Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Crispy Treats

Well, I'm back with another peanut butter and chocolate recipe. What can I say? I really am addicted to those two flavors. I seriously think PB&C is the best flavor combination ever. And I think I just created my own acronym. PB&C. It's catchy. Don't you think?

I wanted to make rice crispy treats, but I wanted to jazz them up a little. I had a bag of peanut butter chips in the cabinet that was (sort of) still intact. I mean, I only opened it to taste them. To make sure they weren't rotten or nasty. Because that happens right? I'm not the only one who "tastes" the contents of her peanut butter chips? I just may have "tasted" them along with a handful of chocolate chips for dessert a few one night. Is that so wrong?

I followed the direction on the box for the crispy treats, but I added a few more marshmallows because I like them softer rather than too crunchy. The first batch of marshmallows I tried to melt had a problem. You might notice I said "tried to melt". Because they didn't. They browned on the stove. So I tried to melt them in the microwave. And they held their shape. I'm not sure what happened there. They weren't that old and they had been in a ziploc bag. Kind of freaks me when stuff like that happens.

Anyway, luckily I had more marshmallows in the cabinet. I'm never without marshmallows. (You never know when you'll want hot chocolate. And hot chocolate is just not the same without marshmallows!) I added the peanut butter chips to the melted marshmallow-butter mixture along with the cereal and they melted as I stirred. Then the mixture hardened and I cut it into bars. And that's where it got fun.

Peanut butter is delicious. Desserts made out of peanut butter are delicious. But, as I've said, nothing is better than PB&C. So I thought I'd dress up these crispy treats a little by giving them chocolate pants.

And they were yummy. Not too overly peanut buttery, but just right. I was wondering if one cup of peanut butter chips was enough, and it was. Combined with the chocolate, these treats were the perfect snack.

So, if you're like me and are looking for something to do with that half-empty bag of peanut butter chips you had to "taste-test", make these treats. Your kids will thank you. Your husband (or wife or significant other) probably will too. Unless he's like my dear husband. Who doesn't like crispy cereal or marshmallows. But that's the topic of a whole other kind of post.

 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Crispy Treats

Printer-Friendly Recipe

Ingredients:

½ stick butter (4 tablespoons)

50 large marshmallows

5 cups crispy rice cereal

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 bag (about 11 ounces) milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1.    Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with foil.  Allow the ends to wrap over the edges of the pan for easy removal. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.

2.   Melt the butter and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100% power) for two minutes, stirring after one minute. Remove from microwave and quickly add cereal and peanut butter chips, stirring until chips are melted and everything is combined.

3.   Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spray your hands with cooking spray and press the mixture until it is evenly distributed. Be careful not to burn your hands! Cool completely and cut into squares.

4.   Once your bars are cut, line two cookie sheets with wax paper.  Melt your chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave on 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring after each. Once the chips are melted completely, dip the bottom of each crispy treat into the chocolate. Place on the wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill in refrigerator until the chocolate is solid, about 30-60 minutes, depending on how warm it is in your kitchen.

Yield: approximately 24 squares.

Source: adapted from the recipe on the side of the box of crispy rice cereal.

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