Description
Simple bars with a peanut butter base and a chewy caramel topping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour and brown sugar.
- Cut in the softened butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the peanut butter and salt until just combined.
- Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake the base for 15 minutes.
- While the base bakes, prepare the caramel. In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, heavy cream, and corn syrup.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 240 degrees F (soft-ball stage). This takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the hot caramel evenly over the warm baked base.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out using the parchment overhang and cutting into squares.
Notes
- For easier cutting, chill the cooled bars for at least one hour before slicing.
- You can use crunchy peanut butter if you prefer texture in the base.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 80
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 25
Keywords: peanut butter bars, caramel squares, no bake base, dessert squares, sweet treat