Peanut Butter | The Domestic Rebel

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bars

February 16, 2017 1 Comment

If you love peanut butter cups but wish they were jumbo-sized, I’ve got you covered! These Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bars are just the ticket to squashing your giant PB cup craving!

I have yet to bake in my new kitchen… but that changes TODAY!

I have been dying to test out my appliances and get baking for my new neighbors, but the whole organizing your life back into order thing after moving is kind of exhausting. Who knew I had so much stuff that needed to be bubble-wrapped, then unwrapped, then put away? GAH.

And no, I have not read that magical book about tidying up, thankyouverymuch.

So basically I’ve been waking up, feeding my still-confused dogs and getting to work around the house. But oddly, I love all the chores of putting things away and wiping down my own counters. Yes, I’ve found some odd sense of joy in laundering my own socks, and I appreciate how nice it is to come home to a clean house.

I know this feeling will eventually wear off and I will want to set fire to my clothes rather than launder them, but for now I’m enjoying this new-house honeymoon stage 🙂

Anyway, I was thinking about what to bake first in my new place and these Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bars, which I’d previously made at my old place, came to mind. But the thing is… these bad boys are no-bake, so I don’t even need the oven to whip them up.

…Which is going to rock in a few months when it’s a bajillion degrees and turning on the oven is about as logical as jumping from a three-story building into a pit of rocks.

These are slightly addictive; you’ve been warned! The base consists of a little confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, and graham cracker crumbs, which give them a slight crunch and helps the bar hold its shape. The mixture is poured into a pan and set in the fridge, then topped with a thick, smooth layer of chocolate ganache. The result is a deep-dish, ultra fudgy peanut butter cup bar that’s totally out. of. this. world.

Who wants to come over!?

Reese's Peanut Butetr Cup Bars

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 15-18

These Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Bars are like a fudgy, deep-dish PB cup! Totally easy to prepare, comes together quickly and is entirely no-bake!

Ingredients

FOR THE BARS:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 cups honey graham cracker crumbs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use the natural kind, as it is too oily)
1 tsp vanilla extract
FOR THE CHOCOLATE:
1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
4 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
⅓ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Line a 9x13" rectangular baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil lightly with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla until combined. Mixture will be runny. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Once the bar layer has somewhat firmed up, make the chocolate topping. In a microwaveable bowl, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter and heavy cream. Microwave on HIGH power for 20-30 seconds, stir, then heat again for another 10-15 seconds, stirring until melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter layer and smooth out the top.
Refrigerate once more for another 30 mins at least (up to overnight if you wish) before cutting into bars.

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These REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUP BARS are heavenly homemade squares that taste JUST like deep-dish, ultra fudgy peanut butter cups. An easy, quick, and entirely no-bake dessert!

Fudgy, peanut buttery goodness topped with a silky smooth chocolaty layer. These bars are the definition of HEAVEN!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Candy, Chocolate, Everything!, No-Bake, Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies

January 11, 2017 2 Comments

Everyone’s had a peanut butter blossom cookie, but have you tried Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies?! These are so much easier than dropping cookies and make for gooey, fudgy bars!

I don’t know about you, but peanut butter blossoms are some of my favorite cookies.

A soft and chewy peanut butter cookie topped with a solid chocolate Kiss candy… just perfection!

I know they’re kind of Christmas-y, or at least, they’re popular at Christmastime in the Parker household. But I figured since they’re made with Kisses and Valentine’s Day is coming up… well, you can do the math 🙂

I found the idea for these from my friend Ashley over at Baker by Nature, and because I was pondering ways to make these cookies into bars. Personally, bars are one of my favorite things to make because they’re such a cinch – throw the ingredients into the pan and bake! No dropping, rolling, or cutting anything out, and certainly no waiting for batches to finish before you can put another pan in. Not even a dough chilling!

And these could not be more simple, I promise! Made in one bowl, baked in one pan, mixed with one spatula. See? I told you this was already easier than the cookie version!

To make these, simply melt some butter. You can do this in the microwave, or on the stove – whichever you prefer. I honestly alternate, as sometimes I feel like I’d rather cook it on the stove, or perhaps my microwave’s being used.

Whisk some brown sugar and peanut butter into the melted butter, followed by eggs, vanilla, and your dry ingredients. Pour the mixture into a foil-lined & greased pan, scatter sugar over the top, and bake! Once it’s baked, take it out of the oven and dot the top with those adorable baby Kisses candies.

And then try not to freak out over their cuteness!

