Goody Goody Bars
No matter the time of year, no-bake goodies are welcome in just about every kitchen. It’s great to have a few recipes that require few ingredients (and which are likely to already be in your pantry), and 15 minutes or less to throw together. They’re the reliable go-to for a surprise after-school treat, for guests who are about to arrive on short notice, and a standby reason of all… which is, of course, just because. Or no reason at all :) These no-bake bars require just six ingredients, can be mixed together in about 10 minutes, and will be ready to eat in 35 minutes after that. Definitely a back-pocket type of recipe!
As if having a straightforward, fast, no-oven-required recipe wasn’t good enough, these are chock full of peanut goodness. The filling includes a lighter dose of peanut butter and chopped peanuts are mixed into the bars as well. The bars have a chewy, alllllmost nougat-type consistency, and are reminiscent of a Baby Ruth candy bar.
The recipe as written below is how we followed it, however, when we make it again we think we'll use 1½ to 2 cups of chocolate chips for the topping. We didn’t feel like the 1 cup was enough to adequately cover the bars. Aside from that, these are reliable – awesome consistency, great flavor, and straightforward – we can’t wait to whip them up again!
One year ago: Apple Cinnamon Bread
Two years ago: Cannoli
Four years ago: Quintuple Chocolate Brownies
Goody Goody Bars
Yield: 24 bars Chocolate and peanut bars- 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (341 ml) light corn syrup
- 1 cup (258 g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup (146 g) salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
- 6 cups (168 g) cornflakes
- 1 cup (180 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with foil, allowing excess to overhang pan edges. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the brown sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture is boiling, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Off the heat, add the peanut butter and peanuts, stirring until the peanut butter is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Add the cornflakes to the pot and stir until coated.
- Working quickly, scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a greased spatula, press the mixture into the bottom and corners of the pan. Let cool completely at room temperature on a wire rack for about 1 hour or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Microwave the chocolate chips in a bowl at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate over the cooled bars and spread into an even layer. Allow the chocolate to cool, about 15 minutes (or pop the pan back in the refrigerator to speed up the process, it'll be set in 5-10 minutes). Using the foil overhang, lift the bars from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares.
Notes
Storage: Bars should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Yield: 24 bars
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Total: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 cup ( 220 g ) packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup ( 341 ml ) light corn syrup
- 1 cup ( 258 g ) creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup ( 146 g ) salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
- 6 cups ( 168 g ) cornflakes
- 1 cup ( 180 g ) semisweet chocolate chips
Method
- Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with foil, allowing excess to overhang pan edges. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the brown sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture is boiling, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Off the heat, add the peanut butter and peanuts, stirring until the peanut butter is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Add the cornflakes to the pot and stir until coated.
- Working quickly, scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a greased spatula, press the mixture into the bottom and corners of the pan. Let cool completely at room temperature on a wire rack for about 1 hour or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Microwave the chocolate chips in a bowl at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate over the cooled bars and spread into an even layer. Allow the chocolate to cool, about 15 minutes (or pop the pan back in the refrigerator to speed up the process, it'll be set in 5-10 minutes). Using the foil overhang, lift the bars from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares.
