Peanut Butter Twix-Alikes

I really miss Peanut Butter Twix bars. Those terrible replacements they put in stores with the chocolate cookie make me cry inside, mourning the loss of their most superior predecessor.

Sigh. I don't really cry inside, but I am not a fan of someone ruining my favorite candy bar! Peanut Butter Twix were my kryptonite. Or maybe just a guilty pleasure, but the point is they were really, very delicious. And they got me through many a midterm.

I recently ran across a recipe for homemade Twix bars, and I thought, "Maybe I could make my own PB Twix-Alikes!" So I did. I was too excited to eat them to spend the time turning them into true Twix-like bars, smothered in chocolate, but behold the scrumptious--and easy!--end product:

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Peanut Butter Twix-Alikes

Ingredients

Shortbread base layer:

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1 cup confectioners sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

Peanut butter center:

1 18oz jar of creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup confectioners sugar

Chocolate layer:

12 oz chopped milk chocolate (or approx. 1 package of chocolate chips or 2 large Symphony bars, if that's what you have on hand)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300F. Lightly spray a 9"x13" pan or line with parchment paper.

Beat together the butter, confectioners sugar and vanilla extract until well mixed. Add the flour and continue to beat the crumbly mixture on medium until it comes together into a stiff dough.

Press dough evenly into the pan, then prick all over with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top with slightly darker brown edges.

While the shortbread is baking, prepare the peanut butter center. Mix the salt and confectioners sugar in a medium bowl, then scoop the entire jar of peanut butter into the bowl and mix with a stiff spoon until blended. Set aside.

Once the shortbread has cooled completely, use a spatula to spread the peanut butter mixture evenly over the top of the cookie base. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler on very low heat or in a chocolate melter (love mine!) until it is smooth and lump-free. Pour the melted chocolate on top of the peanut butter layer and spread evenly.

Place the entire pan in the fridge to cool and set for about 30-45 minutes. Cut into long rectangular fingers or bite size squares and share!

These store beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer, so you can make them a day (or week!) ahead, or just have them on hand for bad days and/or last minute celebrations.

Mmmmm...I promise these won't disappoint. I'm eating one right now, so you know it's true! And judging by the number of bars Pepper inhaled this weekend, I'd say she agrees.

Eat up, buttercups! Peanut butter cups. Peanut Butter Twix-Alikes...cups...bars.