(By the way – these are BABY Hershey’s Kisses. I found them in the baking aisle (near the chocolate chips!) at Target. They’re seriously like half the size of a regular Hershey Kiss candy and they come unwrapped… and are perfect for baking. If you cannot find them, simply use regular Hershey’s Kisses!)

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Bars

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 15-18

These Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies are not only adorable, but seriously tasty, too! Fudgy, gooey peanut butter & brown sugar blondies topped with a sugary topping and cute miniature Hershey's Kisses! Just like the cookies but SO MUCH EASIER!

Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) butter
2 cups brown sugar
⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup sugar
Hershey's Miniature Kisses (available in the baking aisle at Target stores. If you cannot find these unwrapped mini Kisses, use regular unwrapped Kisses or even chocolate chunks)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13" rectangular pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray; set aside.
In in medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Whisk in the brown sugar until combined and let cool about 5 minutes.
Whisk in the creamy peanut butter, followed by the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla. Whisk in the dry ingredients until a thick, smooth batter comes together.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top liberally with the white sugar. Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes, then dot the top with the miniature Hershey's Kisses or chocolate chunks. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares.

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These Peanut Butter Blossom Blondies are fantastic! Fudgy, peanut buttery, brown sugar blondies topped with a crackly, crisp sugar topping and rich, melt in your mouth Hershey Kisses. Just like the cookies but so much easier!

Fudgy, peanut butter & brown sugary goodness topped with a crisp, crackly sugar topping and adorable miniature Kisses. These can’t get any better!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Bars, Blondies, Candy, Chocolate, Cookies, Everything!, Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies

October 13, 2016 2 Comments

These Peanut Butter Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies are perfect for the spooky Halloween holiday or for fall-inspired parties! Chewy, buttery and loaded with hearty oats and peanut butter with a festive candy corn topping!

It is so hard to believe that Halloween is quickly approaching! We’re already into fall, and as the leaves change colors and the temps cool down, it’s hard not to be excited by the upcoming holiday. That, and because the stores have had their Halloween candy and costumes out since September! (Don’t judge that I’ve already purchased – and ate – a couple bags of Halloween candy!)

Plus, since it’s fall, a lot of people (myself included) are more interested in baking again. Summer makes it so hard since it gets so warm, but crisp fall air begs for a home-cooked comfort food or a freshly baked cookie. But, since kids are in school during this time of year, you also want something that’s easy and quick to prepare since the days are shorter and we don’t always have a ton of time to slave in the kitchen.

Enter: these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies! They are perfect for Halloween and fall-weather feasts. Made with Krusteaz Oatmeal Scotchie Cookie Mix, they come together in seconds and have a fun spin: peanut butter & candy corn! The peanut butter mixed with the rich butterscotch is a match made in heaven. And did you know that when you combine candy corn and peanut butter, it tastes like those peanut butter wafer candies? It’s an unexpectedly amazing food combination.

So preheat the oven, grab the kids and bake up these delectable little Halloween-inspired cookies! Your kids may choose these over packaged candy!

Get the recipe for these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies on Krusteaz’s website!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a brand ambassador for Krusteaz as part of the Bakers Dozen team. All opinions are 100% my own and I was compensated for this post. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep my blog afloat!

Filed Under: Candy, Cookies, Everything!, Halloween, Holiday, Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkin Pie Cake

October 4, 2016 1 Comment

This Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkin Pie Cake is such a fun combination between creamy pumpkin pie and fluffy cake with delightful peanut butter cup flavor!

So if you’re on Facebook, you may have noticed a bunch of videos floating around for Pumpkin Pie Crunch Cake. Essentially, it’s a pumpkin pie base sprinkled with cake mix and melted butter and topped with crunchy pecans.

And it looks fabulous.

All these videos are going crazytown on Facebook right now because it’s fall and everyone’s going bonkers for pumpkin. (I mean, who doesn’t go bonkers for pumpkin?) Plus, the promising idea of pumpkin pie and cake worlds colliding? Simply beautiful.

So I figured I wanted a piece of the pie – er, cake – by making my own version of this infamous cake. Except my version is loaded with peanut butter candy goodness.

I’ll let that ruminate for a sec.

Back with me? Good. Because you’ll want to give this cake a try. If, ya know, you’re bonkers for pumpkin and peanut butter.

Now, before you naysayers come in and say pumpkin and peanut butter don’t go together, I implore you to please give it a try. Trust me, it is good stuff.

