No Bake Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

Summer has arrived in Seattle and I’m again on the hunt for no-bake cookies. I know people around the country scoff at us complaining about the heat, but when it is 85 degrees outside, it’s that warm or warmer inside. It’s no fun at all when you get hot just sitting on the sofa! So far I have managed the heat, but it’s supped to be in the 90s for the next week or so and I am completely dreading it. While I do work less in the summer, I may just go into work extra since there is air conditioning there.

It’s tricky to find no-bake cookies that are cookie-like. I don’t really like the mouth feel of uncooked sugar, and that’s what you get with so many no-bake cookies. This recipe avoids that and you probably won’t immediately know that these are a no-bake cookie. They are decadent little bars with great flavor. My main issue with these is that my house was so warm that they got soft in the short time I was cutting the cookies into bars!

I realized when I was cleaning up the kitchen that I melted the butter for these, but then never added it to the cookies. Well, I hoped that the bottom crust would stay together with just graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter and powdered sugar, and it seemed to be ok. The bottom crust was a little soft, but other than that they were fine. I’m sure they would be sturdier if you actually followed the recipe. Oh well! They were well liked at work; one colleague said they were great with tea, another mentioned that they reminded her of Little Debbie Nutty Bars. You honestly can’t go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter.

No Bake Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup chocolate chips

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 teaspoon shortening

3/4 cup crisp rice cereal

Line a 9” square pan with foil and spray the foil with nonstick spray; set aside.

 In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup peanut butter, and the powdered sugar. Stir with a spatula to combine, stirring until the mixture is cohesive. Press into the prepared pan and chill for 1 hour.

Place the chocolate chips, peanut butter and shortening in a microwaveable bowl and microwave for one minute. Stir until the mixture is smooth. (Alternatively, you could heat this mixture in a saucepan over low heat until the chips are melted.) Add the crisp rice cereal and stir until the cereal is coated with the chocolate mixture.

Spread the chocolate/cereal mixture on top of the base and chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Life the foil from the pan and peel away from the bars. Cut into squares. 

Recipe from The Midnight Baker