Chocolate Peanut Butter Revel Bars

Starting this week, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (MWF) are going to be our favorite days.  You may have been getting used to seeing new recipes from me five days a week, Monday through Friday.  Now, as the end of the year draws near, my life is going to be filled with a lot of traveling and some other commitments, which means not as much time to post.

No worries!  I will not leave you completely stranded as I did during my first two trimesters of pregnancy (when even the thought of my food blog made me want to puke!).  No, I can't do that to you, or myself, again!  Instead, I'm going to commit to sharing with you three times a week...MWF.

Although I'll only publish posts on MWF, I'll still be checking my comments and email daily.  Please do not let the conversation diminish.  I love the dialogue!  I also love the baby babbling coming out of my 11-month old son these days... but I still can't figure out a way to translate it into a real conversation, therefore I need our adult "chats".  🙂

Now, let's get to this delightful dessert!  I came across this recipe the other day and couldn't resist making them for the dessert at a game night with some friends.  At first I thought they were going to be way too sweet, but they surprised me.  These are not too rich at all.  They actually resemble a delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, in bar form.

The fragrance of the bars were very nostalgic for me.  While I was preparing the filling, and each time I ate one, I kept thinking about holiday dinners together with my family.  Maybe it had to do with the filling reminding me of chocolate fudge?

Everyone loved these and most had seconds.  Ben couldn't stop eating the portion I kept at home... or was that me?  🙂

Chocolate Peanut Butter Revel Bars

Printable Recipe

Yield: 20 large bars

14 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
3 cups quick cooking oats

For Filling:
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup peanuts, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 9- x 13- inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and baking soda until creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add 2 teaspoons of vanilla.

With the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour and mix until completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of bowl as you go.  Stir in the rolled oats (you may need to use a little elbow grease to mix them in).  Set dough aside.

Using your hands, evenly press about two-thirds of the oat mixture into the bottom of the baking pan.  Set the rest of the dough aside.

For the filling, combine the peanut butter, chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in a medium sized microwave safe bowl.  Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, stirring every 20 seconds, or until chocolate is melted.  Stir to make the mixture smooth, then add peanuts and 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Spread the chocolate filling evenly over the oats mixture with a rubber spatula.  Dot the remaining oat (dough) mixture over the top of the chocolate.

Bake for 22-25 minutes, until top is lightly browned.  The chocolate may still look moist.  Allow bars to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into individual bars.

Source: Blue Eyed Bakers