Chocolate Chip-Peanut-Marshmallow Bars - Holiday Bake Along
The joy of creation can result from doing beautiful needlework, creating a lovely quilt or simply baking and cooking delicious treats for your loved ones!
Professionals from the Quilting and Needlework Industries have joined together to share their holiday memories, a glimpse into their businesses, and MANY irresistible recipes!
Please visit ILovetoBakeCookies.com and TheArmchairChef.com for more fabulous holiday creations!
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Needlework and Quilting Pros |
| ILoveToBake.com THREE OF A KIND CHOCOLATE CHIP-PEANUT-MARSHMALLOW BARS |
| We long ago gave up making traditional Christmas cookies, you know, the sugar cookies shaped like Santa and topped with frosting and sprinkles. I own some cookie cutters, and we’ve tried that sort of thing, but my family of four has decided the best tasting cookies are the best cookies to make at Christmas, Easter, Opening Day, the Fourth of July, and any other holiday we observe. (Frankly, any excuse to make cookies is a good excuse!) We go for gooey, chewy, large, and buttery.
The recipes in Cookies ‘n’ Quilts were born out of a can-you-top-this? baking brinksmanship. My husband and kids goaded me into experimenting with larger and richer recipes. Finally, I started selling cookies and bars at the local farmers’ market to see if everyone liked my larger-richer-sweeter treats or if it was just a quirk of my family. Based on the reception my cookies got at the farmers’ market and have gotten ever since, most people seem to prefer larger-richer-sweeter. Now during the holidays, my daughter, Kate, will help me bake up several batches of different cookies and bars. Then we’ll arrange varied platefuls and take them to our dearest friends here in central Iowa. Baking time is a time I can share with my daughter (Eating time is usually the time I share with my son!), and using the cookies to say thank you to our friends, makes the holiday baking even more special. This recipe, Three of a Kind, was developed too late to be included in Cookies ‘n’ Quilts. It’s my son’s favorite, though. |
| Ingredients |
| Ingredients for Bottom Layer 1/4 c + 2 T (3/8 c) granulated sugar 3/4 c butter (1-1/2 sticks), at room temperature 1/4 t salt 1 t vanilla 1-1/2 c flour |
| Ingredients for Top Layer 1 c peanut butter paste (see below) 1/4 c brown sugar, packed 1 t vanilla 1/2 c butter (1 stick), cold, cut into 1/4″ slices 1 large egg 1/2 c flour 1 t baking soda 1 c mini marshmallows 1 c roasted peanuts 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips |
| Quadruple Recipe of Peanut Paste* Ingredients 1 jar (18 oz) of natural peanut butter (the kind that separates) 1 lb. (3-3/4 c) powdered sugar 1/2 c water |
| Step by Step |
| Method for Bottom Layer Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 1) In a mixing bowl, cream together the 3/8 c granulated sugar, 3/4 c butter, 1/4 t salt, and 1 t vanilla listed for the bottom layer. 2) Cut in the 1-1/2 c flour. Dough will be crumbly. 3) Press dough into an ungreased 9″ x 13″ metal baking pan in an even layer. 4) Bake for 30 minutes. 5) Cool on a wire rack in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. 6) Meanwhile, make top layer. 7) Leave the oven on for baking the top layer, reducing heat to 325 degrees. |
| Method for Top Layer (Oven should be preheated to 325 degrees.) 1) In a mixing bowl, cream together the 1 c peanut butter paste, 1/4 c brown sugar, 1 t vanilla, and 1/2 c cold butter. 2) Mix until you no longer see flecks of butter. Beat in 1 egg. 3) On low speed, stir in 1/2 c flour and 1 t baking soda. 4) By hand, gently stir in 1 c marshmallows, 1 c peanuts, and 1 c chocolate chips. 5) Spread in an even layer over the cooled bottom layer. 6) Bake 30 minutes until golden and dry around the edges. (It will still jiggle somewhat while hot.) 7) Cool and cut into bars.  Serve and Enjoy! |
| Quadruple Recipe of Peanut Paste* Scoop the entire contents (including the separated oil) of the peanut butter jar into a mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar and water and mix well. Use 1/4 of this (1 cup) for the bars and store the remainder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for use next time. *(I recommend making a quadruple recipe of Peanut Paste because it uses a full 18-oz. jar of peanut butter and a pound of powdered sugar, eliminating some of the measuring. Another reason for the quadruple recipe is that natural peanut butter needs to be refrigerated after opening, and it is easier to mix before refrigerating. If you want to make only enough paste for a single batch of bars, cut the measurements to 1/2 c peanut butter, 1 c powdered sugar and 2 T water.) |
| Crosley-Griffith Publishing |
| For more than 25 years, Judy Martin has been writing the quilt books other quilt book authors read. She is known for her accurate instructions, common sense approach, and dazzling original designs. In her bestselling book, Cookies ‘n’ Quilts, Judy Martin applies those qualities to both quilts and the richest, most decadent cookies and bars you’ve ever tasted! In Cookies ‘n’ Quilts, Judy named all her recipes after quilts she had designed. In keeping with that tradition, and because this recipe features 3 main ingredients - chocolate, peanuts, and marshmallow - she calls it Three of a Kind, which is also the name of one of the quilts in her newest book, Scraps. http://www.judymartin.com/ |