Maple Fluffernutter Bars
I'll buy myself flowers because what girl doesn't love getting flowers, even if they are from herself. Actually that may be more pathetic than hopeless ;)
I get "heart puffs" when I think of my grandparents and how they have been married nearly 57 years.
These bars are hopelessly romantic too! I know you're thinking I'm crazy, but hear me out.
They are sweet, like true love.
They are nutty. And let's be real, everyone is a little nutty.
They are comforting.
They combine some of my favorite ingredients: peanut butter and marshamllow. What is not to love?
Last Year: Sicilian Chicken
Maple Fluffernutter Bars
If you LOVE peanut butter, these are the treat for you! They are rich, full of delicious peanut butter flavor, and have a hint of maple. The marshmallow fluff topping becomes a deliciously gooey crust once these are baked. So good!
For this recipe I used maple peanut butter, but you can also use regular. If you'd like to make your own maple peanut butter at home, you can probably just add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup to some creamy peanut butter.
Ingredients
For Crust
- 3 cups graham cracker, broken into pieces (alternatively, you can buy graham cracker crumbs)
- 12 tablespoons (1-1/2 cups) butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For Peanut Butter Blondie
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1½ cups light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup maple (or regular creamy) peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup peanut butter or white chocolate chips
For Marshmallow Layer
- 8 oz marshmallow
- ¼ heaping cup maple (or regular creamy) peanut butter
- ½ can (about 7 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13 in. pan with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil
2. For the graham cracker layer: In a food processor, process the graham crackers until fine crumbs are formed. Pour crumbs into a medium bowl. Add butter and cinnamon and mix until completely combined. Press graham cracker crumbs into the prepared pan with wet hands (this will help from sticking).
3. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. For the peanut butter blondie layer: In a large bowl, mix melted butter and brown sugar, until smooth. Next, add both eggs and vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Add peanut butter to the mixture, mixing until smooth. Change to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and fold in the flour to the wet mixture, until just incorporated (don't overmix!). Gently fold in the peanut butter of white chocolate chips. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the graham cracker crust, set aside.
5. For the marshmallow topping layer: In a medium bowl mix together marshmallow, peanut butter, and sweetened condensed milk, until smooth. Pour the mixture in a zig-zag pattern over the peanut butter blondie mixture. Take a butter knife and pull it around the peanut butter blondie and marshmallow topping mixtures to create a marbled look. There's not really a "right" way to do it, so just go for it.
6. Bake bars for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely (or the marshmallow topping will be quite gooey). Remove from pan using the foil and cut into desired sizes. Bars can be kept in an airtight container for up to one week.
Makes 24 bars
Recipe from Cooking College Chick. Peanut butter bar recipe lightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
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