extending over sides. MIX wafer crumbs, flour and brown sugar in bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Bake 5-7 minutes. BEAT cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp lemon zest, lemon juice and baking powder; pour over crust. BAKE 25-28 minutes or ‘til center is set. Cool. Refrigerate 2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining lemon zest. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting.

white chocolate-raspberry cheesecake bars

12 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 squares (ounces) white chocolate, divided
2 eggs
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup red raspberry preserves


HEAT oven to 350ºF. Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 8-inch square pan. Melt 2 ounces of chocolate as directed on package (in microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring each 30 seconds). BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. BAKE 25 to 28 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool five minutes; spread with softened preserves. Melt remaining chocolate; drizzle over cheesecake. Cool cheesecake. Refrigerate 4 hours. Cut into 18 bars.

Cookies and Cream Rice Crispy Treats

4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Cups mini marshmallows
8 Cups rice crispy cereal
8 oz bag mini Oreo cookies

½ Cup chocolate chips, melted

Place butter and marshmallows into a large microwavable bowl. Microwave for a few minutes until marshmallows puff up nice and large. Remove and stir in cereal and Oreos. Pour into a large 9x13 inch baking dish. With the back of a large spoon that's sprayed with cooking spray press and smooth treats. Drizzle melted chocolate over top and let cool. Cut into squares.

Caramel Crunch Bars

*Makes one 9X13-inch pan of bars*

80 club crackers
1 cup butter
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup butterscotch morsels

Line an ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an extension of foil on either end. Line the foil with 1 layer of club crackers.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, milk and sugar. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and spread half of butter mixture evenly over crackers. Place another single layer of crackers evenly over butter mixture, cutting to fit if necessary. Spread remaining butter mixture evenly over crackers. Top evenly with remaining crackers.

In a small saucepan (or in the microwave), combine peanut butter, chocolate morsels, and butterscotch morsels. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over top of crackers. Cover, and chill for at least 1 hour. Lift foil overhang and remove bars from pan. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Bliss Bars

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups peanut butter
3 cups rice krispies
2½ cups corn flakes
¾ cup unsalted butter
4 cups powdered sugar
2 regular sized vanilla pudding mixes (instant)
milk (as needed)
½ cup butter
2½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Over medium heat, heat the corn syrup and granulated sugar; bring to a soft boil, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the peanut butter (you can use chunky; I use natural chunky). Stir until it is smooth and creamy.

Have both kinds of cereals mixed together in a large mixing bowl. Pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the cereal and mix it until it's well combined. All of the cereal should be coated. Press it into a cake pan, packing it down with the bottom of a spoon:

In a saucepan, melt 3/4 c. butter. Add to this the powdered sugar and vanilla pudding mixes. Stir well; it will be very thick. Slowly add bits of milk until the mixture is the consistency of frosting, mix well. Spread this over the cereal layer in the pan.

In a microwave-safe bowl, mix together the last portion of butter and chocolate chips. Heat for 1 minute. Stir well. Continue to heat in 15 second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is smooth. Spread over the vanilla layer.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until chocolate is set. Cut into bars. (These are extremely THICK bars and can be a real pain to cut!)

Crispy Chocolate Cherry Treats

3 tablespoons butter
1 (10-ounce) bag marshmallows
½ cup white chocolate chips
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal (or off-brand works fantastic, too)
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries (I used dried cranberries)
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Prepare pan by lining a 9x13 with tinfoil, leaving extra to hang over the edges. Grease the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt butter in a large pot over low heat. Add marshmallows, white chocolate chips, and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth, about 8 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Off heat, stir in rice krispies and cherries or cranberries until incorporated. Scrape mixture into prepared pan and press into bottom and corners with a greased spatula (I just used my fingers since the marshmallows weren't overly hot at this point). Let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Melt semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave on low at 30 second intervals until smooth. Pour melted chocolate into a Ziploc baggie, pressing chocolate into one corner of the bag. Using scissors, clip a tiny piece off the corner and drizzle chocolate over cooled treats. Allow chocolate to cool, about 45 minutes. Using foil overhang, lift treats from pan. Cut into squares. Serve.

**If you want an 11x17-inch pan, multiply recipe by 1½. Or only fill the pan 3/4-full.

Lemon Bars

CRUST:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour

FILLING:
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
½ cup fresh lemon juice with the pulp
¼ cup finely grated lemon peel (you'll need about 6 large lemons)
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup flour

additional powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in 2/3 cup powdered sugar. Add 2 cups of flour a little at a time, beating until lumps form.
3. Press dough over the bottom of a nonstick 13x9" metal baking pan (use a fork to press). Bake until crust is light golden, about 20 minutes.
4. While crust is baking, beat sugar and eggs in a medium bowl until blended. Beat in lemon juice and peel, baking powder, and then flour.
5. Pour lemon filling over hot crust. Bake until filling is set in the center and browns on top (about 20 minutes). Transfer to rack to cool.
6. When completely cooled, cut into bars. Dust with powdered sugar.


24 bars