Our neighbors are fostering a litter of chocolate lab mix puppies. They'll keep the puppies for two weeks then turn them back over to the animal shelter where the pups will eventually be adopted. Until recently, I didn’t know people could foster puppy litters from Town Lake, but I love the idea and had so much fun hanging out in the yard yesterday watching kids from the cul-de-sac play with the pups. It put me in such a good mood I decided to whip up my own chocolate treat from the Hershey’s website.
A Fairly Simple Recipe
These are called Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Bars and the recipe is very simple. You bake a thin layer of brownie, pour on a mixture of condensed milk and peanut butter (the condensed milk flavor is not strong), top it with milk chocolate and peanut butter chips, bake, cool, then drizzle on more of the melted chips. The recipe is very streamlined and I was able to throw these together while running in and out of the house keeping tabs on Fuzz and the puppies. She fell in love with the runt, Rufus.
Here’s my rendition of the recipe with a few notes.
Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Bars
6 tablespoons butter (I used unsalted, but salted would be fine)
1-¼ cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
3 eggs, divided
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
⅓ cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup milk chocolate chips, divided
1 cup peanut butter chips, divided
¾ teaspoon shortening
Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 13x9 inch metal pan with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.
Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in the sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 2 eggs; stir until blended. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add to egg mixture, stirring until blended. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, remaining egg and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour evenly over hot brownie. Set aside 1 tablespoon (I set aside a little over 1 tablespoon each) milk chocolate chips and peanut butter chips; sprinkle remaining chips over peanut butter mixture. Return to oven; continue baking 20 to 25 minutes or until peanut butter layer is set and edges begin to brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Stir together remaining milk chocolate chips, remaining peanut butter chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 30 seconds; Note: If you have a powerful microwave, use a lower setting (I use 20% power) stir. If necessary, microwavean additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Drizzle over top of bars. When drizzle is firm, cut into bars. (I chill the bars, lift them from the pan, set on a cutting board and score with a chef’s knife.
Store loosely covered at room temperature. 24 to 36 bars.
jess☆ @ Multicultural Melbourne says
I so wish I had Reese's products freely available to me here in Australia right now, because if I did, I'd be in my car to buy some right now at 10:30pm to make these!!! They couldn't look any more delicious!!!
Polly says
I made these for a holiday party. Everyone loved them! I had to make one substitution - I used Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa powder. I had just run out of the "normal" cocoa. I will definitely make them again but won't use the special dark cocoa.
Em says
Holy smokes, just made these yesterday and the mix of condensed milk and peanut butter is so over the top decadent this recipe is an absolute win, thanks for this one!
Laura says
Thanks, Anna!
Amanda says
Ohhhh puppies! I love puppies 🙂 but who doesn't right? 🙂 These bars look and sound great. Really easy too, got 'em bookmarked 🙂
Taylor says
Mmm PB and chocolate is my favorite...who doesn't love that combination?! These look like they would be a hit for the holidays!
Anna says
Sure, some vegetable oil should work. You could also use butter, but make sure you use the lowest setting on your microwave to melt the chocolate.
Laura says
Anna, I don't have shortening, could I use something else for the drizzle?
Anna says
Pam, I personally would not mail these. I think they might get sticky, and with all the eggs I don't think they'd stay fresh.
the blissful baker says
i've been craving peanut butter and chocolate like crazy lately. this isn't helping! 🙂
Pam says
Anna, do you think these bars would be good to send to a nephew stationed in Afghanistan? I think the transit time is about 10 day now.
Sue says
Watching kids play with puppies sounds really fun! What a good idea to foster puppies.
Your bars look tasty! I made a double batch of Chocolate Sundae Cookies today to take to an event tomorrow.
Cheryl says
Watch out you will have another dog before you know it!
Cheryl says
Those look amazing and now I want them!
vanillasugar says
ha ha yes very simple to make and VERY simple to eat!
Plain Chicken says
I am a sucker for anything peanut butter and chocolate! I'll be trying these!
Katrina says
That is a fun idea to foster puppies.
I'm a little jealous of your yummy looking bars because I just made some ccc's (different recipe) that turned out cruddy. Hate it when that happens. I think I've got some high altitude issues to figure out here.
Caroline says
Those look fabulous!!!
Lisa Ernst says
What a great idea! Did you and Fuzz like them? Kind of an updated version of Magic Bars, in a way...I'd be interested in trying these, probably substituting dark chocolate for the milk chocolate.