Salted Peanut Bars

Perfect Pairing:  Foil

This is another family favorite that we have been making for years.  They are the perfect combination of salty and sweet and crunchy and chewy.  I believe the recipe came from a Pillsbury bake-off pamphlet 15+ years ago, but I was not able to find the original source online.

The crust is almost like a chewy shortbread made with brown sugar.  That is topped with either salted peanuts or mixed nuts, your preference. 

Then the whole thing is drizzled with a butterscotch sauce. 

They are fabulous.  They are also hard to get out of the pan.  UNLESS you use the perfect pairing of foil!

You can see that they lift easily out of the pan on the foil, leaving a clean pan!  I get excited about things like this.

They also come off the foil easily for slicing.  You’re going to love them!

Salted Peanut Bars

Adapted by Lindsay at Perfecting the Pairing from Pillsbury

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

·         3 cups flour

·         1 ½ cups brown sugar

·         1 cup unsalted butter, softened

·         1 tsp salt

·         12 oz salted cocktail peanuts or salted mixed nuts

·         ½ cup light corn syrup

·         2 Tb butter

·         1 Tb water

·         1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 15x10 inch jellyroll pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.

In a large bowl add the flour, brown sugar, softened butter, and salt.  Mix (using an electric mixer or pastry cutter) until evenly combined.  Press into the foil lined pan.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until it starts to brown.  After removing from the oven sprinkle the nuts evenly across the top of the crust.

In a small saucepan combine the corn syrup, 2 tablespoons butter, water, and butterscotch chips.  Bring to a low boil and continue to boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Pour evenly over the nuts and crust.  Don’t worry if it does not reach all of the sides, it will during baking.  Return to the oven and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to cool.  Remove from the pan by lifting the foil out.  Cut and serve.

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