CakeSpy Note: OMG! It's getting to be that time of year again. The Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming in November! Since I so deeply loved attending the 45th Bake-Off as well as the 46th Bake-Off, I thought I would get you excited the 47th one early by sharing all of the sweet recipes in the running. I will focus on sweets! You can follow them by clicking the bakeoff tag below to see the recipes posted so far (as well as recipes from previous Bake-Off events).
I love cookies...but I super-mega-mega love bars. They're like cookies with the best parts condensed, and typically layered with more awesome stuff. And these ones are a fine specimen of what makes a great bar cookie. Starting with sugar cookie dough, a handful of ingredients including dry roasted peanuts, peanut butter, and chocolate come together to make them a crave-able dessert. When finished with toffee bits, they become downright addictive. This recipe comes from Joanne Opdahl of Venice, California, who has been to the Bake-Off before...could this be her big year?
Chocolate-Toffee-Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
Prep Time: 25 Min
Total Time: 1 Hr 45 Min
Makes: 48 bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups salted dry-roasted peanuts
- 1 roll Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookie dough
- 1 cup Jif® Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
- 1 1/4 cups toffee bits
- 1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
Procedure
- Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 15x10-inch pan with sides with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Line bottom of pan with Reynolds® Parchment Paper. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the peanuts; set aside.
- Break up cookie dough into pan. With floured fingers press dough evenly in bottom of pan.
- In small microwavable bowl, microwave peanut butter uncovered on High 15 to 20 seconds or until slightly melted; spread over dough. Sprinkle with remaining 2 cups peanuts and the toffee bits. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Sprinkle chocolate chips over bars; return to oven.
- Bake 1 minute or until chips soften; spread over bars. Sprinkle with reserved peanuts; press in lightly. Cool 30 minutes in pan on cooling rack. Refrigerate about 25 minutes or until chocolate is set. Cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store covered.