Recipes, book reviews, monthly favorites, and more! Just your typical lifestyle blog :)

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Jeanne's Bars

Just in case any of you were actually successful with your healthy eating lately I'm gonna go ahead and throw a wrench in it. I've had this recipe for FOREVER, and I used to make these (and eat them) all the time back when I cared less about what I'm putting in my body. That being said, cheat days happen, and it's summer so we should be allowed to have a little fun with what we eat.

Technically these are PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS but I call them Jeanne's Bars because my best friend's step mom is famous for making them and this is her recipe. I have made a few changes, but I'll let you know what they are in case you don't want to make them. 


This is what you're about to get yourself into. I'm sorry for the crappy photography, and also for the lack of pictures on this post- this is the only one. It's actually just a snapchat that I sent to my boyfriend before I brought him a pan of these as a surprise dessert. I didn't plan ahead, and didn't realize I'd feel like blogging tonight. Oops. Maybe I'll update this in the future so I can include more pictures. You'll just have to trust that these are AMAZING.

You're going to need:

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup softened butter
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (CHANGE: I use 1 heaping teaspoon of Mexican vanilla)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp flake salt
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup optional chocolate chips for topping
  • CHANGE: 1/3 cup extra peanut butter (that would mean you need 5/6 cups peanut butter total- it's just easier to measure it separately, and you will need it separate for the recipe anyways)
  • CHANGE: approximately 2 tablespoons extra packed brown sugar 
Prep time: 15 min
Baking time: 25-35 min
Serves: 16

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9x9 pan (8x8 works too), and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl cream together the peanut butter and butter. 
  • Gradually blend in the white sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla.
  • Mix together until light and fluffy
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Stir into the peanut butter mix.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips until they are spread throughout
  • MY CHANGE (optional step): In a mixer combine extra peanut butter and extra brown sugar and beat until well mixed (it will look like gooey frosting). Fold in loosely with the remaining dough so that clumps of extra peanut butter remain (don't mix in very well). The reason for this extra step is to create bites of melted peanut butter along with the bites of melted chocolate chips. The bars are honestly amazing either way.
  • Spread into pan and bake for approximately 25-35 min (I always slightly under-bake because they get harder as they cool).
  • Remove bars from oven, sprinkle optional chocolate chips on top (I never actually do that step or include that ingredient), and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Voila! These bars are heavenly. You'll both thank me and hate me after you try them. Paleo sabotage! AAH. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do, and let me know in the comments if you'd like more fun (and unhealthy hehe) dessert recipes in the future.

No comments:

Post a Comment