Secret Recipe Club: Apple Peanut Butter Bars

.  Okay...so you might be thinking that's a different combination?

I mean, people eat apples and peanut butter before workouts though, right?  But I'll give it to ya, you don't usually find these two ingredients together in a baked goodie.  Or at least I've never stumbled across it...

So thank the good Lord for my September SRC assignment, 365 Days of Baking and More by Lynne, for introducing me to one of the most nostalgic [takes me back to school days], addicting bars I've had in quite some time.

But first, let's talk 365.  Because I was absolutely giddy the second I saw which blog I was assigned this month.  And I'm sure you can guess why?

Out of all of my SRC assignments thus far, I have yet to have one that is also strictly a baking blog.  Can you ba-lieve that?!  Yes, I've absolutely adored each and every assignment I've had because les' be honest, I've gotten some damn good recipes [e.g., Grasshopper Bars, Christmas Cake Truffles, Danish Puff, and more].

But this time, I didn't have to do an inkling of researching to hunt down any baking recipes.  Because they were all. right. there.  And this time around, I had an extra hard time narrowing down my options because there were just so many treats!  Who can resist Pumpkin Biscuits with Cinnamon Honey Butter, Banana Bread French Toast, Chocolate Caramel Macchiato Cake Balls, and Salted Caramel Thumbprints.

And to make matters slightly 'worse', this blog does have some enticing cooking recipes that also got me thinking.  Albeit I have no cooking skills, don't Basil Baked Salmon, Baked Ravioli with Bechamel Sauce, and Apple Cheese Chicken sound deee-lish?  Yes, yes they do.

But for whatever reason [I'm thinking it was the apple/peanut butter combo], I couldn't pass up the Apple Peanut Butter Bars.  Oh yeah, and possibly Lynne's husbands' reaction when he took a chomp out of these bars: "Oh my God, what the hell are these?!  These are unbelievable...!"

And that is a direct quote.  Check the bottom of Lynne's post ☺

And without even knowing him, I already like Lynne's hubby because he was spot on with this recipe.

The best way [that I can think of] to describe these bars is to compare them to the most chewy peanut butter cookies you've ever had.  And in some spots where the tart apple pieces reside, you get an almost fudge-like texture.  No joke.  And to top it off, a creamy, uber peanut buttery glaze is drenched across the top.  I'll be honest, I couldn't get enough of that glaze.  And if you have kiddos, these bars will be right up their alley.  Throw them in their lunch boxes for school and you've have one happy child.  Or keep them at home for your own personal snack.  Either or.

Thanks again, Lynne, for a recipe I completely devoured thoroughly enjoyed and shared with everyone.  Happy baking, everyone!  .

My Notes:

• Lynne's recipe was adapted from the original by substituting the peanut butter glaze with a pecan topping and also layering the apples rather than incorporating them in pieces.  I was being lazy and decided to just stir the apple pieces in and I also didn't have any pecans on hand, so I went with the peanut butter glaze.  Either way, you'll love 'em.

Adapted from 365 Days of Baking and More

Ingredients:

Apple Peanut Butter Bars:

1/2 c. unsalted butter

2 c. light brown sugar

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced to bite-sized pieces

Peanut Butter Glaze:

1-1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly until smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until creamy.  Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  
4. Add eggs, one at a time, to the peanut butter mixture, mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla extract and stir to combine.  Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until batter is smooth.  Fold in apple pieces.
5. Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread evenly.  Bake 30 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.  Remove pan from oven and set aside to cool.
6. For peanut butter glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, peanut butter, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.  Drizzle or evenly spread the glaze across the top of the bars.  Cut and serve.

Yield: 2 dozen bars