SMORE’S BARS WITH PEANUT BUTTER
Traditional Smore’s just feel right at the end of Summer when the air starts getting chilly and the mornings are cool and crisp. But then you start dying by the afternoon because you jumped the gun and chose a sweater that morning. Is this anyone else or just me…?
But that’s the thing about Smore’s… they’re the perfect yummy treat for this time of year OR for a hot summer campfire evening.
But these, these right here, are NOT traditional Smore’s in any way whatsoever.
THESE are Smore’s Bars with Peanut Butter (which is obviously optional) but these babies don’t just have regular marshmallows inside.
They have MARSHMALLOW FLUFF, oh my goodness.
They’re made with a dough that has crushed graham crackers mixed into it, which gives it the most delectable texture. It’s not graham cracker all the way but more like a sugar cookie dough with a wonderful crunchy bite. Like a traditonal Smore’s treat, the graham cracker cookie dough is on the very bottom and the top. And in between the delicious cookie sandwich layers are quality chocolate bars, the gooey marshmallow fluff, and smooth sillky peanut butter, if you’re into it!
The Smore’s Bars are baked until the chocolate melts slightly, just a little tiny bit. And the sugar cookie graham cracker dough bakes until golden brown but still stays soft and slightly crunchy on the edges.
AKA the perfect cookie texture to ever exist, ever.
These amazing Smore’s Bars with Peanut Butter are a Pinch Of Yum specialty and I’m so glad I found them. This recipe is delightful and needs no changes or substitutions. The one difference is that I usually tend to make these bars half with milk chocolate and half with dark chocolate. I drizzle peanut butter over the milk chocolate and I leave the dark chocolate without the peanut butter. I love having both options when all the bars are cut and it’s fun to try figure out which one you prefer more!
SMORE'S BARS WITH PEANUT BUTTER
Ingredients
- 1/2 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
- 1/4 CUP BROWN SUGAR PACKED
- 1/2 CUP UNSALTED BUTTER 1 STICK, SOFTENED
- 1 TEASPOON VANILLA
- 1 LARGE EGG
- 1 1/4 CUP FLOUR
- 1 TEASPOON KOSHER SALT
- 1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
- 6 GRAHAM CRACKER SHEETS CRUSHED IN A BAG
- 6 OZ MILK CHOCOLATE BAR
- 6 OZ DARK CHOCOLATE BAR
- 7 OZ JAR MARSHMALLOW FLUFF
- 1/4 CUP SMOOTH CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER FOR HALF, 1/2 CUP FOR WHOLE PAN (OPTIONAL)
Instructions
- PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350 F.
- USING A STAND MIXER OR LARGE BOWL AND HAND MIXER, BEAT BOTH SUGARS AND BUTTER UNTIL CREAMY. ADD IN THE EGG AND VANILLA, BEAT AGAIN.
- POUR IN THE FLOUR, SALT, AND BAKING POWDER AND MIX UNTIL COMBINED.
- STIR IN THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS WITH A SPOON OR SPATULA UNTIL EVENLY MIXED.
- SET OUT 2 SQUARES OF PARCHMENT PAPER, SPLIT THE DOUGH INTO 2 EVEN PIECES.
- PLACE THE PARCHMENT PAPER SQUARE INTO AN 8X8" DISH AND FLATTEN OUT THE COOKIE DOUGH IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN. LIFT OUT AND SET ASIDE, THIS COOKIE HALF WITH BE THE TOP LAYER.
- REPEAT WITH THE SECOND PIECE OF PARCHMENT PAPER AND COOKIE DOUGH HALF, FLATTEN OUT INSIDE THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN UNTIL EVEN. THIS IS THE BOTTOM BASE OF THE BARS.
- ADD THE CHOCOLATE BARS ON TOP OF THE COOKIE BASE LAYER, HALF MILK CHOCOLATE AND HALF DARK CHOCOLATE. USE YOUR PREFERENCE OF CHOCOLATE HERE, WE JUST LIKE HALF AND HALF!
- MELT THE PEANUT BUTTER IN THE MICROWAVE SLIGHTLY AND POUR OVER THE MILK CHOCOLATE HALF. PEANUT BUTTER IS OPTIONAL; 1/4 CUP FOR HALF OR 1/2 CUP FOR THE WHOLE PAN. OR SKIP THE PEANUT BUTTER ENTIRELY, IF YOU PREFER!
- SPOON MARSHMALLOW FLUFF ON TOP AND SMOOTH GENTLY WITH THE BACK OF A METAL SPOON.
- TAKE YOUR TOP COOKIE DOUGH LAYER AND GENTLY FLIP IT UPSIDE DOWN OFF THE PARCHMENT PAPER ON TOP OF THE MARSHMALLOW FLUFF LAYER. GENTLY PULL OFF THE PARCHMENT PAPER USING YOUR FINGERS TO KEEP THE COOKIE DOUGH SEPARATED AS THE TOP LAYER OF THE BARS.
- BAKE BARS FOR 30 MINUTES UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN ON TOP AND ON THE EDGES.
- AFTER REMOVING FROM THE OVEN AND COOLING, SLICE INTO 16-24 BARS BASED ON YOUR PREFERENCE. THESE ARE BEST CUT AFTER PLACING IN THE FRIDGE OR LETING SET FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS.
Notes
- IS THE PEANUT BUTTER REALLY NECESSARY?
I think the peanut butter gives these bars an elevated flavor profile and if you like peanut butter, I definitely reccomend this. However, these bars are just as delightful without the peanut butter if you’re looking for a more traditional tasting Smore’s treat. And if you’re really unsure, you can always just do half with peanut butter and then decide for the next time.
2. HOW DO YOU MAKE THE TWO LAYERS OF DOUGH?
I’ve made the two layers of dough a few different ways. The easiest, in my opinion, is by splitting the dough into two equal pieces. Make the first dough layer on a piece of parchment paper in the pan by flattening it to the size of the pan, remove this one as your top layer and set aside. Then make the second dough layer the exact same size and shape on another piece of parchment paper the same way in the pan, this will be the bottom layer of the bars. You’ll have two identical squares of dough, just like second photograph above.
3. CAN YOU CUT THE BARS BEFORE THE SET AMOUNT OF TIME?
I would definitley reccomend waiting to slice these, the marshmallow fluff is gooey and messy once it’s set anyways but it’s a lot easier to slice these nicely and have actual “bars” if you wait. I would place them in the fridge to set more quickly if you can’t wait the 4 hours at room temperature. The fridge does not affect the consistency of the marshmallow fluff, it’s still gooey and soft once it’s cold.
Much love,
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