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You KNOW how I feel about peanut butter and chocolate.
I mean, chocolate without peanut butter is like a shoe with no laces. Pennies with no faces. Sentenceswithnospaces.
It just isn’t…. right.
If you’re tired of my peanut butter and chocolate contraptions lately, you’re in for a real treat today!
A giant brick of peanut butter and WHITE chocolate.
Yay! It’s something new and different to keep you on your toes. You’re welcome.
Bark is a miraculously lazy way to create a candy bar. A blessed little treat that takes literally no effort, thought, or preparation. By throwing random doo-dads from your pantry into melted chocolate, you can create some truly unique and creative chocolate candy. That’s why bark makes such a personable gift!
Today’s “recipe” happened in about 10 minutes – all stemming from the sudden urge to throw things into a pan and… eat it.
It was a systematic use of all the miscellaneous stuff hiding in my baking stash: the bottom of a peanut butter jar, a handful of Reese’s Pieces, a leftover bag of peanut butter chips, and a 1-pound bar of white chocolate that had been staring at me for weeks.
You knowwwwww you have rando schmando candies, nuts, chocolate, etc in your pantry. Make bark.
The white chocolate layers are pretty self explanatory. Melt white chocolate. Pour into a pan.
The middle peanut butter layer is la creme de la creme. The obvious star of the show here. It is a simple combination of powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, and peanut butter. It tastes identical to the the creamy yet crumbly center of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
I layered the peanut butter in extra thick for obvious reasons.
The slightly salty peanut butter layer keeps the bark from being sickeningly sweet. When you’re eating pure chocolate with candy on top, a little salty action provides a much needed flavor balance.
The topping? Just a simple handful of crushed Reese’s Pieces and peanut butter chips.
I eat peanut butter on my peanut butter.
The little candies on top provided a nice crunch to the otherwise soft and creamy bark. Plus, it’s a way to create something completely your own. I’m going to top my bark with chopped pretzels or chocolate sprinkles (!!!) next time. 
Considering how much time this “recipe” did NOT take, one bite of this bark and you’ll wonder how it’s not illegal. It’s THAT good.
It’s like a massive White Chocolate Reese’s Cup that you can make in 10 minutes. With more Reese’s on top. And with more peanut butter. And even more chocolate.
Is this real life??!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 16 oz white melting chocolate*
- 1/2 cup chopped Reese's Pieces candies
- 1/4 cup peanut butter chips
Instructions
- Line a 13x9 (or 11x7) baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir the peanut butter, sugar, softened butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, melt the white chocolate according to package instructions. Pour half of the melted white chocolate into prepared baking dish. Spread out evenly with a rubber spatula. Spoon peanut butter mixture over top of the white chocolate layer. Gently spread the peanut butter layer over the white chocolate, creating some swirls as needed. Top with remaining melted white chocolate. Sprinkle Reese's Pieces and peanut butter chips on top.
- Allow to cool in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to set up. Lift parchment paper and bark out of the pan and break into pieces with a knife. Store bark in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
*If using white chocolate chips, melt with 1 teaspoon shortening so the chocolate is smooth and easy to spread.
Recipe source: sallysbakingaddiction.com
© Sally’s Baking Addiction. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.
What are your favorite “thoughtless” recipes?
I have a few treats whose recipes are so easy, I even have them memorized!
Chewy Butterfinger Cookies – short ingredient list, no dough chilling, cookies in 15 minutes flat.
Cookie Dough Truffle Pops – make eggless cookie dough, dip into chocolate, put on stick. EASY.
Super-Chunk White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies - uses my go-to standard cookie dough base recipe. A cookie dough base recipe I use for nearly dozens of different cookies.
Peanut Butter Cup Granola – impossible to mess up, I make this simple granola recipe ALL the time.
Loaded Sugar Cookie Bars - starting with pre-made sugar cookie dough, you can add ANY of your favorite candies to make a special cookie bar treat. These take less than 30 minutes!
{ 57 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m not a huge fan of white chocolate, until it is combined with peanut butter – somehow that combination just works. These look awesome Sally – perfect for an October sweet tooth!
Jess recently posted..White Chicken Chili
white chocolate and peanut butter is seriously underrated! I may like it better than regular chocolate!
Hahah! ‘like a shoe with no laces’ – that’s how I feel about PB and chocolate too! White chocolate is surely the way to go! Your bark looks gorgeous, Sally!
baker street recently posted..Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
it’s so true, isn’t it??