So this cake is really a cinch to make and I have a feeling you’ll be making it all fall-long. Well, you should be making it all fall-long, but that’s only because I’m right about everything. Natch.

For the base of the cake, you’ll whisk together some pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and pumpkin pie spice – just like you were making a pie. But instead of pouring it into a pie crust, you pour it into a greased 13×9″ baking pan.

Then you sprinkle the yellow cake mix all over the top of that goodness. Yup, you read it right – just the cake mix. Plain ol’ powdery cake mix. Nothing else, ‘kay? After you sprinkle all that stuff on top, top it with melted butter. Lots of melted butter, preferably. And then you’ll add a handful (or two. or five) of miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, mini Reese’s Pieces, and peanut butter chips for good measure.

Bake it up and you’ll have this.

And trust me, it’s glorious.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkin Pie Cake

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes

Prep time: 2 hours 10 mins

Cook time: 55 mins

Total time: 3 hours 5 mins

Serves: 15

Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkin Pie Cake: when two dessert staples collide, awesome things happen!

Ingredients

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (just the puree, NOT the pie filling)
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 box yellow cake mix (just the dry powder mix)
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
2 cups chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Mini Cups
¾ cup miniature Reese's Pieces candies
¾ cup peanut butter chips
Whipped cream and additional Reese's Pieces candies for garnishing, if desired

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, eggs and vanilla with a whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. Top with the dry yellow cake mix, sprinkling evenly over and entirely covering the top of the pumpkin pie layer. Drizzle the yellow cake mix layer with the melted butter. Top with scattered handfuls of the mini chopped peanut butter cups, miniature Reese's Pieces, and peanut butter chips.
Bake uncovered for approximately 50-55 minutes or until the center is mostly set - it may wiggle slightly but you do not want to overbake it. Cool it completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set before cutting into slices. Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream and additional Reese's Pieces candies, if desired.

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Peanut Butter Cup Pumpkin Pie Cake: a delightful mash-up between creamy pumpkin pie and fluffy cake that's studded with rich and gooey peanut butter cups and Reese's Pieces candies! A wonderful fall-favorite that's so easy to prepare!

Sweet, spicy and packed with peanut butter cup goodness! You won’t find another awesome cake mash-up like this!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Cake, Candy, Chocolate, Everything!, Halloween, Holiday, Peanut Butter, Pie, Pumpkin

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread Pudding

August 29, 2016 6 Comments

If you love the classic flavors of peanut butter & jelly, you will flip for this Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread Pudding!

So: confession. I’m not a huge bread pudding fan.

It’s a texture thing for me, honestly, but I feel like if it’s the right flavor combination, I could get over that pretty quickly. I don’t want some boring bread pudding with ice cream on top. Why bother wasting my calories that I have specifically allotted for anything other than fresh fruit & vegetables? I only want to try something if I find it’ll be worth it for me in the long run. There’s nothing worse than eating a dessert and thinking, I kinda wish I didn’t eat that.

And believe me, I’ve thought that too many times about dessert. It kinda makes me want to pour one out for my fallen homies, ones destined to be failures, who never quite made it as their more successful and tasty relatives. The ones who died tragically only to be forgotten by those who were last touched by them… or worse, to be scorned by those closest to them.

(Side note: should I write eulogies?)

ANYWAY. This bread pudding will not disappoint. If you like peanut butter & jelly sandwiches… or heck, anything PB&J flavored – you will flip for this version of bread pudding.

Let’s chat about this BP for a sec. So the bread is crucial to this pudding. (Hello, it’d be like using imitation vanilla for vanilla ice cream. Just no). I used a brioche loaf because brioche is eggy and buttery and wonderful and I basically want to shrink myself in a tiny shrinkometer and live on a loaf of brioche for the rest of my days. If you can’t find brioche, a thick Texas-toast kinda bread will do, or something like challah. Just don’t go old-school and use Wonder Bread or anything. That was the go-to for PB&J sammies, but it won’t work well here.

You cube up the bread into about 1″ pieces and soak it in the egg/milk/peanut butter mixture which sounds like exactly what the ingredients are. This gives the bread time to really absorb that peanut butter flavor and what gives bread pudding its texture.

Layer half of the peanut butter eggy bread into the pan and top it off with a can of strawberry pie filling. Now before you come insulting me for using what I had on hand, let me explain: it’s utterly perfect here. The strawberry goo that coats the berries is wonderful and really ramps up the ‘jelly’ part of this PB&J equation. Could you use something else? Maybe, but WHY DON’T YOU FOLLOW THE RULES! GOSH, BECKY. (Kidding. But seriously, strawberry jam would work in its place).

