Chocolate and peanut butter are one of the best pairings around, but what happens when you combine chocolate, peanut butter and nanaimo bars?! Peanut Butter Chocolate Nanaimo Bars will become a family favourite and need to go into rotation!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Nanaimo Bars
I’m beyond excited and fully wearing my fat pants. Why you ask? Well since the Reese Peanut Butter Spread arrived, truth be known, I’ve been diligently taste testing it every day, with a spoon, to ensure it hasn’t gone bad. Quality control for the people, of course.
Truth be known several bloggers received a jar of this sinfully delicious finger licking goodness and were tasked to create a recipe. I’d been pondering the idea for awhile and decided to swap out the regular nanaimo bar icing so I could incorporate this peanut butter spread.
What is this Canadian Treat?
Nanaimo Bar (pronounced nuh-NYE-mo bar) are a Canadian bar mostly enjoyed during winter months. They are named after the city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. My mom always made them during Christmas and coloured the icing green making them festive for the season.
These bars typically consist of three layers; a graham wafer and coconut bottom, custard-flavoured icing in the middle and a delicious chocolate spread on top that hardens. It’s a Canadian favourite!
Nanaimo bars have been in my life since I was a young child, (which dates us back to the 1970’s) helping my mom make them in the kitchen. Here’s a few tips I’ve learned along the way.
PRO TIPS
- Chill between layers to ensure everything sets up nicely and doesn’t bleed into each other.
- Use a hot knife to cut the bars.
- No custard powder or pudding powder needed in these bars.
- Make them throughout the year and double the batch. They freeze nicely and will go fast.
- If you can’t find Reese Peanut Butter Spread, use regular peanut butter. It’s pretty much the same thing!
More chocolate recipes to try:
- White Chocolate Lavender Brownies
- Chocolate Fondue
- Chocolate Chunk Fudge Brownies
- Brownie Cake
- Brown Butter Blondies
- Nanaimo Bars
- Slow Cooker Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker
This post is sponsored by Hershey’s Canada and I’ve been compensated monetarily and with product to create a new recipe.
Ingredients
Base
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup coconut
- 2 cups graham wafer crumbs crushed
Middle Layer
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 cup Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread
- 2 1/4 cup icing sugar
- 2-3 tbsp milk
Chocolate Glaze
- 8 ounces 1 225g box semi sweet chocolate squares
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
Base
- In a double boiler (over medium high heat) add 3/4 cup butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla & egg, whisking until well combined. Stir until mixture reaches a custard like consistency (thickens slightly).
- Stir in graham wafer crumbs and coconut mixing until combined. Press this mixture into an ungreased 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 square baking pan. Let cool completely.
Middle Mixture
- In a large microwave safe bowl add 4 tbsp butter and Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread. Microwave on medium - low in 30 second increments until completely melted.
- Mix in icing sugar one cup at a time, alternating with 1 tbsp of milk until all icing sugar is incorporated. Spread evenly over your base and refrigerate until firmed up.
Chocolate Topper
- In a microwaveable bowl melt butter and semi sweet chocolate on low in 30-40 second increments stirring in between. Continue until chocolate almost melted.
- Remove from microwave and stir until remaining chocolate is completely smooth. Pour chocolate over squares and give a little shake to evenly distribute.
- Refrigerate to harden top layer of chocolate before cutting and serving. Carefully slice and serve.
Ethan says
The sign of a successful baking experiment is always trying to photograph them before they’re all devoured!
Bakersbeans says
They lasted 3 hours once word got around the hood. Lucky to have neighbours who like taste testing my food! #DoubleTheBatch
Julia (@Imagelicious) says
Looks delicious! I’ve been checking my jar as well just to make sure it hasn’t gone bad!! I still have to bake with, but I have a few ideas!
Lisabeth @ The Ultimate Chocolate Blog says
I hope I have enough Reese spread leftover to try this recipe! My husband loves Nanaimo bars, and I think he may just lose his mind over this one!
Bakersbeans says
I know right? I’ve already purchased another jar of it and well might be picking up yet another one!
Robbie Mailman says
I love that Reese spread. I first saw it on a vacation to Florida in a Walmart. Was very glad it didn’t take long to get to Canada!
Can’t wait to try these!
Bakersbeans says
We really love the Reese spread to. In fact we send it out as gifts to Spain and Germany every Christmas as it’s also loved by family there! Hope you enjoy the Nanaimo Bars!