Crunchy Nut Bars

I often go through recipes looking for items that contain a certain ingredient. I may have a stock of a certain type of chips or a type of cereal, and I want to find recipes that will use those items. While I am pretty good at checking to make sure that I haven’t made a recipe previously, it’s not a perfect science. Names of recipes change, as well as some of the ingredients, and I’m none the wiser that I have made the item before.

This recipe is one that I have basically made before, but enough things changed, so I didn’t recognize it right away. This is a classic Pillsbury Bake Off recipe, which is very tasty, but I did want to make this different. This recipe uses a cake mix base, which is good now that it’s summer and the house is warm. It’s a short-cut I use from time to time. I also changed the nuts; the original called for roasted peanuts, and I ended up using the butter toffee mixed nuts that I had on hand. Ok, it’s a bit of a sweet cookie adding more things that are sweet, but life goes on.

Using the cake mix did save a couple of minutes, so that is an option when you are pressed for time. I don’t struggle that much when making dough, but others have different experiences. Puffing the marshmallows really adds to these bars, giving them that soft but melty texture. I did worry that using butter toffee nuts would be over the top. They are sweet, but not overly so. It’s hard to think of peanut butter chips as a “savory” option, but they do help balance these bars.

Crunchy Nut Bars
1 yellow cake mix
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1 egg
3 cups mini marshmallows

10 ounces peanut butter chips
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups butter toffee nuts (or roasted peanuts)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9” x 13” pan with foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixer bowl, combine the cake mix, 1/3 cup butter, and egg. Stir on low until the mixture becomes crumbly and the dough starts to come together. Press the dough into the prepared pan.

Bake for 12-18 minutes, until golden.

Immediately top the bars with 3 cups of mini marshmallows, distributing evenly. Return the pan to the oven to puff the marshmallows, for about 90 seconds. Remove the bars from the oven.

Make the topping: in a medium saucepan, combine the peanut butter chips, corn syrup, butter, and vanilla. Heat on low, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the Rice Krispies and the nuts.

Spoon the topping over the puffed marshmallows as evenly as possible. This can be a bit fussy, so don’t try to rush. Refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting into bars.

Recipe from It’s a Keeper