Peanut. Butter. Bars. Whenever these words are uttered at The University Star office (Texas State University’s student newspaper serving a college community of over 32,000), my coworkers stop what they’re doing and start asking me if I have any. They’re kinda famous to the students journalists here.
I remember the first time I made peanut butter bars was when I’d just been promoted to assistant web editor in fall of 2009. I found a recipe on Foodgawker and adapted it to be a bit more thick and less sweet, and brought them to an editorial board meeting.
Ingredients:
3 cups chunky peanut butter
3 cups crushed graham crackers
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 stick butter (salted or unsalted)
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
13×9 glass baking dish or metal pan
Melt the butter and mix with the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
Spread the mixture into a 13×9 glass baking dish or metal pan. Make sure the mix is packed into the pan tight, otherwise the bars may crumble when finished.
Pour 6 ounces of the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Pour the remaining 6 ounces of chocolate chips in to microwave and stir until smooth. It may take more than two 30-second sessions of microwaving for your chips to melt, just be sure to keep it at 30 seconds, otherwise the chocolate may burn/scorch.
Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter bar mixture and spread with a knife or the back of a spoon.
Refrigerate for at least one hour. Cut up into small bars or squares and keep them refrigerated until they’re ready to be served.
Brett Thorne, opinions editor, gives peanut butter bars a thumbs up.
Nomnomnom…he really likes them.
Ok, he might like them too much?
Our lovely sports editor, Lisa Carter, approves of peanut butter bars too!
