Wednesday, February 26, 2014

{Recipe Recap} Butterscotch Cream Peanut Butter Bars

So I’ve baked two treats and some banana bread since Connor was born.  I made dessert for some friends who brought us dinner last Thursday, then I made these Butterscotch Cream Peanut Butter Bars for Saturday when Kevin, Jenny, and the kids visited us in the afternoon.

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These were supposed to be cookies, but let’s face it – I don’t have time to scoop dough and drop it onto cookie sheets so bars made the most sense.

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These had a healthy dose of peanut butter so that there was no mistaking the flavor.  I hate when you make something with peanut butter and you can hardly tell it’s even an ingredient much less one of the primary ones after which the treat is named. 

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There’s butterscotch in these in two forms: melted and in chips.  When I melted my chips, I used some Bailey’s Brown Sugar Vanilla creamer to kick up that flavor.  Then I probably added a few more chips than originally called for but who was counting?

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These had perfect texture.  Not even remotely cake-y, but not so underdone that they were gooey.  A crisp outside and a chewy inside – perfection!

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This recipe came from Peanut Butter Comfort, a cookbook that I requested as a birthday gift from Kevin and Jenny.  So it was only right that I make them something from that book. 

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Since the recipe isn’t on Averie’s site, I’ve included it below.  I highly recommend giving it a try.

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
  • 1 c. brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 T. vanilla
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 c. butterscotch chips, melted
  • 2 T. milk or cream
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 t. baking soda
  • 1/4 t. salt
  • 1/2 c. butterscotch chips (or 1 c. like I used)

Directions:

To the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter, peanut butter, and sugars and beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes to cream.  Add vanilla and egg, beat for 2 minutes on med-high speed.  Set bowl aside.

In a small saucepan or in a double boiler, combine 1 c. butterscotch chips and cream and cook over low to medium-low heat to melt the chips, stirring nearly continuously.  Set aside to cool for a couple minutes.

After cooling, add the butterscotch mixture to the mixing bowl and beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just incorporated.  Add the butterscotch chips.  Place mixing bowl in the fridge for at least two hours.  (I spread the  dough in my 9 x 13 pan and chilled it.)

After dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using a small cookie scoop, form balls and drop onto Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Flatten mounds slightly with your finger.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  The bottoms will have set yet the tops will look quite underdone.  This is okay; don’t overbake because they will set more while cooling.  Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for at least 10 minutes or until they have firmed up.  Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Recipe adapted from Peanut Butter Comfort by Averie Sunshine.

Have a great Hump Day!

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