These salted peanut chews are a classic that features a delicious combination of chewy marshmallows on top of a buttery crust and is then finished with a crunchy, salt peanut topping. It’s the best dessert ever and the original Pillsbury recipe.
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I have been making these ever since I received a Pillsbury bake off winners cookbook in the 80’s and your recipe IS the original — so so good! It’s the one dessert that’s a hit with everyone who tries it. I’ve seen other versions with cake mix used for crust that are not nearly as good as this one. Great to see old classics like this being posted for younger bakers!
If you’re a fan of the ever-popular sweet and salty flavor combo, then these salted peanut chews are right up your alley. The buttery crust provides the perfect sweet base for the crunchy, salty peanuts on top, making each bite a flavor-packed treat.
If you’re a fan of this recipe, you’ll also love my microwave peanut brittle for another sweet and salty treat. Or try my Rocky Road brownies for a chocolatey twist on the classic dessert bars. And for another easy no-bake dessert, these rice krispie peanut butter bars are a winner.
My mom shared this recipe with me years ago and had it written down. Since that time Pillsbury has changed the recipe on their website. However, this recipe is the ORIGINAL found in my mom’s own handwriting when she first discovered it decades ago. This is one of my son’s all time favorite dessert recipes.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Incredible Texture: These bars have a buttery crust and a chewy, rich texture that is to die for. It’s a dessert you’ll want to make again and again.
- Sweet and Salty: The combination of sweet and salty flavors in this recipe is unbeatable. It’s the perfect treat for anyone with a sweet tooth.
- Easy to Make: Despite their impressive appearance, these bars are surprisingly easy to make. It’s my favorite kind of easy dessert to make.
- Unbeatable Flavor: The combination of buttery crust, sweet filling, and crunchy peanuts on top creates a flavor that’s out of this world.
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Key Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: This forms the base of the crust, providing structure and a slightly crumbly texture.
- Light Brown Sugar: Sweetens the crust and adds a hint of caramel flavor.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the crust, balancing the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Together they are going to be our leavening agents to give us the right texture for the crust.
- Butter: Incorporates a rich, buttery flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture to the crust. We’ll also use it in our top layer.
- Vanilla: Adds a sweet, aromatic flavor to the crust, complementing the salt and sugar.
- Egg Yolks: Help to bind the ingredients together and add richness to the crust.
- Marshmallows: Form the middle layer, melting into a gooey, sweet filling.
- Corn Syrup: Sweetens the top layer and helps to give it a glossy finish.
- Peanut Butter Chips: Add a creamy, peanut butter flavor to the top layer, complementing the saltiness of the peanuts.
- Rice Cereal: Provides a crunchy texture to the top layer, balancing the gooeyness of the marshmallows.
- Salted Peanuts: Add a salty crunch to the top layer, and a rich, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet ingredients.
Equipment
- Mixers – You’ll need a stand mixer or a hand mixer to combine the crust ingredients and ensure they form a crumbly mixture. This will make it easier to press the crust into the pan.
- 13×9 Inch Pan – This is where you’ll press the crust mixture and bake it. It provides the base for the salted peanut chews.
- Large Saucepan – This is essential for melting the corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and peanut butter chips to make the delicious topping for the bars. It’s important to stir constantly to ensure the mixture is smooth.
How to Make Salted Peanut Chews
Preparation
Start by preheating your oven to 350° F. This is the temperature at which you’ll bake your crust and melt the peanut butter chips for the topping. It’s important for these steps to have a hot oven ready.
Step 1 – Make and Bake the Crust
Combine the crust ingredients in a bowl. You’re looking to form a crumbly mixture. Once it’s ready, press this mixture into the bottom of your un-greas 13×9 inch pan. Pop it in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until it’s a light golden brown.
Step 2 – Add the Marshmallows
As soon as you take the crust out of the oven, sprinkle the marshmallows over it. They’ll start to melt and puff when you return the pan to the oven for 1-2 minutes. Once they’re puffy, take the pan out and let it cool while you prepare the topping.
Step 3 – Make the Peanut Butter Chip and Cereal topping
In a large saucepan, combine the corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and peanut butter chips. Heat this mixture until the chips are melted and it’s smooth. Stir constantly to prevent burning. Once it’s ready, remove it from the heat and stir in the rice cereal and salt peanuts.
Step 4 – Add the topping
After the cereal and nuts are mixed in, immediately spoon this warm topping over the marshmallows. You’ll need to work quickly to spread it out and cover the marshmallows entirely.
Step 5 – Cool and Cut
Once your salt peanut chews are assembled, let them chill. This will help the topping set. Once it’s firm, you can cut the bars into 36 pieces. Enjoy your delicious, sweet, and salty treat!
Expert Tip
Work fast when adding the warm topping to the marshmallows, as it hardens quickly. This will make it easier to spread the topping evenly over the marshmallows and prevent it from hardening before you’re done.
Recipe Variations
- Different Nuts: If you’re not a fan of peanuts, you can easily substitute them with your favorite nuts. Try cashews, almonds, or a mix of your choice for a different flavor and texture.
- Chocolate: While this recipe doesn’t call for chocolate, you can add a layer of melted chocolate over the marshmallows before adding the peanut butter topping for a more decadently sweet treat.