Layer it again and bake it until it’s set and perf, about 50 minutes or so. Let it cool for a hot minute before cutting it into pieces as big as your face. And sprinkle it with chopped peanuts if you’re human. Then prepare to swoon. Hard.

Ta-da!

*adapted from Sept. 2014 Woman’s Day magazine

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread Pudding

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Treats

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 8-12

This Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread Pudding is phenomenal! Buttery, gooey, with lightly toasted tops and the exact flavors of this classic combination.

Ingredients

1 loaf (10-14 oz) egg bread (such as brioche, challah, or Hawaiian bread), cut into 1" cubes (should be about 8 cups of bread)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups whole milk
6 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt
¾ cup sugar
2 (21 oz) cans strawberry pie filling (I love using Lucky Leaf)
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a casserole 13x9" baking dish with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add in the creamy peanut butter. Gradually add in the milk, whisking constantly and carefully, to combine. Mixture will smooth out somewhat. Add in the beaten eggs, vanilla extract, pinch of salt and sugar and whisk to combine. Mixture will be smooth and runny. Add in the bread and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes, stirring at the 10 minute mark.
Once bread has soaked some of the liquid mixture, spread ⅔ of the bread mixture into the prepared pan. Top with the entire first can of pie filling, gently swirling it on top of the PB bread mixture. Top with the remaining bread mixture, and lastly, top with the remaining entire can of pie filling, gently swirling it into the PB bread mixture.
Cover the pan with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 35-45 minutes (mine cooked about 40 minutes) or until golden brown and just about set. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Let set for 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares. Store covered in the fridge.

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Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread Pudding: peanut butter-soaked gooey bread pudding swirled with strawberry jam and topped with crunchy peanuts. Sweet, salty, super easy, and divine!

I may not have started out as a bread pudding fan, but I think I’m now converted! This casserole is SO dang good. I love the crunch of the salty peanuts in contrast to the gooey peanut butter-soaked bread and sweet ribbons of strawberry fruit filling. This truly is a must-make!

Have a fabulous day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Everything!, Muffins & Breads, Peanut Butter, Sweet and Salty

Peanut Butter & Jelly Crumb Muffins

August 22, 2016 8 Comments

Get your kids pumped for back-to-school season with these Peanut Butter & Jelly Crumb Muffins! Tender, fluffy peanut butter muffins filled with jelly and topped with a buttery crumb. A+!

So I had an embarrassing realization recently.

I realized I’m a sound-effects person.

You know, the people who have sound effects for everything? When describing a car accident, they’ll do the whole “BAM!” to emphasize the car hitting the other car, or when describing how their dogs howl when sirens go off, they’ll mimic the same howling noise?

YEAH. I’m one of those. UGH.

I realized this when I was trying on clothes at my fave clothing store in the mall. It was a balmy 100 degree day and let’s be honest, I was … damp … and trying on clothes, which should be deemed an aerobic activity. Who do I call about that? Billy Blanks? Does Billy Blanks still make those Tae-Bo tapes? (Side note: we used to have those Billy Blanks Tae-Bo tapes on VHS when I was growing up. Sometimes, to burn off energy, I would complete them. I was like 12.)

As I was hoisting my shirt over my head, I made an “eeeggh” noise. Then as I attempted to zip myself into a dress, I made a “heppp” noise as I zipped. Then as I bent forward to put on my shoes, I made an “mepp” noise. A MEPP NOISE. What even is a MEPP? I do not know, but I said it plenty loud in this dressing room like I was some kind of voice actor trying out for a demented animal in a new movie.

So it was then, when the customers in other dressing rooms STOPPED THEIR CONVERSATION after I “mepped”, that I realized I need to quickly shut the heck up and quit it with these weirdo sound effects before I was labeled as “the sound effect person” FORREAL and FOREVER. I don’t want to be known as a mepper. I do not want people to stop their conversations because some freak (me) in the next stall is babbling incoherently. WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE WORLD.

After that, I came home and made Peanut Butter & Jelly Crumb Muffins. As you do.

These muffins are kinda fantastic. They have a light, moist and fluffy peanut butter muffin base that’s not super dense and just peanut buttery enough. Then they’re baked with a dollop of jam/jelly/preserves/whatever you call that sticky goo – and a buttery, brown sugary crumb. After they’re baked, they’ll be all golden and perf and you’ll want to squeal but don’t, because that’d be weird. (JK. I totally squealed).

