Peanut Butter Freaks Unite.
If someone would have told me ten years ago that I would spend the majority of my time in a kitchen stirring peanut butter and butter together over a hot stove, I think I would have punched them in the face.
Mostly just out of disbelief.
Partly because I want to punch someone in the face just to see what happens. Not because I want to harm someone’s pretty face, but because… I want to like… see what it feels like. I think it’d really hurt my hand.
But this is totally how I found myself earlier this week.. standing over a hot stove stirring waaaaay too much peanut butter in a very large pot. AÂ gigantic part of me just wanted to sit on the seat of a pretty bay window (which I don’t have) and spoon this directly down my throat while staring out at the deep blue yonder.
I don’t know what that means but it’s what I wanted to do.
It was nearly impossible to resist.
So this normally isn’t my type of recipe – if I’m going to melt anything in a large pot with marshmallows it’s only going to be brown butter and crisped rice cereal – but the minute it popped into my inbox from a reader (thanks Jenn!), I could not stop thinking about it. So simple! So easy! So few ingredients! I tend to be more of a chocolate-in-your-face dessert person, but these were calling my name. Loudly.
Jenn told me how she was in charge of making desserts last year in the cafe where she worked and how quickly these were gobbled up. What Jenn also should have told me was that these make the ideal comfort food when you want to eat your emotions over the end of Desperate Housewives, a show you haven’t watched since 2005 but are still somewhat affected by, nonetheless.
Now here’s the thing: you really have to be a peanut butter freak. I mean, we’re talking SERIOUS freakery here. I almost swapped out the butterscotch chips for chocolate, but I didn’t even go there. Oh no I didn’t.
Holy mother of peanut butter.
Can a peanut butter dessert be rich? Because these are super, super rich and that’s the only way I can describe it. And super, super peanut buttery. Shocking, I know. But they are light too. Have I thoroughly confused your brain?
You certainly have to loooooove peanut butter in order to celebrate the deliciousness of these bars. That dude I live with isn’t a peanut-butter-in-dessert fan (yeah, what?), so after taking a bite he deemed this all mine.
Not a problem. Not a problem at all.
No Bake Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares
makes one 9×13 pan
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 11-ounce bag butterscotch morsels
2 10.5-ounce bags mini marshmallows
Heat a large pot over low heat and add peanut butter, butter and butterscotch chips. Constantly stir until totally melted – this will take about 10 minutes, but eventually everything will melt. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for about 10 more minutes.
Fold in marshmallows until evenly coated and distributed – some may melt, and that’s fine. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray, then spread mixture in the pan. Let sit at room temperature for a few hours to firm up, or place in the fridge. I loved these refrigerated!
Ugh. So good.
183 Comments on “Peanut Butter Freaks Unite.”
I literally JUST ate a spoonful of peanut butter with breakfast and literally contemplated just bringing the whole jar with me to work to eat as “lunch.” Is there anything better than peanut butter?! Yes. peanut butter + butter. These bars look insane Jessica! So much going on in them.. and with only 4 ingredients… that i have on hand… I may just be bringing these in for my lunch instead.
My peanut butter obsessed self is loving these!
Peanut butter simplicity at it’s finest, these look incredible!
That makes my mouth pucker from sugar overload just looking at it – and I like it.
Rich, but light? Hmm, sounds interesting. As a fellow pb freak, I can get on boar with this recipe. Just have to buy a full jar of pb. Mine is almost empty from my constant spoon feeding myself the stuff!
My gramma makes these. They are AWESOME. May I suggest multi coloured marshmallows? And could someone mail me a bag of butterscotch chips so I can make these today!!
When Jenn sent me the recipe it actually called for the multicolored marshmallows, but I was afraid what that would do to the pictures. What do they look like with the colored ones??
They look super cute and sweet with the coloured ones in! They’ve always been a Christmas square in my family. The coloured ones have a slightly different taste (in my opinion – green ones are limeish tasting, etc) from the plain white ones so if you liked this version I’d stick with it.
Mine did too! Multi coloured marshmallows all the way.
These often never got cut into squares. Fork + straight out of the fridge.
These look super yummy and so easy. I would love one with an ice cold glass of milk. I wonder if it would too sinful top drizzle a wee bit of chocolate on top? :)
I’m like 4 seconds away from doing that.
My aunt (who doesn’t really cook) makes a version of these that has chocolate chips in them along with the peanut butter and butterscotch chips to bring to family functions. They’re always a hit! I highly recommend adding chocolate!
Sold.
Oh man….. amazing. These would be awesome with some added caramel… just sayin’ ;)
Miss you!
next time i have to go to a party…i know what im making.
Holy yum. I loooove peanut butter. Hubby, not so much, so like you these would be alllll mine.
Holy crap…it’s like peanut butter fudge!!!! Mmmm! :D
Have never seen these before – oh my. Totally a PB freak and these sound crazy good!