Oh my word!!! I want to hug you for this recipe…I think it might be one of my all time favorites!!! Lazy day candy bars = awesomesauce!!!!! I love that thick layer of peanut butter in the white chocolate. I never make bark because I have always thought it was way too sweet. But this…this will be happening in my house. Reeses bark here I come:-)
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life recently posted..Trick or Treat Tuesday
Thanks Jocelyn! I typically don’t go for bark either because it’s way too rich, but the salty peanut butter tides is all down. I’m glad you like it!
You never cease to amaze me with these creations! My sister is the biggest white chocolate fan I know. She would be head over heels for this bark!!
Colleen @ What’s Baking in the Barbershop?! recently posted..Cinnamon-Sugar Pumpkin Donuts & Donut Holes
Oh my gosh, I LOVE white chocolate and I feel like there aren’t enough recipes out there that use it! This bark is so gorgeous and looks really fancy…despite its ease of assembly!
that’s what I was going for! a beautiful, decadent dessert I could enjoy and share with my reders AND a recipe that took little effort.
Right there: my two favourite ingredients in the world! Can’t wait to try this!
This looks so delicious! I’m not sure I could ever get enough peanut butter in my life
Joanne recently posted..Ginger Cosmopolitan Cocktail
you and me alike Joanne.
A peanut butter layer inside the bark?! If someone was going to come up with this brilliant idea, it would be you. High five!
Elaine @ Cooking to Perfection recently posted..Fun Stuff for Bloggers!
you always give me a confidence boost in my recipes Elaine! thanks girl.
I LOVE WHITE CHOCOLATE! Ahhhh in my opinion it’s better than regular choc and peanut butter together.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie recently posted..Stovetop Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese
I 100% secretly AGREE with you Erin.
Holy moly, Sally. This bark is incredible!! You’re so right–bark is both thoughtless and thoughtful, as it’s completely EASY to do yet so unique and special that it’s one-of-a-kind. And I’m SO glad you decided to fill your bark with a creamy pb layer inside. REALLY?! So very Sally
& I love you used white chocolate, because between you and me, white is my fave kind of chocolate.
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel recently posted..Pumpkin Pudding Monster Cookies
thoughtless AND thoughtful – LOVE IT! I’m making bark for my coworkers during Xmas. I’m going to have so much baking going on for the blog that it will be nice to give an easy treat to my coworkers
Thanks Hayley!
Hi Sally,
I just discovered your blog a couple of weeks ago and my stomach and I are totally hooked. I have a pinboard on Pinterest called: “Food I lust After” and half the pins are now your recipes! You and I seem to have the same weaknesses, so I pin one of your recipes about every day.
Never liked white chocolate much, but I am going to try this recipe because it looks WONDERFUL! You could win me over to white chocolate –after all, it IS chocolate, and that’s ALWAYS a good thing!
Hi Val! That is so wonderful to hear, thank you so much for the kind words and all the pins! How lovely. It makes my day. You’ll love white chocolate in this recipe -it’s hard not to!
Ahhhh this is just fabulous. Thanks for the tip on melting the white chocolate chips – I attempted this once and it was an epic fail. White chocolate chips don’t seem to wanna melt!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes recently posted..Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie with Gingersnap Crust
I’ve had a ton of trouble with white chocolate chips melting – the shortening works wonders every time!
I haven’t had Reese’s Pieces in far too long. Maybe since last Halloween? They are the type of candy I just don’t buy b/c I can mindlessly eat a bag in record time! I have fond memories of eating them in my lecture classes in college to try to stay awake and pass the time. Math class comes to mind
Love all the white choc and PB and good stuff in this bark, Sally!
Averie @ Averie Cooks recently posted..Macaroni and Cheese Baked Cheese Balls
Love that bark!! Question, Do you think it would work as well with Crunchy Peanut butter? I think nuts would be really good combo. Thank you for sharing. I’m making your pretzels hugs for halloween. Dina
Definitely Dina! Give crunchy peanut butter a try. I might top my next bark with honey roasted peanuts! You gave me inspiration.