MAKE THEM!

*muffin base adapted from The Frugal Girls. Idea inspired by How Sweet Eats.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Peanut Butter & Jelly Crumb Muffins

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Breakfast

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 20

These PB&J Crumb Muffins are tremendously flavorful, moist, buttery and taste JUST like the classic sandwich. Great for breakfast, on-the-go snacks, brunch, or even dessert!

Ingredients

FOR MUFFINS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 & ¼ cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup milk
⅔ cup sugar
⅓ cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
~1 cup jelly or jam of your choice (I used Smuckers Strawberry Jam)
FOR CRUMB TOPPING:
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 pans with about 20 paper liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add in the creamy peanut butter, milk, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla and whisk until a thick batter forms. Do not over-mix - the batter may appear slightly lumpy but that's okay. Over-mixing leads to tough muffins!
Portion the batter evenly among the cups, filling about ½" full. Top with a Tablespoon or so of jam of your choosing, pressing it gently into the center of the muffin batter. It's okay if it seeps down the sides a little.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the crumb ingredients until blended and moistened. Drop heaping Tablespoonfuls of the crumb mixture on top of the muffins in the pan. Bake for approx. 18-20 minutes or until the muffins appear done and the top is light golden brown. It'll be hard to do a toothpick test since there's jelly in the center of the muffin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Peanut Butter & Jelly Crumb Muffins - tender, moist, fluffy peanut butter muffins filled with sweet jam and topped with a buttery crumble. So easy, fast and AWESOME!

Buttery, sweet, a little salty, with a great crumb on top. Is there anything more perfect than these PB&J Crumb Muffins?! Bake up a batch on Monday for breakfast throughout the week! (You’re welcome).

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Breakfast, Everything!, Muffins & Breads, Peanut Butter

The Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies

July 15, 2016 10 Comments

These Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies are perfect for any PB lover – packed with peanut butter chips, Reese’s Pieces and covered in a creamy peanut butter frosting with peanut butter cups, they truly are the ULTIMATE!

So I experienced a first a couple days ago.

And in retrospect, I’m kind of surprised this *was* a first, but whatever.

I was part of a Good Neighbors group on Facebook for my city. I’m sure your city or town has one, too. It’s basically a collective group where people come together to complain about teenagers running traffic stops or advertising lemonade stands or upcoming church events. You know, the usual.

Well, I’d been seeing a LOT of people advertising about upcoming events – some that were heads-up, but some that were functions in which they would strongly encourage you to donate or help support the cause or whatever. So I thought, I have an upcoming book signing, so I’ll post it here!

I told the neighbors about my book signing, told them there would be treats, and to stop by and say hi! Never mentioning A) buy my book, B) PLEASE buy my book, C) BUY MY BOOK OR MY FACE WILL HAUNT YOUR DREAMS, or D) any of the above. Just a friendly ‘would love to meet you, so stop by, grab some treats, and say hi!’

Cool, right?

WRONG.

Because then just like that, I was straight-up BANNED from the group. BANNED. You’d think I put a voodoo hex on all of the members of my city or screamed obscenities or said something controversial. Nope. I advertised my book signing. (And FYI, my book is not a voodoo hex/obscenity-filled/controversial book either, in case you were wondering).

So yeah, that’s the story of how I was banned from somewhere. And I didn’t even do anything to deserve it! The vigilante in me is screaming injustice, but truth be told, some of the people in my community are stinkers (and that’s the non-obscenity I’m choosing) and I didn’t really enjoy communicating with them or find anything beneficial about the group. So it’s probably a good thing.

But man, had I known I was going to be banned, I would have left with a bang and said something wild and confusing like, “THE GOATS TOLD ME TO DO IT” or “DON’T TRUST THE MAN IN THE YELLOW SHIRT” or “I SPOKE WITH YOUR DOG AND HE IS GOING TO EAT YOU IN TWENTY FORTNIGHTS” or “THE LOCAL STARBUCKS RAN OUT OF COFFEE FOREVER” or something.

Anyway, their loss – because I used to give away my treats to the members of the group! Now they’ll never know what treats I’m cooking up, and now I have eleventy million of these Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies.

These cookies came to me in a dream (well, from insomnia, anyway) and I knew I had to make them immediately. They’re a peanut butter pudding cookie base that’s stuffed to the gills with peanut butter chips and Reese’s Pieces. Then I slathered on a creamy and decadent peanut butter frosting and topped that nonsense with chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Don’t blame me; blame the goats.

Make them so we’ll be part of our own special group!

