Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch Bars
Suddenly, I have 50 gajillion ideas for awesome baked goods.
I know I should be making hot wings and cheesy dips and other football-y foods, but I can’t stop baking! I usually bake when I’m stressed, but I actually think this bout of confection fever is because I feel inspired. Not sure what brought it on, but I’m diggin’ it, because it’s resulting in things like these:
Cap’n Crunch is one of the best kids’ cereals (that I eat more as a grown-up than I ever did as a child), ever. The sweetened squares stay crunchy even when drowned in milk… and even when baked into bars!
These cookie bars are perfect. Yes, as in, not a single thing could make them better. The edges are slightly crisp, and the center is deliciously chewy. The Cap’n Crunch pieces that get broken up during mixing meld with the texture of the bars, giving them the best flavor, and creamy peanut butter chips are littered throughout.
These are amazing with a glass of milk, but would be awesome warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They almost taste caramelized…caramel-y Cap’n Crunch peanut butter bars… yep, even more incredible than I can describe. Not to toot my own horn, but I’m prreeettty proud of myself with these ones!
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal + more for sprinkling
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup peanut butter chips + extra for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with nonstick spray. Line it with parchment paper and spray the paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, Cap'n Crunch cereal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar for a couple minutes. Add in the peanut butter and mix until combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until light and creamy. Add n the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add in the peanut butter chips on low speed and mix until combined.
- Spread the dough into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with extra peanut butter chips and Cap'n Crunch pieces.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes (mine baked 23), until the edges are golden brown but the center is still a bit soft. Allow to cool in pan before slicing.
Notes
recipe adapted from here
What is your favorite kids’ cereal?
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yummy use of captain crunch!
Thanks! Cap'n Crunch and peanut butter are solo good together!
Baking with cereal is so much fun! Peanut butter and capn crunch are the perfect match!
I so agree, Laura!
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