- Extra Marshmallows: If you love the gooeyness of marshmallows, feel free to add an extra cup to the middle layer for an even more lusciously chewy bar.
How to Make Peanut Chews (Video)
What to Serve With
- These salted peanut chews make a great addition to any dessert spread. Serve them alongside your favorite cookies and brownies for a variety of sweet treats.
- If you’re a fan of afternoon tea, these salted peanut chews are the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of tea or coffee. The salty-sweet flavor is a great way to satisfy your afternoon cravings.
- For a fun and unique dessert, crumble them over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The extra crunch and flavor will take your ice cream to the next level.
Make Ahead Instructions
Make ahead as instructed. You can store them at room temperature for up to 3 days covered. I prefer using them within one day when serving to friends. The crust does get more crumbly the longer it is since you first made them.
Recipe FAQs
The crust is done when it’s a light golden brown. This usually takes about 12-15 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven. Just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t get too dark.
Yes, you can. However, the recipe is called salted peanut chews because the salt on the peanuts contrasts with the sweetness and adds an extra dimension of flavor. If you use unsalted peanuts, the bars will still be delicious, but they might be a bit sweeter overall.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: You can store the salted peanut chews in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
- Freezing: If you want to make them ahead of time, these bars are freezer-friendly. Simply place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
- Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen salted peanut chews, let them thaw at room temperature for about 1-2 hours.
More Classic Dessert Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Serving Size
- What to Expect: This salted peanut chews recipe yields a delicious dessert, enough for 36 servings.
- How to Scale: If you’re planning to serve a larger crowd, you can easily double the recipe and follow the instructions as directed. Just make sure to use a larger pan to accommodate the increased quantity.
Salted Peanut Chews
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 Cup all purpose flour
- 2/3 Cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 Cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 egg yolks
Middle Layer
- 3 Cups marshmallows
Top layer
- 2/3 Cup corn syrup
- 1/4 Cup butter
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 oz peanut butter chips
- 2 Cups rice cereal
- 2 Cups salted peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
- Combine all the crust ingredients until the crumb mixture forms. Press in the bottom of an un-greased 13×9 inch pan.
- Bake at 350° F for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.
- Immediately sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows begin to puff. Cool while preparing topping.
- In a large sauce pan heat corn syrup, butter, vanilla and peanut butter chips until chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir constantly! Remove from the heat and stir in the rice cereal and nuts. Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows. Spread to cover.
- Let chill and cut into 36 salted peanut chews bars.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2018. The post has been updated to provider more details. The recipe remains the same.
A favorite on our Christmas cookie tray!
They are the best! Glad you enjoy them!
This recipe is 5 stars delicious! I didn’t have peanut butter chips and used butterscotch.
Do you know if maple syrup would work to substitute for the corn syrup?
I have not tested maple syrup. The maple syrup I use in the kitchen is not as thick as corn syrup so I don’t know if it would yield the same results.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell me how far ahead I can make these and can they be frozen? I have only today to bake for Christmas celebration 5 days away and was hoping to serve these. Someone, please HELP ASAP! Thank you!!!
The topping is exactly the same as the original, but the Bake-Off winner used the Pillsbury yellow cake mix as the base (I have the Pillsbury recipe card for it). This recipe isn’t using a Pillsbury product, so could I presume it could not be in the competition. I believe the winner was from 1980.
I’ve made this before… soooo good! My neighbor brought some over to my house and I got the recipe from her, and that was back in 1994, and I misplaced the copy of the recipe she gave me. I’ve been hunting the net for this recipe and am so glad to have found it! But…. her recipe which sounds identical to this one except for the amount of rice krispies and peanuts. Her recipe called for 2 or more cups of rice krispies and 1 cup of peanuts. Is that how others make it? I’ve got all of the ingredients, so I hope I get an answer to my question soon. Much thanks!
Also… my memory keeps telling me that my neighbors also called for 40 Kraft caramels. Is that a possibility or is my brain thinking of a different recipe?
Hi! I’m not sure but this recipe is for sure a real winner and it is a vintage recipe so it could be the one you are thinking of.
Made this before everyone really loves this. Salty sweet bar. Thanks for sharing. Ps let marshmallow have time to cool before spreading top on. Works better. Have a great day 😊
So glad you enjoyed it! It’s a family favorite!
So glad to see this recipe in its original form! I grew up with these bars, and was always so excited when my grandma made them. My grandmother, Gertrude Schweitzerhof, created this recipe for the Pillsbury bake-off in 1980; it was one of her 3 grand prize winners, and inducted into the Pillsbury Bake-Off Hall of Fame Smithsonian exhibit in 1999. This is a classic for sure! I’m currently figuring out how to make a celiac- and allergy- friendly version so my kids can enjoy their great-grandma’s recipe.
Wow! What a special grandmother you had. It is one of our family’s favorite recipes. Thank you for commenting and sharing about your grandma – it made my day. 🙂
These were a HUGE hit with our small group (a.k.a. my recipe Guinea pigs). Definitely a favorite with young and old alike. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorites.
I have been making these ever since I received a Pillsbury bake off winners cookbook in the 80’s and your recipe IS the original — so so good! It’s the one dessert that’s a hit with everyone who tries it. Ive seen other versions with cake mix used for crust that are not nearly as good as this one. Great to see old classics like this being posted for younger bakers!