5.0 from 2 reviews

The Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cookies

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 20

These ULTIMATE Peanut Butter Cookies are outrageously decadent and delicious! A peanut butter pudding cookie is filled with Reese's Pieces and PB chips, then topped with a peanut butter frosting and PB cups.

Ingredients

FOR COOKIES:
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 (3.4 oz) pkg INSTANT vanilla pudding mix (just the dry mix)
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup Reese's Mini Pieces
¾ cup peanut butter chips
FOR FROSTING:
¾ cup butter, softened to room temperature
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups chopped Reese's Mini Peanut Butter Cups

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar & sugar with the paddle attachment until creamy, about 1 minute. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat to combine. Lastly, add in the baking soda, dry pudding mix and flour and beat until a soft dough has formed. Fold in the Reese's Mini Pieces and peanut butter chips.
Drop the dough into heaping Tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, about 1-2" apart. Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Once the cookies come out, gently press down on them slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass. Cool on the racks completely.
To make the frosting: in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, until frosting is spreadable and smooth.
Spread a heaping Tablespoonful or so (more or less to suit your tastes) of the frosting onto the cooled cookies. Top with a heaping Tablespoonful of chopped Reese's PB Cups.

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These Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookies are for serious PB lovers only! Soft & chewy peanut butter cookie topped with a creamy peanut butter frosting and peanut butter cups. So easy, so impressive, so addicting!

Soft & chewy cookies with plenty of Reese’s candy topped with a silky peanut butter frosting and gooey peanut butter cups… could it GET any better?! (The answer is no).

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Candy, Chocolate, Cookies, Everything!, Peanut Butter, Sweet and Salty

No Churn Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Ice Cream

June 27, 2016 13 Comments

This No Churn Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Ice Cream is a delicious mouthful! Super easy, homemade, no-churn and absolutely delightful!

So I kind of realized I live in a bubble. And I’m trying to fix it, okay?

I know, I know. I’m 25 and a certified recluse. I work from home, I relax at home, I prefer staying at home… I am the textbook definition of a homebody.

BUT I was so sick of being cooped up in my house that I went exploring in neighboring cities and I had a blast! Sometimes you just need to be a tourist in your own town, ya know?

I spent too much money at antique shops finding unique treasures and cool food props, and then stopped at a little ice cream shop to do some window shopping since I was still full from lunch. The ice cream parlor had a peanut butter fudge ice cream which sounded so good if I hadn’t gorged myself on tater tots an hour prior. Tater tots, if you didn’t know, are my weakness. Actually, most potato products are. Fun fact #4573 about Hayley. I know you were dying to know that!

So I got home and recreated this fantastical ice cream flavor for you and I have to say, I’m pretty darn pleased with the outcome. This ice cream is SO creamy, peanut buttery and smooth with chunks of peanut butter cups and gooey ribbons of fudge. I decided to add peanut butter cups into the ice cream because I’m a texture kinda girl and love having some kind of add-in for whatever ice cream/froyo/soft serve I’m eating. You could always add chopped peanuts or chocolate chips to this too!

But whatever you do, do yourself a flavor and make it! It’s so perfect.

It starts with the classic no-churn ice cream base: sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream. If you didn’t know you could make ice cream with those two ingredients, well, I’m here to let you know that you CAN and SHOULD! It couldn’t be simpler.

Whip up some whipped cream with a teensy bit of sugar until stiff peaks form. Then fold in a mixture of smooth peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk until it’s all combined and friendly. Pour half of it into a freezer-safe container with a lid (or a loaf pan), sprinkle on some chopped PB cups and drizzle a few ribbons of fudge on top. Then repeat the layers, freeze it for at least 8 hours, and then chow down!

OMG.

5.0 from 2 reviews

No Churn Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Ice Cream

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Frozen Desserts

Prep time: 8 hours 10 mins

Total time: 8 hours 10 mins

Serves: 6-8

This No Churn Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Ice Cream is SO fantastic! Creamy, smooth, and SO easy to make!

Ingredients

2 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup sugar
⅓ cup smooth peanut butter
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg (11 oz) Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Minis, chopped roughly
1 cup hot fudge sauce, warmed very slightly until pourable

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream and the sugar on HIGH speed for about 5-7 minutes or until stiff peaks form. While the mixture whips, in a medium bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and creamy peanut butter until blended.
Fold the peanut butter milk mixture into the whipped cream until just combined. Pour half of the mixture into a freezer-safe container with a lid. Sprinkle liberally with half of the peanut butter cups and drizzle with half of the hot fudge sauce. Repeat layers, pop on the lid (or cover with plastic wrap), and freeze for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

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This No Churn Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Ice Cream is phenomenal! Creamy, smooth peanut butter ice cream with thick, gooey fudge ripples and peanut butter cups, all without an ice cream maker!

