When we were kids, my brother and I created a game with the jar of peanut butter that was always in the cupboard. Whoever opened a new jar first would carve a heart into the top layer of peanut butter. If the next user disturbed the heart, it meant you loved that person. Although it’s almost impossible not to touch the heart, we always gave it our best. This recipe asks you to dig deep into your jar of peanut butter. It’s been a Magnolia Bakery favorite for years and I find it absolutely irresistible. Making it into a bar allowed me to balance the ratio of crust to filling, because it really is all about the filling.
MAKES one 9 × 13-inch pan; 12 to 24 bars
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUST
2½ cups (300g/10.6oz) Nilla wafer crumbs
½ cup (100g/3.5oz) light brown sugar
⅔ cup/1⅓ sticks (150g/5.3oz) unsalted butter, melted
FOR THE FILLING
1 cup (240g/8.5oz) heavy cream
1½ cups (340g/12oz) full-fat cream cheese (preferably Philadelphia brand), at room temperature
¾ cup (198g/7.7oz) Skippy creamy peanut butter
¼ cup (31g/1oz) powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ cup (70g/2.4oz) caramel sauce, store-bought or homemade
FOR THE TOPPING
1 cup (252g/9oz) chopped (¼-inch pieces) Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
¼ cup (30g/1oz) peanuts, finely chopped
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- MAKE THE CRUST: In a large bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and brown sugar. Add the melted butter and mix with a wooden spoon until a wet crumb forms. Dump the crumbs into a 9 × 13-inch pan. Shape the crust by pressing a flat-bottomed cup into the bottom of the pan, being sure to get into the corners.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fragrant and set. Let cool to room temperature. The crust can be made ahead and wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
- MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FILLING: In a stand mixer with the whisk, whip the heavy cream on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cream to a bowl. Set aside.
- In the same mixer bowl (you don’t need to clean it) with the paddle, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla and beat until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the whipped cream until completely combined and light and fluffy.
- With a mini-offset spatula, spread the caramel in a thin layer on the top of the cooled crust. Using an offset spatula, spread the cream cheese filling over the caramel. To garnish, sprinkle the peanut butter cup pieces and the peanuts all over the top.
- Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours, or overnight, until thoroughly set. Cut in a 3 × 4 grid (for 12 bars) or a 4 × 6 grid (for 24 bars).