Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bars

I am getting really anxious for the summer and warmer weather. Although New England has teased us with a few nice days, it never seems to last long enough. I cannot wait until I put my winter jacket away for good. Bring on the warm weather, flip flops and ice cream. Even though Mother Nature might not be ready to officially call it summer, these Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bars definitely reminded me of what is still to come. 

This recipe was adapted from Tracey's Super Simple S'mores Bars. The recipe itself lives up to its name as they are certainly simple to make. Here is a quick rundown of the recipe. First, a crust mixture is prepared and pressed down into the bottom of an 8x8 baking pan. The crust includes graham cracker crumbs, an essential part of any s'mores treat. A layer of peanut butter cups is placed on top of the crust, followed by a layer of marshmallow creme and any remaining graham cracker crumbs. Feel free to use Hershey Bars if you prefer to mimic a more traditional s'mores bar. However, I love peanut butter and look for any excuse to include it in a recipe. I will leave that decision up to you.

Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bars

Recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (from about 5 graham crackers)

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

16 peanut butter cups, unwrapped

1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme (such as Fluff)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang of paper on two sides so that bars can be lifted after baking. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

Using a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg, continuing to beat until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla. With the mixer on slow speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.

Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan. Gently press the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the baking pan. Unwrap the peanut butter cups and place them in a 4x4 pattern over the bottom layer. Spread the marshmallow creme over the peanut butter cups (This step will be a little tricky due to the stickiness of the marshmallow creme. Don't worry if it is not an even layer. The marshmallow creme will melt during baking). 

Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown in color. Transfer the baking pan to a wire rack and allow the bars to cool completely. Cut into squares before serving. I put the baking pan into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes prior to cutting the bars in order to make the process easier.