Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Chocolate-Toffee-Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

CakeSpy Note: OMG! It's getting to be that time of year again. The Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming in November! Since I so deeply loved attending the 45th Bake-Off as well as the 46th Bake-Off, I thought I would get you excited the 47th one early by sharing all of the sweet recipes in the running. I will focus on sweets! You can follow them by clicking the bakeoff tag below to see the recipes posted so far (as well as recipes from previous Bake-Off events). 

I love cookies...but I super-mega-mega love bars. They're like cookies with the best parts condensed, and typically layered with more awesome stuff. And these ones are a fine specimen of what makes a great bar cookie. Starting with sugar cookie dough, a handful of ingredients including dry roasted peanuts, peanut butter, and chocolate come together to make them a crave-able dessert. When finished with toffee bits, they become downright addictive. This recipe comes from Joanne Opdahl of Venice, California, who has been to the Bake-Off before...could this be her big year?

Chocolate-Toffee-Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

Prep Time: 25 Min
Total Time: 1 Hr 45 Min
Makes: 48 bars
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups salted dry-roasted peanuts
  • 1 roll Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 1 cup Jif® Extra Crunchy Peanut Butter
  • 1 1/4 cups toffee bits
  • 1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

Procedure

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 15x10-inch pan with sides with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Line bottom of pan with Reynolds® Parchment Paper. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the peanuts; set aside.
  2. Break up cookie dough into pan. With floured fingers press dough evenly in bottom of pan.
  3. In small microwavable bowl, microwave peanut butter uncovered on High 15 to 20 seconds or until slightly melted; spread over dough. Sprinkle with remaining 2 cups peanuts and the toffee bits. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Sprinkle chocolate chips over bars; return to oven.
  4. Bake 1 minute or until chips soften; spread over bars. Sprinkle with reserved peanuts; press in lightly. Cool 30 minutes in pan on cooling rack. Refrigerate about 25 minutes or until chocolate is set. Cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store covered.