No Bake Peanut Butter Dessert

When IT Guy was a little boy, he wouldn't wouldn't peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I don't think I had ever met anyone who didn't care for peanut butter and jelly. He'd eat peanut butter and karo (?), though. So it's not that he has a huge aversion to peanut butter, it's just not something he loves. So I have to be careful about my use of peanut butter. Because when I make a peanut butter dessert, I want him to like it as much as I do because I don't want to be the only one eating it. Not that I couldn't do it, I'll have you know, but my waistline would protest. So when I made this, I was a little apprehensive. But guess what? He loved it! Having a little chocolate thrown in with the peanut butter certainly didn't hurt my chances of this being a success! This NO-BAKE dessert is great for the upcoming warmer weather! Or anytime!

No Bake Peanut Butter Dessert



1 16-ounce container Cool Whip ~ thawed, divided use
1 3.9 ounce box instant chocolate pudding
1/2 cup peanut butter
20 mini peanut butter cups ~ coarse chopped
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar ~ divided use
1 sleeve chocolate graham crackers ~ crushed
5 tablespoons butter ~ melted

Spray a 9 inch square pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and the cracker crumbs. Remove 1/4 cup and set aside. Press remaining crumbs into prepared pan. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, peanut butter, and 1 cup of the powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the Cool Whip.

Spread on top of cracker crumbs.

Sprinkle chopped peanut butter cups on top of cream cheese mixture.

In a clean bowl, combine the remaining powdered sugar, chocolate pudding and milk and mix for a couple of minutes.
Allow to stand for another minute or two to thicken.

Fold in the remaining Cool Whip and spread on top of the peanut butter cups.

Sprinkle 1/4 remaining cracker crumbs on top of the pudding mixture. Chill several hours...cut and serve!

 

The cast of characters.

 

Combine the melted butter and 

the cracker crumbs Press into 

the pan and reserve 1/4 cup.

 

Combine the cream cheese, 1 cup 

of the powdered sugar and the peanut butter.

 

Gently stir in 1/2 of the Cool Whip.

 

Spread mixture on top of the crust.

 

Scatter chopped peanut butter cups 

on top of the peanut butter mixture.

 

Next combine the pudding mix, 

remaining powdered sugar and the milk.

 

Gently fold in the remaining Cool Whip.

 

Spread mixture on top of the 

peanut butter cups then sprinkle 

with reserved crumbs. Chill!

 

Slice and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Shortbread Bars

I really like Twix candy bars. If IT Guy ever buys me a candy bar it's almost always a Twix bar. Or a peanut butter cup. I'm not a big fan of Twix peanut butter candy bars though...but I do love me some peanut butter. I figured I could come up with something that was better than a Twix peanut butter candy bar. And I did! Well..here you go. These are really yummy! IT Guy isn't a big fan of peanut butter but he couldn't stay out of these! A little goes a long way....they're rich!! But worth it, I have to say.

Peanut Butter Shortbread Bars



3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter ~ softened
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup peanut butter ~ smooth or chunky
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips ~ melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar until fluffy.

Add the flour and baking powder and mix until combined.

Press dough into an 8x8 inch greased (or parchment paper lined) pan.

Bake 20 - 30 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

Cool completely.

In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine the peanut butter and 1/4 butter. Microwave for 1 minute until butter has melted and peanut butter is soft. Stir.

Add the 1 cup powdered sugar and mix well. 

Gently spread over cooled crust.

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave or over low heat. Spread on top of peanut mixture. Allow chocolate to cool and set up before slicing.

 
Okay...let's go!

 
Combine the 1 cup of butter and 
powdered sugar until fluffy then 
add the flour and baking powder.

 
Press into your prepared pan.

 
Bake until the edges are golden brown. 
Cool completely.

 
Melt the 1/4 cup of butter and the 
peanut butter in the microwave. 
Add the 1 cup of powdered sugar.



 
Spread peanut butter mixture 
over the cooled crust.

 
Melt the chocolate chips...

 
...then spread over the peanut butter 
mixture. Allow to cool before cutting.

 
Enjoy!

Over the Top Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies

Want a good cookie? Want a BIG cookie? Then here you go! These delicious treats are SO good!! I made them for my family and they really loved them! I made them for a friend who's been sick. I gave her 6 for her family of 5....one for each and an extra. Guess what? She ate them ALL! I guess her kids were a little upset....and I would be too if I knew I was missing out on these babies!

Over the Top Reese’s 
Peanut Butter Cookies




  
Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper

¾ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips
32 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, cut into 4 pieces

Mix butter and sugars together until creamy and fluffy. Mix in peanut butter then add eggs and mix well. Add vanilla.

Mix in the soda, salt and flour. Stir in chocolate chips.

Using a large cookie scoop or an ice cream scooper, place 6 scoops of dough on prepared baking sheets. Use your hand to slightly flatten each cookie scoop. Cook for 12 minutes.

Remove cookies from oven and lightly press 8 cut up pieces of Reese’s peanut butter cups in the top of each cookie. Return to oven for 2 more minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes then transfer to a cooking rack.

