Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares #ChocPBDay

These rich chocolate peanut butter squares are like homemade peanut butter cups made easy, just a peanut butter and sugar base topped with dark chocolate. The chopped peanut butter-filled cookies are optional, but they add a nice crunch.  

     Today marks the initial celebration of the best day ever - it's Chocolate Peanut Butter Day! Hosted by Carla of Chocolate Moosey and Miriam of Overtime Cook, 31 bloggers are sharing favorite chocolate peanut butter recipes, ranging from cookies and bars to scones and muffins. Follow the hashtag #chocPBday on social media and join us with your favorite chocolate and peanut butter recipes. Looking for recipes all in one place? Follow our Pinterest board.

My very first real job, after I graduated from university, was my dream job, promoting a “product” I had benefited from since childhood and truly believed in, the Girl Scouts. In fact, I was a registered adult Girl Scout, working in the marketing and development department, which is a fancy way of saying promotion and fundraising. 

Among other responsibilities, my boss and I were in charge of the calendar and cookie sales for our Girl Scout council, based in Houston, but serving 26 Texas counties. As part of our promotion of the cookie sale my first year, we delivered boxes and boxes of cookies to Houston area chefs who had agreed to use them to create sweet recipes for an evening fundraising event.

Those days came back to me as I was making these chocolate peanut butter squares for Chocolate Peanut Butter Day and so I added some chopped Girl Scout peanut sandwich cookies to the tops. What’s better than peanut butter with chocolate on top? Peanut butter and chocolate with extra peanut butter cookies on top. They add a lovely crunch.

Ingredients
For the base:
1/4 cup or 50g brown sugar
1 2/3 cups or 200g icing sugar
1/3 cup or 75g unsalted butter
1 cup or 255g smooth peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the topping:
10 1/2 oz or 300g dark chocolate
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
 3 oz or 100g peanut butter-filled cookies 

Method
Mix all the ingredients for the base together. When I’ve made this before, I used my stand mixer and got a more homogeneous dough but I am in a rented house this week so I had to do it by hand. It worked but was much more crumbley. It still presses down nicely into a base and tastes the same, so don’t let that bother you. Use a mixer if you have one or a spoon and then your hands, if you don’t. It's kind of like a peanut butter shortbread. I know, right?! Mmmm, peanut butter shortbread. 

Chop your peanut butter-filled cookies roughly, if using, and set aside.

Line your square pan (about 9 in x 9 in or 23cm x 23cm) with parchment paper or foil. Press the base out evenly into the bottom of the lined pan.

In a microwaveable bowl, melt your chocolate and butter with a few short zaps of 20-30 seconds each, stirring well in between. Pour the melted chocolate on to your base and spread it around evenly, all the way to the edges.

Sprinkle the chocolate with the chopped cookies and press them down gently into the chocolate.

Refrigerate the pan until the chocolate is almost set. Cut into small squares. Enjoy!

If you love chocolate and peanut butter like we love chocolate and peanut butter, you are going to want to check out every single one of these recipe links:

• Buckeye Cheesecake Bars by Chocolate Moosey
• Peanut Butter Bundt Cake with Chocolate Cheesecake Filling by Overtime Cook
• 4 Layer Chocolate Brownie Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting by Neighborfood
• Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cannolis by Souffle Bombay
• Chocolate & Peanut Butter Crumb Parfait by Hungry Couple
• Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Jam Bars by Poet in the Pantry
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies by In The Kitchen With KP
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Bars by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls by Gotta Get Baked
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Earthquake Cake by I Wash You Dry
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Doughnuts by It’s Yummi!
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Trifle by Kelli’s Kitchen
• Chocolate Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies by Jen’s Favorite Cookies
• Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Blondies by What Smell’s So Good
• Chunky Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies by Snappy Gourmet
• Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream by Kelly Bakes
• Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cups by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares by Food Lust People Love
• Dark Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies by Mind Over Batter
• Flourless Peanut Butter Cup Swirl Brownies by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Mini Chocolate Caramel Peanut Butter Cheesecakes by The Spiffy Cookie
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Scones by All Day I Dream About Food
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies by The Cooking Actress
• Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips Bars by Roxana’s Home Baking
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Biscotti by Lauren Kelly Nutrition
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream by Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Quick Bread by Magnolia Days
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Parfait by Hip Foodie Mom
• Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars by Crumb: A Food Blog
• Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Krispie Cheesecake Bars by Food Faith Fitness

A huge thank you to our sponsors! Be sure to follow them on social media:

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Three lucky winners will win one of the following:

Prize Pack #1: OXO Baking Tool Set: One 3-in-1 Egg Separator, One Bent Icing Knife, One Brownie Spatula, One Cake Tester, One Cookie Spatula, One Cupcake Icing Knife, One Cupcake Corer, One Egg Beater, One Stainless Steel Measuring Cups, One Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons, One Medium Cookie Scoop

Prize Pack #2: King Arthur Flour ingredients: One bag of all-purpose flour, one package of Guittard bittersweet chocolate disks, and one bottle of pure vanilla extract

Prize Pack #3: Peanut Butter and Co. package including: one Dark Chocolate Dreams 6-pack, One Variety 6-pack, and One 31 Days of Dark Chocolate Dreams cookbook

This giveaway is open to US residents only and winners will be picked from random draw.

Giveaway ends Monday March 31 at 11:59 PM. The winners will be notified via email and have 24 hours to respond. If not, the prize is forfeited and another winner will be chosen.

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***Disclaimer: This giveaway is being provided by OXO, King Arthur Flour and Peanut Butter & Co. #ChocPBDay bloggers have not received product or been compensated as a part of this giveaway.***