Chocolate and Peanut Butter Crumb Bars

I like giving homemade food gifts because I think the love and effort that goes into making them truly expresses to the recipient that they were important enough to you to make the effort. And so I spent the morning of my dearest friend's birthday in the kitchen, baking these treats for her. I also have a treat for you today because Peanut Butter & Co. will send 4 jars of their peanut butter, in your choice of flavors, to the winner of my giveaway below.

Most of the peanut butter bars I've seen have the peanut butter in the dough but I wanted a creamy layer of it in between the chocolate crumb bars. Some recipe tweaking was needed although it was certainly a labor of love.

It's been a difficult year for me and I honestly don't know how I would have made it through without my best friend. I've always heard that if you find one true friend in your life, you should consider yourself blessed. And I am doubly blessed because I found her early in life.

So I happily made these birthday bars for her and, if there's someone in your life that deserves a homemade treat, these were a big hit. Be sure to enter the giveaway below for the chance to win some amazing peanut butter flavors and create our own special treats.

by Hungry Couple

Prep Time: 25 Minutes

Cook Time: 55 Minutes

6069093

Ingredients (12 Servings)

• Bars:
• 3 Cups all purpose flour
• 1 Cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 Teaspoon salt
• 2 Sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Egg
• 
  
• Filling:
• 16 oz. Cream cheese
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Cup peanut butter (I used Peanut Butter & Co. Smooth Operator)
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9" square baking pan with parchment or aluminum foil for easy removal.

Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Add the vanilla and egg and mix until the batter almost turns into a ball. Pat about 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the pan until you have an even layer.

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, egg, sugar, vanilla, peanut butter and salt until smooth. Pour into the baking pan. Crumble the remaining dough in your hands and drop it on top of the peanut butter batter. Bake for 45 - 55 minutes or until the top is set. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

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Check out the recipe for these Dark and Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies using the Dark Chocolate Dreams and Old Fashioned Crunchy flavors.