Makes about 18 LARGE cookies

Let's get started with all these yummy ingredients!

Mix the butter and sugars until nice and fluffy....

...add the peanut butter, eggs and vanilla.

Mix in the dry stuff....

...then stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop out 6 large scoops of cookie 

dough and flatten. Bake 12 minutes.

Chop the Reese's into 4 chunks.

Add 4 Reese's chunks to each cookie 

then bake for a couple of more minutes.

Pour yourself a glass of milk and eat the whole batch of cookies....because they are THAT good.

Peanut Buttery Sweet Rolls

These were really fun. I have kind of had these in the back of my mind for a while now but haven't made them because IT Guy isn't much of a peanut butter fan. I know. Weird, right? I told him that I wanted to try these but didn't want to do it if he wasn't going to eat them. I certainly didn't want to be responsible for eating the entire pan by myself. He said he'd help...that they actually sounded pretty good. And guess what? They are terrific! I added some chocolate chips but that's totally your call. A thin layer of icing finished them off perfectly! A really yummy twist on sweet rolls!

Peanut Buttery Sweet Rolls



2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 ¼ cup butter ~ divided use
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages yeast
½ cup sugar
6 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips ~ optional

Melt milk and butter in microwave, together, until very warm…about 1 ½ minutes. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, with dough hook attachment, combine 2 cups of flour, salt, yeast and sugar. Set mixer speed on low and add milk/butter mixture.

Add eggs one at a time. Mix well.

Add remaining 4 cups of flour and mix until well blended.

Place mixed dough on floured counter and knead until smooth…adding more flour as you go to keep dough from sticking.

Grease a large bowl and place kneaded dough in bowl. Spray dough with a shot of Pam. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled…about 30 minutes.

Combine 1/4 cup melted butter, peanut butter, cinnamon and brown sugar together in a bowl. Stir to combine and smooth.

Turn risen dough onto floured surface and cut in half. Roll each piece of dough out to a 9x13 rectangle.

Spread dough with peanut butter mixture. Roll up from the long side and cut into 1” – 1 ½ “sections. Place in a large greased baking dish. Let rolls rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Bake rolls in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Spread with frosting. (Recipe follows)

Frosting:

1/4 stick butter ~ room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Milk to smooth

Whip butter in mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Add milk to achieve spreading consistency. Spread frosting on warm rolls.

The line up.

Mix 2 cups of flour, the yeast, salt 

and sugar in a mixing bowl.

Pour in the warm milk/butter mixture.

Add the eggs...one at a time.

Then add the rest of the flour and 

mix until the dough comes together.

Dump the dough onto a floured surface.

Then put it into a greased bowl and allow to rise.

Combine the peanut butter, brown 

sugar, cinnamon and melted butter.

Place dough onto a floured surface, 

then cut the dough in half. Spread 

with the peanut butter mixture.

Add chocolate chips if you want! 

Roll up starting at the long side and 

cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inches slices.

Place onto a baking sheet....

..... and allow to rise.

Then bake!

Combine the powdered sugar, vanilla and the butter.

Add some milk to smooth it out.

Frost the warm, baked rolls.

EAT!

Fluffernutter Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie Treats a wonderful! I could eat them by the pan full. I don't....but then again....maybe I do! (You'll never know...but if you guessed I DO...then you'd be right.) I also love fluffernutter sandwiches. You know those totally unhealthy, NOT nutritional sandwiches made with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff? Yeah. Those. So I figured why not go all out and combine the two! These turned out fab-u-low-so!!!! Again...I could eat the entire pan. And probably will.

Fluffernutter Rice Krispie Treats



1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup)
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows (any size)
2 cups mini marshmallows
8 cups Rice Krispies cereal
3 - 4 2.5-ounce bags of Mini Reese's Peanut Butter cups (about 2 cups)
1 cup peanut butter baking chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees, then turn it off. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Melt the butter in the microwave in a large microwave safe bowl.

Stir in the 10-ounce bag of marshmallows.

Microwave for 1 minute. Stir.

Microwave for another 30 seconds and stir to smooth.

Pour in the cereal and stir to combine.

Pour in the 2 cups of mini-marshmallows and stir.

Press mixture into the prepared pan with greased hands. (I spray cooking spray on my hands.)

Sprinkle the top with the peanut butter chips.

Place in the warm oven for about 10 minutes until the baking chips are soft and can be spread like frosting.

Sprinkle peanut butter cups over the top of the melted baking chips, distributing evenly and pressing the cups down gently onto the top of the RKT.

Allow to cool and firm.

Cut into squares.

Here's what you need.

Melt the butter then toss the 10-ounce 

bag of marshmallows in the melted butter.

Microwave until the marshmallows 

are melted. Then pour in the Rice Krispies and stir.

Then stir in the 2 cups of mini-marshmallows 

and stir. Then press into your prepared pan.

Sprinkle the peanut butter chips on

top and place in a warm oven for a few

minutes to soften them enough to spread.

Like this! I just use the back of a spoon.

Then sprinkle on the mini peanut butter cups.

So good!!!!