You guys are going to love this ice cream! I cannot get over the creamy peanut butter ice cream base and that huge, thick ribbon of fudge swirled throughout!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

Filed Under: Candy, Chocolate, Everything!, Ice Cream, No-Bake, Peanut Butter

Thick & Chewy Monster Cookies

June 10, 2016 34 Comments

Thick & Chewy Monster Cookies – not just for monsters.

So I have a bone to pick real quick. If you’re not up for a good old-fashioned bone pickin’, scroll down to the recipe and I’ll catch up with ya later.

ANYWAY.

I was in the book store yesterday, specifically in the coffee shop inside. I was ordering my drink when an older woman came into the cafe. She took one look at me – clad in a floral 50’s style dress, flats, and my tattoos on full display – and made a face. Not a good face, but a face. You know the face. She was in line, but refused to come near me – she stood far enough away that another woman cut her in line and she didn’t even say anything because she was so busy staring at me.

I glanced her way and gave her a smile, but she refused to change her expression. It was like a mixture of annoyance, disapproval and a certain je ne sais quoi that I couldn’t place because I am not crotchety. Most days, anyway. 🙂

Once I received my drink, I had to walk past her to get to the door. She literally backed up into the bakery case with her hands up like I was holding her hostage… or like I was a flea-ridden chipmunk with the plague*. I kind of breezed past her, unsure of why she was putting her hands up like I was a cop about to arrest her.

I get that face and reaction often. It comes from every walk of life, but usually older folks. And I can understand if I think really hard about it – tattoos can be menacing in their own confounding way. If you see someone with a tattoo – no matter what the subject matter is – it can often come across as aggressive, like we’re part of this gang that non-tattooed people don’t know about.

I suppose you could make the case that back in their day, only the friendly neighborhood criminal had tattoos, and they were usually faded badges from assorted military branches or pin-up girls. Bad boys had tattoos. I get it.

But maybe – just maybe – I can get all the tattoo naysayers to change their tune with this post. Because your sour expressions, your sighs of disapproval, your hostile body language – it hurts my feelings. Do I go home and cry about the old lady who made a face about my tats? No. I’ll forget about it tomorrow, most likely, when I have more pressing things to think about, like taxes and if I should order chicken McNuggets or a sandwich. But in that moment, seen and treated like I’m some kind of social pariah – it’s not fair. It’s not fun. And it’s completely unnecessary.

I have a lollipop tattoo on my leg. A freaking LOLLIPOP. If I’m in any kind of gang, it’s the Lollipop Guild with those triplet munchkins from The Wizard of Oz… which actually would be a pretty badass gig. Who can I contact about that?

What I’m trying to say in a really roundabout way is, don’t judge a book by its cover. I may have tattoos and wear tutus and have wacky glasses, but I’m harmless. I will say hello to anyone and everyone and talk to you about your day. I compliment nearly everyone I meet, and they come from the heart. I hope to brighten as many people’s days as I possibly can. And I do it all with my tattoos proudly displayed in public for everyone to see. The disapproving glances I receive are unwarranted – it’s not like I can return my tattoos or change the fact that I have them, so why give me a hard time? And why is my body cause for YOUR concern? But that’s a tad political and we don’t talk about that kinda stuff on a dessert blog.

And anyway, there are plenty of bad people out there who do deserve your nasty glares. Al Capone didn’t have tattoos, and it’s not like he was a stand-up dude that you’d bring home to mom and dad. But a girl in a swing dress with a donut on her leg? Probably not a criminal or someone you need to treat as if she’s a chipmunk with the bubonic plague.**

I’m so glad we’re on the same page!

So let me brief ya real quick on these cookies – they’re fat. They’re chewy. They’re soft. And they’re fully loaded with all this wonderful goodness, like chocolate chips, peanut butter, oats and miniature M&M’s candies. And I could not stop eating them, so there’s that.

Do yourself a flava and make ’em!

4.6 from 7 reviews

Thick & Chewy Monster Cookies

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: Cookies

Prep time: 1 hour 10 mins

Cook time: 14 mins

Total time: 1 hour 24 mins

Serves: 12-13

These Thick & Chewy Monster Cookies are one of my favorites! Huge, soft and buttery, they're fully loaded with peanut butter, chocolate chips, oats and mini M&M's for a wonderful blend of great texture and flavor!