Would you believe that, despite eating tons of chocolate bark, i’ve never made it myself? i need to change that ASAP because it is so delicious AND it looks so easy to make. And your version? To die for!
amy @ fearless homemaker recently posted..Slow-Cooker Shredded Tex-Mex Chicken
Amy, you HAVE to get on the bark bandwagon!! Just like I need to get on the slow cooker bandwagon
Okay, so you’re totally going to be disappointed in me but I’ve never made bark too! But that will change very soon (maybe even tonight!) because I have to make this! This looks so freaking amazing, and so dangerous to have around the house! I have no self-control
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious recently posted..Raspberry Peach Lemonade
I HAD to get this bark out of the house after I ate some of it! Too tempting! I still continued to eat pieces of it though lol. You have to try it Chung-ah!
With PB is the ONLY way to each chocolate. These look amazing!!
Cassie recently posted..Wednesday Ramblings | How to Name Photos for Pinterest
OMG Sally you know I am going to make this! It looks amazing
. I have my go to muffin recipe memorized along with microwave fudge and puppy chow.
Laura Dembowski recently posted..Chimichurri
Microwave fudge! I love the sounds of that
What a brilliant idea! I have never made bark before. It has also seemed like a such a boring dessert to me but this reese’s peanut butter white chocolate bark is far from it.
Nicole @ Lapetitebaker recently posted..Rolo Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
I always thought it was boring too. Not anymore!
I LOVE to make bark, especially during the holidays, when I’m so pressed for time making/baking other things. This version looks amazing, Sally–that peanut butter layer is calling out my name! Perfection!
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl recently posted..7-Layer Mexi-Dip {Individual Sized}
Oh My!! Looks AMAZING! I’m so making this today!
Lara recently posted..Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Brownies
Hi Lara! I hope you enjoy it!
Brilliant!!
Jen @ Savory Simple recently posted..Blueberry Bourbon Crisp
I loove that you put Reeses Pieces on top – thats what did me in (as if chocolate + PB wasnt enough..)
Nicole @ The Marvelous Misadventures of Foodie recently posted..Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins
I shook my head at you when I saw the first picture. These are just insanely ridiculously riduclous. Of course in a good way. I’m obsessed with white chocolate and love peanut butter so I will definitely have to make a tiny batch of this!
Erin @ Texanerin Baking recently posted..100% Whole Grain Apple Blondie Cake
I recently learned how much you LOVE white chocolate! I need to try your homemade version
umm WOW! I don’t even have the words to describe how amazing these sound!! My sister loves reese peanut butter cups & white chocolate. Her birthday is coming up in a few weeks and I can’t wait to make these for her !
Pinning this for later
Hi Kate! How PERFECT! You are a sweet sister to make a treat for her birthday. Thanks for the pin!
I love how soft and chewy that middle PB layer looks! I love making bark! Especially around the holidays. My freezer is stocked with bark!
luv what you do recently posted..A Squash Tale
I can’t wait to make my next bark recipe – i used to think it was a boring dessert. Not anymore!
Oh. My. God. Sally. I loooooove this. Bark is my favorite candy to make – it’s so easy. This is perfect, and I want to face plant in that peanut butter layer.
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust recently posted..Whatever Friday
you’re so awesome!! white chocolate and peanut butter are seriously meant for each other. yum!!!
your photos always blow my mind… so perfect!
the photography compliment means more to me than you know, thank you so much Katie.
How long can you store this?
Hi Kelsey – Store bark in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Thanks so much! Made this today and it turned out even better than I expected!
Hey Kelsey! I am always so glad to hear that – I am making this bark again in a couple of weeks for a New Years party. Can’t wait!
My eyes are aching from the lack of focus in the upper half of each photo. Should I really need to scroll down just to figure out just what my eyes are supposed to be focusing on? I guess the photos display technical skills that a photographer might appreciate – but to a layperson like me, it’s sort of annoying and seems gratuitous. You’re not the only offender with this, I’ve noticed an epidemic of this on food blogs – it seems to be the latest trend. The recipe may be great, but a little more cropping and focus on the actual subject would be less aggravating to the eye and this reader.
Hi Shannon! Thanks for the feedback. I’m sorry you’re so upset with pictures on recipe blogs. If you aren’t fond of my photos, you don’t have to visit my website. Thanks!
Looks amazing…. just wondering though, how do you spread peanut butter over melted chocolate? Wouldn’t you need to cool the bottom layer first?
No you do not. The very thick peanut butter layer will slightly swirl with the white chocolate at the bottom as we mentioned. Thanks Sarah!
thanks for re-posting these! so glad to run across this recipe. a genius idea of creating bark. so easy, so yummy!
tijuana (po’ man meals) recently posted..chocolate chip ‘nana butter cookies
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