Marshmallow Peanut Butter Double Chocolate Pillowtop Bars

I was stumped coming up with a name for these bars.  There is so much good stuff in them and I didn’t want to omit any key words from the title.

I almost called these Everything-In-Your-Cupboard-Bars but decided that didn’t have a great ring to it.

White and dark chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, peanut butter, oats, a can of sweetened condensed milk and plenty of vanilla extract.

And oh boy, these are my newest favorite bar.

After baking the sweetened condensed milk. marshmallow creme, and peanut butter solidifies into a semi-firm, frosting-ish layer but it’s not really frosting.

It’s more like a Pillowtop.

Just like with a pillowtop for the bed, that top layer is smooth, soft yet firm, comforting, luxurious.

I would love to take a nap on that pillowtop.

Or sink my teeth into it, which I’ve done plenty of already.

They bottom layer is mixture of melted white chocolate, oats, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla.  Rich, chewy, dense.

If you like white chocolate or sweetened condensed milk, you’re going to love the bottom layer because these bars are bursting with those two flavors.

I didn’t add any eggs and being that there’s no flour, these make for an easy egg-free and gluten-free dessert.

So as long as you’re not sugar free, I’m thinking you’ll like these.

 

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Marshmallow Peanut Butter Double Chocolate Pillowtop Bars (Gluten Free, Egg Free, with Vegan Option)

Ingredients

2/3 c marshmallow creme

2/3 c peanut butter

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, divided

1 tsp vanilla extract + 1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 c white chocolate chips (this is most of a 10 oz bag)

1/4 c butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 c whole rolled oats

1/2 c (or more) chocolate chips

Optional: 1/4 c+ of other chips such as white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, toffee bits, sprinkles etc)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8 x 8 or 9 x9 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Place marshmallow creme, peanut butter, half of the 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract into a medium bowl and mix with a spoon until well combined.  Set aside.  This is the marshmallow/peanut butter layer.

3. Place butter and white chocolate chips into a saucepan and heat over the stove top to melt.  Note that the white chocolate and the butter will melt fast, possibly within 30 seconds.  Take care not to scorch it by taking it off the heat source as soon as it shows signs of melting and just keep stirring it with a spoon to encourage full melting.  After the white chocolate chips and butter have melted, add the remaining half of the 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract.  Stir again.  Add in the oats and stir.  Pour this white chocolate/oats mixture into the prepared baking pan.

4. Add the marshmallow/peanut butter layer over the top of the white chocolate/oats layer.  Gently spread it over the top with a spatula.

5. Lightly layer the chocolate chips (or other/additional chips) over the top.

6. Bake for 20-22 minutes at 350F or until edges begin to pull slightly away or brown a big.  Center may seem somewhat jiggly, but will set up while cools.  Don’t overbake.  You want these gooey.  Allow to cool well before slicing and serving.  Expedite this by placing in the fridge or freezer.

Notes:

Use certified GF oats if needed rather than conventional oats and read all labels on all other products to check for trace gluten.

To make this vegan, use margarine in place of butter.  Use full fat coconut milk sweetened with agave rather than sweetened condensed milk.  Use vegan white chocolate and vegan marshmallows.  <– Lots of tweaks, yes, but not impossible.

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The recipe I used is very forgiving so if you have most of the ingredients, you’ll be okay.

Most people, or more specifically, most blog readers have oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips on hand, right?

Thought so.

If you like the sound of today’s bars, I also recommend…

White Chocolate Vanilla Marshmallow Cake Bars.  They are more white-chocolate-meets-cake tasting because I used cake mix as the base layer rather than oats.

And if you want something that’s vegan and gluten free, a bit less sweet, very robust and flavorful because of the pumpkin, I suggest Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Magic 8 Bars also have white and dark chocolate and sweetened condensed milk.  If you’ve never had a Seven Layer bar, try…eight.

Back to the Pillowtop Bars and how good it feels to make teeth marks in them.

You’ll thank me later that you tried these even if it means a little extra time on the treadmill.

They’re worth it.

They’re probably my newest favorite dessert.  The runner up is probably these cookies but you can’t really compare cookies and bars, apples and oranges.

Questions:

1. Are you a fan of white chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut butter, vanilla, marshmallows?  What makes you say…ahhhh….What’s your current favorite dessert?

2. Ever tried a pillowtop topper for your mattress or have a mattress with a pillowtop that’s attached?

Once I bought a pillowtop layer add-on from Bed Bath & Beyond for a rock hard mattress and it helped tremendously.  It was a much cheaper alternative than buying a new softer mattress for a bed that was in our guest room (when we had a guest room).

There’s a difference between firm and rock-like.  Some firmness is fine, but not too much.  I’d prefer soft and squish to that sleeping on concrete feel.  What about you?

Hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving if you celebrate and a great weekend.   Have a great week!

Thanks for the $50 Clothing Giveaway entries!