caramel

Peanut Butter Fudge Caramel Bars

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

Just in time for the holidays, I’m excited to share with you a recipe that is delicious and perfect for peanut butter and chocolate lovers.

This is not realllllly a holiday recipe, but you can dress it up with red and green and then it’s the perfect for the holidays! It’s not difficult to make but it IS somewhat time consuming because it’s a few layers. But I promise it’s worth it because it really is that good.*

*if you don’t like peanut butter or chocolate you WON’T like these. I can’t be held responsible for your taste buds.

Peanut Butter Fudge Caramel Bars - icrashedtheweb

Peanut Butter Fudge Caramel Bars

Here’s what you need:

For the cookie layer

  • 1/2 c butter (1 stick)
  • 1/3 c granulated sugar
  • 1 c flour

For the peanut butter caramel layer

  • 30 caramels, unwrapped
  • 3 Tablespoons peanut butter
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream

For the peanut butter fudge layer

  • 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I ended up using about half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate)
  • 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1/2 c. candy topping – I used peanut butter M&Ms that were red and green

Here’s what you do:

  1. For the cookie layer: Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 in. pan with foil and/or spray with cooking spray. Creaming the butter and sugar with a stand mixer until fluffy. Slowly stir in flour. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 18 minutes until it starts to slightly brown. Cool for at least 20-30 minutes before continuing.
  2. For the peanut butter caramel layer: Mix caramels, peanut butter, and heavy cream in a pot over medium to medium low heat. Stir until smooth and melted. Carefully pour on top of cookie layer. I used a spatula to evenly spread on top of cookie. Chill at least 15 minutes before adding chocolate peanut butter layer.
  3. For the chocolate peanut butter layer: Melting chocolate chips and peanut butter together in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Stir until smooth and peanut butter is incorporated and pour over caramel layer. Again, I used a spatula to spread evenly and carefully. Top with candy of your choice – I use red and green M&Ms and sprinkles to fit within my holiday theme.
  4. Chill bars until completely firm; I chilled mine in the fridge for a few hours and then let sit at room temperature before cutting.

Peanut Butter Fudge Caramel Bars (1)

Rolo Stuffed Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting (a.k.a. You Haven’t Lived Yet)

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 1 Comment

A few weeks before Christmas, my cousin posted on my Facebook wall, “So I heard your looking for cookie suggestions.. well I have a BROWNIE suggestion – fudge peanut butter caramel brownie.” Um, fudge + caramel + peanut butter? Challenge accepted!

Instead of scouring the web for what I’m sure already exists (I know there has to be a Peanut Butter Caramel Fudge Brownie Recipe out there) I decided to just make up something pretty similar. Okay I’ll admit it – this is a semi-homemade recipe. I happen to love brownie mix brownies. Yes, I have a few favorite brownies recipes (including this one), but when it comes to brownies that have frosting and other goodness, I find that I rely on good-ole brownie mix and nobody is any wiser. Add Rolos and homemade peanut butter frosting? Even better.

Looking for an easy, pretty delicious sweet recipe for your next get-together? Want to please a chocolate lover? Here you go!
rolo stuffed brownies with peanut butter frosting ~ i crashed the web

Rolo Stuffed Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting 

Here’s what you need:

For the brownies (makes 12):

  • A box of brownie mix (see, I told you it’s easy! I used Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie mix… but if you must, feel free to use your own favorite brownie recipe)
  • Ingredients required per brownie mix box (mine had oil, water and eggs)
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 20 Rolos

For the peanut butter frosting:

  • 1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 – 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 Tbs milk (I used original almond milk, because that’s what I have on hand)
  • 2-3 Rolos, chopped up

Here’s what you do:

For the brownies:

  1. Prepare brownie batter per directions on box.
  2. Stir in semi-sweet chocolate chips.
  3. Pour batter into a 9×13 prepared pan. I lined mine with parchment paper.
  4. Unwrap the Rolos and place them evenly into batter softly, about one inch apart so that there are about one Rolo per brownie when cooked.
  5. Bake according to package directions.
  6. Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

  1. Beat peanut butter and butter until well blended.
  2. Gradually add sugar, 1/4 cup or so at a time until frosting stiffens.
  3. Add milk.  Continue mixing until creamy.
  4. Frost brownies! Chop up the remaining Rolos and sprinkle on top of frosted brownies.
rolo stuffed brownies with peanut butter frosting ~ i crashed the web

enjoy!

