Is It A Bar Cookie? No, It's Buckeye Bars!

You know how I had that peanut butter and chocolate craving in December? I satisfied it with some bar cookies for the time being, then gorged on mom's Buckeye candy treats at Christmas.

Buckeyes: peanut butter, butter, confectioner's sugar, chocolate. Melt in your mouth heaven that, in my world, only appears around Christmas.

I've never made Buckeye's because they require quite a bit of futzy work: measuring, stirring, rolling the concoction into balls, melting chocolate, dipping the balls into chocolate. I'm tired just thinking about the effort.

So imagine my surprise, delight, and skepticism when I saw "Buckeye Bars" in the Midnight Snacks cookbook. There was no doubt, I was gonna make these.

I whipped them up a few nights ago. I am still coasting on the sugar high.

Measure out your ingredients: peanut butter, confectioner's sugar, brown sugar, butter, Rice Krispies, and graham cracker crumbs.

Then get your strong arm ready and slowly combine until mixed. The result looks a lot like a crumby fruit crisp topping before being spread atop the fruit. And the taste?

Just try to hold yourself back.

No seriously.

Try to hold yourself back from eating the entire bowl.  

Pat into a pan. I used 9x13; the recipe calls for a 10x15.

Then melt some chocolate chips, stir in a little vegetable shortening, and spread all over the top. Lick the chocolate remaining in the bowl. Go on. I won't tell anyone.

Now, if you have copious amounts of willpower, you will follow the instructions and refrigerate until firm - say two hours or more. I'm sure it would help the bars to solidify.

If you're like me, however, you get a fork and dig in.

And head straight into that sugar coma you've been craving.

You will want to share these with everyone you know. I took them to work, and they disappeared right before my eyes. I took some to my parents, and -sure enough- they were gone in an instant. But make no mistake, this is candy. And they're a peanut butter and chocolate lover's idea of heaven.

BUCKEYE BARS
(from Midnight Snacks)

Makes 3-4 dozen pieces

2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 cup puff rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies), optional
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (8 whole graham crackers)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

1. Line a 10x15-inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

2. Combine the peanut butter, optional rice cereal, confectioner's sugar, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter in a large mixing bowl and stir them together. Press the mixture into the prepared pan.

3. Melt the chocolate and shortening in a double boiler or in the microwave oven set on low.

4. Spread the melted chocolate mixture evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Refrigerate until firm. Cut the mixture into heft 2-inch squares or use a cookie cutter to cut the mixture into interesting shapes.

(Note: Normally, I don't share a recipe unless I've adapted it in some way. This is just too darned good to not share. Be sure to get a copy of the Midnight Snacks cookbook, too - excellent!)