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.”
Wonderful photography – bravo!
A few months ago, my boyfriend asked me to make snickerdoodles (his favorite cookie) and add butterscotch chips and mini marshmallows. They were a horrible sticky mess, but he loved them. Looks like I’ll have to give these a whirl!
Ohh yum! This would be fantastic with chocolate chips too!
Ah! I love these… except I’ve grown up eating them with the addition of those crispy chow mein noodles, and not in bar form but dropped into piles on wax paper. Haystacks. I know there are a million varieties of haystacks, but this is the best kind. I am pretty sure they are at least 50% responsible for my chubbiness as a child and teen.
I was just going to say the same! I grew up making and eating haystacks! I think I’d prefer the little bit of crunch to these but the flavours are still devine! Yum!
Whoa. JUST marshmallows + PB?? Insane! I am definitely a peanut butter freak as is the husband.
these are right up my alley. i’m a peanut butter freak like you’ve never seen a peanut butter freak. i love that these are so easy to make too.
beautifuL! i’m sure these are delicious!
Your blog should be banned from my pregnant self. Now I’ll be daydreaming about these all day long and won’t stop until I am forced by my craving hormones to make them.
Oh my, I think you’ve out done yourself, I want these now!!
Next time make them with colored mini marshmallows. :D That’s what we do! And you can certainly make a chocolate version as well, just as delicious! Try it!
So do I! Colored marshmallows makes it even better!
The butterscotch is what did me in here. There might be a PB overload – but if it’s got butterscotch, move over woman – I”m comin’ through!
Yummy!!! Can I come over….now??
Peanut butter and butterscotch are so dangerously good together. Mega yum! Oh and your pictures are so great, always.
Not as big of a peanut butter freak here….wonder if you could swap out peanut butter for nutella, and butterscotch for chocolate chips. Maybe I’ll try it. Either way, looks delicious!
hold the phone. just marshmallows and peanut butter? yes. YES!
Yum!! Jess these look so good :)
My grandmother used to make ones similar to these except the sprinkled coconut on top and mixed in some chocolate.
I’ll definetly be making these tonight (instead of doing a finance assignment, oops)
I’m a peanut butter freak so it’s pretty much guaranteed I will be making these.
Love this recipe. What a great idea for us peanut butter freaks. Sounds sooo good.
I’m so jealous of the marshmallows! They got to go swimming in peanut butter! YUM!!
I always made these when i was little but used colored marshmellows soo yummy
I think you should’ve gone for the chocolate chips. I can’t even fathom…this already looks amazing. Those would probably put it so over the top that it’d be indescribable.
Oh my gosh! My family has been making these for years, and they never last long. Sooooo good.
MMM I’ll share with you ;)
What, no bacon? I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt this recipe.
Who wouldn’t love this peanut buttery recipe!? Thanks!
i would definitely be able to be in the peanut butter freaks parade…love that stuff! but weren’t you even just a little bit curious as to how delicious it would be with chocolate chips?!? and this recipe is one of those beautiful ones that allows room for add-ins…what about chocolate chips AND graham cracker pieces for s’mores bars!
My grandma used to make something like these over the holidays and she’s use colored marshmallows. I don’t even know if they still make those! But gosh, those puppies were good!
These look incredible!
Add a bag of chocolate chips, and that’s what we call Bubble Bars! And I use colored marshmellows too!
YUM! I definitely a peanut butter freak, and these look to die for!
Oooohhhh, peanut butter candy?!
These look dangerous! I can’t wait to make them!
Oh my god! These look amazing. Peanut butter galore all the way.
I love peanut butter. Serious addict. I’m totally going to try these!
LOVE the title of this post. And I must try these now!!
I am a peanut butter freak and I am so ready to be united! These look beyond amazing!!!
butterscotch and PB in one treat? I die.
Ohhhh mmyy …. Oh my, oh my, oooohhh my. Peanut Butter addict.Ummm yea! So I realize none of that sounded like English, but I need these in my life… And in my tummy
Jessica, if I weren’t such an understanding human being, I’d say that you were crazy for using “light” AND incredibly “rich” to describe these but I am, indeed, and understanding person.
I love making these, except with rainbow marshmallows. Delicious AND pretty!
Ohmygod. I am DEFINITELY a peanut butter freak. I put peanut butter on everything (apples, bananas, pretzels, ice cream sandwiches…. sky’s the limit) so I’m pretty sure I need to make these.
Oh and I punched someone in the face once! My friend was a personal trainer and said I could because I always wanted to try it. It hurt my hand, he “barely felt it”, and I didn’t leave the slightest mark. Fail.
I had to try really, really hard not to lick my computer screen.
Just sayin’.
You had me at Peanut Butter freaks! I have a serious PB addiction and these look delicious and are a must-try. Can’t wait to test them out- and I’ll probably have less self control than you and end up eating half this creation as I make it!
Dawn
dawnbydawn.wordpress.com
Growing up my mom used to melt PB, butterscotch morsels and add rice krispies–talk about crack! she’d only make it in the summer and they were always kept in the fridge (but they are so good just from a spoon before they are set…). I think you have to limit yourself to only one season with them otherwise you’d never eat anything else!
wow. thsi sounds crazy.. ahah i love peanut butter though..SO.WIN.
Peanut butter is my all-time favourite food, and I wish I could just dive into my screen and eat these. I think it might just be a proven fact that women like peanut butter more than men. It seems that way in the crowd of people I know!
Oh…my. You know I’m going to have to try this with chocolate chips as well. This is making my dessert dreams come true.
Ha, I’ve heard that punching someone actually really hurts. Pretty good reading not to punch someone! Lol Anyhoo, another great recipe here!! It looks delicious :)
Okay… these are delicious. I didn’t have enough butterscotch chips in the pantry (gotta fix that next time I go to the store), so I went ahead and used chocolate. These are pretty much like eating fluffy “puppy chow” (the Chex cereal with chocolate, PB, and coated in powdered sugar). I couldn’t wait for them to set up all the way, so I ate some partly-gooey already. Mmm, sugar high!
I make something similar at the holidays and sprinkle coconut on the top. Its one of my favorite holiday treats!
omg, omg, omg. must make. must make!!!