Chocolate Peanut Butter Heaven | Easy No-Bake Bars

With fall and the holidays around the corner, all I want to do these days is bake. The colder weather simply begs for it. Unfortunately, my excitement for fall has not translated into cooler days yet, and it's still too hot around here to fire up the oven if I can help it. That's where these babies come in. They are delicious enough to satisfy my need for baking, but they don't require any heat. I found this recipe on Six Sisters, and chose it because of great reviews. It did not disappoint. Ridiculously easy and equally delicious, this is a new go to recipe when I need a quick peanut butter/chocolate fix. And I mean quick. Plus, you're likely to have everything you need in your pantry already! Careful though, they were a huge hit with my family and in-laws, so be aware that they will go quickly...

Ingredients
1 cup melted butter
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (You want tiny granules--I used my blender, a food processor would also work)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
1 cup peanut butter (for the bars) & 4 tablespoons peanut butter (for the chocolate topping)
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions
In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 inch pan. (You can place them in a 9x9 square pan if you want them thicker--I used 9x13 for mine). In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with 4 Tablespoons of peanut butter, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Spread over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

In addition to being delicious and easy, this is a great recipe to make with a young child. It's easy enough for them to help with and doesn't require eggs so no need to keep them from taste-testing. Klair loved helping me mix/taste the ingredients (she mostly just tasted things.)

Do you have any go to recipes for fall? 

Flourless/Gluten-Free Chewy Chocolate Cookies | Whole Foods Copycat Recipe

It's been a long week. 

My husband was working out of town for most of it, my baby has been sick and teething, 

I've been sick with a cold that has overstayed the welcome it never had. 

It's been one of those weeks. 

Like having a bad hair day... Groundhog Day style. 

So, tonight I needed something good--some kind of comfort food. 

I needed a pick me up. 

Baking is therapy for me. And chocolate is medicine. 

Thus, I visited my trusty Pinterest board and scanned the recipes for something to speak to me.

And, this copycat of the Whole Foods favorite... 

Well, they practically shouted my name from the rooftops. 

They were exactly what my tired soul longed for. 

And, I'll tell you now, it was LOVE at first "bite." 

Oh, and the best part? They're ridiculously easy. 
I had all of the ingredients in my pantry already.

Heeeey! Does that make them eco-friendly? Since I didn't have to drive to the store? #greencookies #thatmaybeastretch ....

Regardless, they're oh so yummy.
Nice and crisp on the outside, and decadently, perfectly gooey in the middle.

So here is how it's done:

Flourless Chewy Chocolate Cookies
3 C powdered sugar
1/2 C plus 3 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1 TB vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper (apparently they stick like crazy without it, so if you don't have parchment paper use lots of cooking spray)

Mix sugar, cocoa, and salt in a bowl. Add egg whites and vanilla and beat on high for 2 minutes, until a light stiffness forms.

Drop batter by the tablespoonful in evenly spaced mounds. Bake until glossy, about 15-20 minutes. Immediately move cookies onto cooling racks (I like to air on the side of caution because I prefer gooey cookies to crunchy ones, so I went with 15 and they turned out beautifully)

This recipe yielded about 2 dozen cookies. According to Brittany Rose White that's about 60-75 calories a piece. 

Enjoy!