peanut butter squares

Recipe by
Maggie M
In The Kitchen, OH

It's not a candy and it's not a cookie but these little squares pack a big punch of flavor and will satisfy your sweet tooth. I've made them with graham crackers but tried Ritz once thinking the buttery saltiness would be a great addition .. and was that ever correct ! I no longer make these with graham crackers. Don't make too fine of a crush on the crackers .. it's nice to have a gentle crunch in the bite. We often like them salted and sometimes not. We sometimes like to use semi sweet chocolate rather than milk chocolate. You can't lose with these !

yield 16 -24 pieces
method No-Cook or Other

Ingredients For peanut butter squares

  • 1 c
    lightly crushed ritz crackers (about 1 sleeve)
  • 1/8 tsp
    cinnamon
  • 3/4 c
    powdered sugar plus an additional 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 4 Tbsp
    melted butter
  • 1/3 c
    peanut butter - creamy or crunchy
  • 1/2 c
    chocolate chips - milk or semi sweet
  • 1 Tbsp
    creamy peanut butter
  • fleur de sel or finishing salt - optional

How To Make peanut butter squares

  • 1
    Lightly spray an 8 x 8 baking dish or line it with parchment paper and set aside.
  • 2
    Crush the Ritz crackers but don't make a fine powder of it. A little bit chunky will yield a more interesting peanut butter square.
  • 3
    Mix the crushed crackers, cinnamon and powdered sugar together in a small bowl.
  • 4
    Add the peanut butter and then the melted butter and stir with a spoon or spatula until it is well incorporated. Press firmly into your prepared pan.
  • 5
    Place chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp of peanut butter in a microwave-safe dish and heat in short bursts until the chocolate has softened and the peanut butter has melted. Stir will and then spread on top of your base. If you are going to use the Fleur de Sel salt now is the time to apply it - while the chocolate topping is still super soft.
  • 6
    Chill for about 30 minutes in the fridge then remove and cut into the size pieces you prefer. If you cut them before the chocolate sets hard it will give you a nicer cut. Place your pieces into a covered container and put into the refrigerator for at least one hour to completely set up.
  • 7
    You can serve these cold or slightly warmed. The milk chocolate and peanut butter topping will get soft at room temperature so let them sit out for about 5 minutes before you serve them.
  • 8
    You can omit the peanut butter in the topping and just melt chocolate if you prefer.
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