Test Kitchen Tuesdays: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (Only Better)

I may have found the easiest holiday recipe ever! These peanut butter bars are not only delicious, but painless and quick. 

5 ingredients. Yes. 5 ingredients. Peanut butter, confectioners sugar, graham cracker crumbs, chocolate and butter. 

The best part - no baking! 

Do you have a refrigerator? Yes. Do you have a microwave? Maybe. 

Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the confectioners sugar, melt the butter, fold in the peanut butter...

Spread the peanut butter mixture on to a cookie sheet - line it with parchment paper first. I like my bars about an inch thick, the original recipe calls for a 9x13 pan. 

Using a top piece of parchment paper, smooth the mix into a nice even layer.

Cool the peanut butter mixture in the freezer for 20 minutes.

While you wait.. toss a load of laundry in... or better yet, grab a glass of wine.

Melt the chocolate with peanut butter - I use the microwave.

Spread the chocolate to the edges, rest in the refrigerator - you want the chocolate to set. 

Do that laundry. Wait, top your wine off. Okay, do both - your'e a superstar! 

Cut into squares... share.          Easy - breezy - beautiful!

The Recipe

I must say,  I am pretty proud of myself this Test Kitchen Tuesday, as I only changed one small thing for this post. This is a recipe I found on Pinterest, which as I read on the Heat Oven to 350 blog, it is surrounded by a bit of sugar confusion. Not concerned with calories or sugar content, I went for the original recipe, and I am so glad I did! These peanut butter bars are my new favorite!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (Only Better)

copied right from her blog

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I buy the store bought crushed but you can always crush your own graham crackers)
• 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup salted butter, melted
• 1 bag (12 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter* (I went for this substitute)

Instructions

1. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and the powdered sugar in a large bowl.
2. Add the peanut butter and melted butter and mix well.
3. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan and freeze for 20 minutes or until firm.
4. While the peanut butter mixture is cooling, you can microwave or use a double boiler to melt your chocolate chips and 1-2 tablespoons of butter. I personally just throw the chips and butter in a microwaveable glass bowl and microwave 30 seconds on high, stir and repeat until they are melted. Works perfectly every time.
5. Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter mixture and spread evenly. Put the bars in the fridge and when the chocolate is set take out and cut yourself a little piece, and then get ready to take a short jaunt to heaven!!

Yield: 1 9x13 pan
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes (cooling time)

*Update (12/8/12) If you are having trouble with the chocolate layer on top being stiff or cracking when the bars are cut, you can add 1/3-1/2 cup warmed creamy peanut butter to the melted chocolate instead of the butter. This uses more peanut butter, but the end result is smoother.