Chocolate, peanut butter, caramel oat bars

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 7 Comments

B was out of town for a few days, and of course, I got a craving for some baking. I had plans to visit my parents and bake when I was seeing them, but I knew that trying a new recipe, including one that involved something potentially messy like caramel and melted peanut butter, in my parents’ kitchen, may not be the best idea. But one in my kitchen – when B wasn’t home? Perfect!

OH em gee. These cookies are SO good. They’re super sweet, super sinful and super rich — you HAVE to make these. Good luck not eating the whole pan!

chocolate peanut butter oatmeal caramel cookie bars

Chocolate, peanut butter, caramel oat bars

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.25 cup oats
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 12 oz caramel candy (I bought them from Target) 
  • 1/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
  • 2 c (about a 12 oz bag) chocolate chips
  • 1/4 c smooth peanut butter

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease (or use cooking spray) a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking soda and butter. Mix it well until the texture is crumbly.
  3. Divide batter in half. Press half into the bottom of the pan and bake this crust layer at 350 degrees for oven for 10 minutes.
  4. While batter is baking, prepare the caramel layer. In a medium saucepan, combine the caramel candy and milk over low heat. Stir well as the caramels melt and caramel is thick and smooth.
  5. When cooked, remove crust from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. Don’t turn off the oven yet!
  6. Pour the melted caramel evenly over the chocolate and top with the remaining flour-oat crumbly batter.
  7. Warm up peanut butter in microwave. Drizzle peanut butter over flour-oat crumble.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
  9. Cool before cutting into bars. Enjoy!!!
crumbly batter

crumbly batter

heating the caramel with almond milk

heating the caramel with almond milk

cooking the caramel

cooking the caramel

Top the cooked crust with chocolate chips (then caramel and crumbly topping)

Top the cooked crust with chocolate chips (then caramel and crumbly topping)

drizzle melted peanut butter on top of the crumble

drizzle melted peanut butter on top of the crumble

cut into bars when cool

cut into bars when cool .. and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

I looooove caramel and chocolate. Yum yum yum. Chocolate and caramel, in my opinion, is one of the most heavenly flavor combinations, in addition to peanut butter and chocolate of course!

B and I had a few people over for the Super Bowl this year. Last year I got all festive and made adorable football brownie sandwiches – but this year I decided  I just wanted something sweet and found some recipes for chocolate chip caramel cookies.

I opted for a simple chocolate chip caramel bar recipe and they definitely were a hit; almost the whole pan was gobbled up immediately! I can’t wait to make them again or try another variation of this recipe.

caramel chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookie Bars

(modified from Two Peas and their Pod‘s salted caramel cookies)

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, or 1/2 c of Egg Beaters ( I used Egg Beaters)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 10 ounces caramel candy squares, unwrapped
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Sea salt, for sprinkling over caramel and bars

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 325. Spray a 13×7 pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer, combine melted (and cooled) butter,brown sugar and white sugar.
  4. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix on low, just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. 
  5. Divide the cookie dough in half. Press half of the cookie dough into the prepared pan.
  6. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the unwrapped caramels and heavy cream. Microwave caramels on until melted and stop to stir about every 20-30 seconds. The whole process took about 2.5 minutes in the microwave for me.  
  7. Pour hot caramel over the cookie dough in the pan.
  8. Spread remaining cookie dough over caramel layer.  The caramel will be sticky, so I found it easy to divide remaining dough into four chunks, flatten chunk somewhat and place in each corner.
  9. Bake cookie bars for 30-35 minutes or until the top of the bars are light golden brown.  Cool bars on a wire rack. Serve – and enjoy!

caramel chocolate chip cookies