When I was young and poor, before Jimmer and I got married, we used to entertain ourselves by spending hours in used book stores. Jimmer would search for underpriced collectable books and I would get comfy in the cookbook section. A house, two kids, a cat and a dog later, our lives are quite scheduled. We hardly ever have time for browsing, but a few weeks back we found ourselves in the stacks once again. I made one purchase, a cookbook called “The Great American Bake Sale.” I organize a lot of bake sales for my daughter’s school, so it seemed like a prudent investment.
This is my first recipe from the book, a no-bake dessert they call Original Sin Bars. And because its me, I changed the recipe just a bit. The resulting bar tastes like a peanut butter cup in a bar form. They are incredibly rich and delicious.
Original Sin Bars
Adapted from a recipe in “The Great American Bake Sale”
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 cups chunky peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (22 graham crackers pureed in food processor)
- 4 cups (1 pound) powdered sugar
- 7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or chips
- 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped or chips
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- large pinch of kosher salt
Line a 9 X 13-inch pan with aluminum foil. Make sure the foil extends about 2 inches up past the two long sides of the pan. You will use this extra foil later to lift the finished bars out of the pan before cutting.
Melt butter with peanut butter in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Add the graham cracker crumbs, vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Pat the peanut butter mixture into the lined ungreased 9 X 13-inch pan.
Melt the chocolate chips, butter and the pinch of salt in the microwave and stir until smooth.
Spread the melted chocolate mixture over the peanut butter layer.
Chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut with a hot dry knife.
Mmmmm. That is really good.
VARIATION: Try doubling the chocolate layer. I mean how could it be bad?
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Yes Please!!!
I’ve been making these for 20+ years. They are so good.
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Oooooh, yum! I’ll be making these!
So I can definitely say that these not only look amazing, but taste amazing! I made them for a group of people and they loved it! Oh, and DEFINITELY double the chocolate, which is what I did!
ooooh these look amazing! Peanut butter cups are my fav candy! I am so gonna make these!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks! I can’t wait to make and eat too many of these
These look like the ultimate guilty pleasure. Can’t wait to try them.
mmm hmm!
You have definitely made life delicious with this recipe! Your pictures are lovely
These look lovely! I make a similar recipe around Christmas time. Yum!
I recently bought this in a boxed, Reeses Pieces-endorsed form – and it was incredible! – but this looks even better. Original sin is right!
Do you think I could live off of these for ever? Seriously, I mean peanut butter is a good source of protein right?? Maybe dying young isn’t so bad;)
Wow, these look terrific! I have a recipe similar, but yours are perfect looking. You photos are looking so great, not that they were ever bad
Wow…those look totally sinful, but delicious!
Errr… I sense a cardiac arrest.
But oh it might be so just so worth it.
Seriously, Heather. I’m trying to get into HM status for beach season.
But my niece who’s allergic to eggs will love you forever.
They look amazing, love the chocolate topping