We make these too, only we use the mini coloured marshmallows! It had been years since I had made these, but in October I made them as our Thanksgiving dessert. They were devoured by my entire family and within a week my Mom made some at her house because she just HAD to!
wOW get out this is incredibluh.
what if you did this with nutella and chocolate chips.
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My Nan used to make a similar recipe that I would beg for as a kid. This is pretty much the recipe!!
Up here in Canada, we also make them witht he multi-coloured marshmallows! And with chocolate chips instead of butterscotch chips. SO GOOD. Honestly, my favourite dessert! Put a little sprinkle of coconut on top and then you’re really in for it!
Holy Cow! I am drooling at my computer! Peanut butter is my weakness and these look delicious! I have to make them this weekend! Running to the store this afternoon to get the supplies!
To be honest, I’m not sure how I would feel about someone that doesn’t love peanut butter! These look perfect in every way! YUM!!!
Would it be ridiculous for me to want to drizzle melted chocolate on these?
I normally can’t eat really sweet desserts because they give me bad headaches, but something’s telling me that I wouldn’t be able to resist these!
I want to crumble one of them over ice cream and drizzle it with chocolate syrup because I totally need even more sugar in my life! haha
Yeah, I could do this. Every. Single. Day.
oh I love that short ingredient list! looks amazing!
AH! I love Peanut Butter! Yum!
Try replacing the marshmallows with rice crispies! That was my childhood favorite and still is today!
That is TOTALLY my kind of recipe!
These are my faaaavourite. I grew up with these in my school cafeteria and now my best friend brings them to potlucks all the time, as per my request usually. We use coloured mini marshmallows to add to the junkiness of these ‘classic’ treats!
I am a massive peanut butter fan … just as my husband who teases me about it pretty much every day. There is no doubt in my mind that I would LOVE these. Thank you so much for my next 5 lbs. ;)
Could you sub the butterscotch chips for peanut butter chips? And what if you added in mini Reese’s pieces? MMMMM…..MUST. MAKE. TONIGHT!!!
Yes yes yes!
Oh my it looks so lovely, this recepie is definitely bookmaker, I wish I could find the butterscotch morsels somewhere here in Denmark. Thanks for the feel good pictures and have a nice day!
LOVE peanut butter. Oh my goodness. This looks amazing!
I love that the marshmallows don’t melt completely – these look amazing!
Wow. Just wow. To combine some of the other suggestions…add a layer of carmel on top and then chocolate – either dipped completely in melted chocolate or heavily drizzled on top. OMG. Or just layer on some Dove Promises with carmel in the middle and let them melt a little bit. I may be making these for a camping trip over Memorial Day. YUM! Thanks!!!
I heard the call for peanut butter freaks way over here in Omaha. I’m here! And oh boy. These look dangerous!
So wait. This just basically justifies eating peanut butter in square form…by throwing some marshmallows in there to hold it all together. HECK YESSS.
Holy Mother lover! I need these asap. Oh, and that thing about Desperate Housewives I am/was totally hooked. Although, I am watching the last episode today because when it aired on Sunday…my family wanted to watch Duck Dynasty instead…kill me now.
Ha!
I love a good no bake recipe for the spring and this looks incredible. It will definitely be on my list of BBQ worthy desserts!
Thanks for sharing!
OMG now this is an amazing PB dessert, love it, can’t wait to make it this weekend!
I love pb so much! I keep a jar in my desk and eat it with a spoon… These look awesome! I may use chocolate chips instead. PB + Chocolate = best combination ever!
I need to eat my emotions over the end of Desperate Housewives as well- loyal watcher right here… Peanut butter to the rescue!
It’s like… the end of an era.
Wow, a dessert with no grain whatsoever? I’m intrigued. And I would definitely be adding chocolate, because why not make a great thing even greater ?!
Love an easy 4 ingredient recipe! Especially with PB :)
i think i might just faint….
Is it weird to eat this for breakfast…cause there is no way I’m making it to lunch or dinner with them on the brain! It’s peanut butter, so I’m voting yes…perfectly normal for breakfast. Just like if you add orange juice to vodka, perfectly acceptable breakfast drink.
This is so easy it’s almost unfair…it’s better when things like this that shouldn’t consumed in mass quantities are like…really really hard to make. That way it takes lots of motivation to actually make them. But this? This is a game changer.
And also? I haven’t watched Desperate Housewives since 2005 but also found myself feeling sad and/or strangely interested about it’s ending. We’re kind of the same person.
A little drizzle of chocolate and all would be right in the world.
I’m totally a peanut butter freak. These look incredible. What a perfect easy summer dessert!!!
I have all the ingredients except I only have about 1 cup of peanut butter – but I also have about 1 cup of Biscoff – hmmm, I think I feel a hybrid brewing!! I plan to do these tonight! (Funny how I always find a way to incorporate Biscoff into everything!)
oh. my. god. why are you doing this to me right before bikini season? at least this is an excuse to go online shopping for cover-ups :-D