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cornstarch
1 & ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup miniature M&M's candies
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add in the brown sugar & sugar, creaming together until combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla, beating well. Then add in the baking soda, cornstarch and flour, mixing until combined. Mix in the oats, M&M's and chocolate chips last until just combined.
Cover and refrigerate dough for at LEAST 1 hour, up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners, or spray lightly with cooking spray. Drop heaping ¼ cup-sized balls of dough onto the baking sheets, about 2-3" apart. Bake for approx. 12-14 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Cookies may appear slightly undone in the center; this is normal and they'll continue to set as they cool. Cool on the racks. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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These Thick & Chewy Monster Cookies are awesome! Loaded with peanut butter, gooey chocolate, mini M&M's candy and oats, they're soft, chewy, gooey and AMAZING!

Gooey, chewy, soft and bursting with salty peanut butter, rich chocolate and crunchy M&M’s, this cookie is called a Monster cookie for a reason!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

*real life: there is a flea-ridden chipmunk with the plague nearby my house. Apparently this is “normal.” I think it’s the government’s way of telling us that the apocalypse is coming.

**it bears mentioning twice because HOW is a chipmunk with the plague “normal”!? Like, why are we not alarmed that a small, cute, Snow-White creature has the BUBONIC PLAGUE? This is madness.

Filed Under: Candy, Chocolate, Cookies, Everything!, Peanut Butter

No Bake Reese’s Peanut Butter Lush

June 1, 2016 14 Comments

Happy Hump Day, y’all!

If you’re in California and you have kids, chances are, they were turned loose on ya for the summer! At least, my sister’s school was. Well, is. Their last day of school is technically tomorrow.

And that means my sweet baby sister is graduating high school! Where in the world did the time go?!

Seems like just yesterday she was graduating from the 8th grade and now she’s a woman, free from the confines of high school to explore the world and get a taste of real life.

Or something like that. I may have stolen that from a greeting card.

ANYWAY.

So we’re doing ample celebrating around these parts. I’m baking her a cake for her graduation, obviously, but I’m also trying to make some of her favorite desserts to have on hand in the fridge or freezer so she can celebrate her freedom all summer long. And the first thing I made was this No Bake Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Lush.

I am obsessed with lush desserts – they’re so simple to make and they taste AMAZING. Plus, they’re versatile and only limited to your imagination. Seriously! If you don’t like the peanut butter Oreos I used here for the base, substitute Nutter Butters or regular Oreos. Or, if you’d rather make a vanilla & peanut butter pudding instead of chocolate, do that instead! See? EASY.

And by the way, it’s called ‘lush’ for a reason. Super creamy, fluffy, light-as-air and packed with flavor. Also, the whole no-bake factor is a serious win-win since it’s already in the 100 degrees here.

This *does* need plenty of time to set in the fridge, so make it the night before you plan on serving it or in the early AM so it’s ready by nighttime. The more time it has in the fridge, the better – otherwise, while it will still taste phenomenal, it may be a little on the gloopy side. ‘Gloopy’ being the scientific term here.

So are you ready to dig in?!

5.0 from 3 reviews

No Bake Reese's Peanut Butter Lush

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Recipe type: No Bake

Prep time: 6 hours 10 mins

Total time: 6 hours 10 mins

Serves: 9

This Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Lush is WONDERFUL. Packed with creamy chocolate & peanut butter pudding, peanut butter Oreos, peanut butter cups and whipped cream, it's great for a hot summer day!

Ingredients

1 pkg Peanut Butter Oreos, coarsely crushed
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
1 (3.4 oz) box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 & ¾ cups milk
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1 (16 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 cup miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped in half
Chocolate syrup

Instructions

Liberally grease an 8x8" or 9x9" square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, toss together the coarse Oreo crumbs and the melted butter until moistened and combined. Press evenly into the bottom of the pan, compacting slightly with a measuring cup or your hands. Set aside.
Wipe out the bowl and add in the pudding mix, milk and peanut butter. Whisk for 2 minutes or until thickened. Fold in HALF (8 oz) of the Cool Whip until creamy and combined. Spread into the prepared pan in an even layer. Top with the remaining Cool Whip. Sprinkle on the peanut butter cups.
Refrigerate uncovered for at LEAST 6 hours, preferably overnight, before cutting into squares to serve. Just before serving, drizzle with chocolate syrup.

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