Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs or Bars with 2X the PB

I absolutely love the chocolate peanut butter combination.  I mean LOVE it.  If I don't have a treat I will succumb to a spoonful of peanut butter and some chocolate chips on top.  I'm ridiculous I know, but a girl has to do what a girl has to do.  

However, I recently came across this recipe on an old hard drive with all of my files from the elementary school I worked at in Denver.  I have absolutely no idea who gave me this recipe, but it's gotta be someone at that school.  Whoever they are, THANK YOU!  B/c this recipe is gold. 

Now that I have this recipe my spoonful of pb and chocolate chips may be behind me.  These Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs/Bars are super easy to make, no baking is involved, and they taste pretty darn delicious.  It's similar to a buckeye, but in a bar or an egg if you want to be festive this weekend.

Another bonus is that you probably have all the ingredients on hand, you can whip it up in 20 minutes, and then sit back and let it chill in the fridge.  It's easy... which is unlike other homemade chocolate peanut butter eggs I've made.  Trust me. 

I've made numerous other chocolate peanut butter eggs.  They take FOREVER to mold the egg shape and then dip in chocolate.  The chocolate is always much too thick, and well it really is just too much effort for a not so cute looking peanut butter egg.  Plus, this egg has peanut butter in the chocolate topping.  Yummy!  

These "eggs", or bars every other time of year, are perfect for a party or to take to the neighbors.  You can use a cookie cutter shape of your choice and make any kind of festive shape you would like.  

Enjoy these bad boys... they are absolutely addicting and milk is awfully handy after eating half the pan like I did this afternoon.

Plus, these freeze awesome, so whip some up and eat some now, but then save some for later.  Oh the possibilities and access to chocolate peanut butter goodness is endless.  I LOVE it!   

Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs/Bars
Recipe: Alohamora slightly adapted from a friend in Colorado
Active Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time: 1 hour
Servings: 9, 3-inch eggs, or 10-12 bars

Ingredients; 

1 c. butter, melted
1 3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. peanut butter, creamy
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar

For the Topping: 
1 c. chocolate chips
3/4 c. peanut butter, creamy   

Directions: 

1. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper and butter it.  It is easiest to use a stick of butter and just rub it all along the sides and bottom of the lined pan. 
2. In a stand mixer or a large bowl mix together butter, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, and powdered sugar on low speed until well combined.  You don't have to use a mixer, but it does make life a lot easier. 
3. Evenly press the peanut butter/graham cracker crumbs mixture into your pan using a spoon or your clean hands.  
4. For the topping in a small pan on low to medium heat melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter together until it is cohesive and smooth.  Be sure to constantly stir the chocolate and peanut butter so you don't burn it. 
5. Spread the chocolate peanut butter mixture evenly over the bars.
6. Place the bars into the fridge to cool for no more than an hour, but you can leave it in there over night.  
7. When bars are cooled and the chocolate is set, just touch it to be sure, pull your bars out of the fridge.  Use the parchment paper that is folded over the sides of the pan and lift the bars out onto the counter.  Using a knife or an egg cookie cutter, cut your bars into the shapes you desire.  
8. Keep eggs/bars in the fridge until you are ready to enjoy them.  You can freeze any that you'd like in freezer bags.  Just be sure to pull them out in time to thaw before serving.  
9. Enjoy the chocolate pb goodness! 

I'm going to go have some more right now.  Enjoy!  As always holler with questions! 

Happy Easter/Passover!