Marshmallow Peeps aren’t just eaten during the Easter holiday; they also make an appearance around this time of the year for Halloween. For anyone who has never heard of or tried a peeps before – they are brightly-colored, sugar-coated marshmallow candies that come in different shapes (i.e. chicks, bunnies, pumpkins, ghosts, etc.). They make perfect toppings on cakes, pies, and in a cup of hot chocolate. They’ve become quite popular too; the company has even opened a few retail stores.
I’ve found that most people either love peeps or hate them. I’m actually not a big fan myself, but I don’t mind the taste. When I came across this peeps s’mores bars recipe, I decided to make it and see if I’d fall in love with peeps in this form… and I did! I loved the taste, texture, and the pop of color in these s’mores granola bars – definitely prefer eating peeps this way.
Peeps S’mores Bars recipe:
Ingredients:
- 6 Tbsp salted butter
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 6 Tbsp dark corn syrup (I used light Karo syrup and it worked fine)
- 2-1/4 cup rolled oats (I used Quaker Oats old fashioned oats)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1-1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
- 2 packages of peeps (I used about 8 ghost peeps and 24 pumpkin peeps)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease an 8×8 pan (I used a slightly larger Pyrex clear glass tray). Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat, until the butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in oats, flour, salt, and graham cracker crumbs
- Pour half the mixture into the pan and flatten evenly. Place on wire rack and let cool completely.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the cooled crust. Top with the peeps.
- Cover with the remaining topping/crust mixture
- Bake for 20 minutes
- Place on a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Jamie’s tips for this recipe:
- Peeps are usually on sale after the holiday is over – perfect excuse to try out this recipe!
- The bars taste best when they’re warm. If you’re eating it the next day, microwave it for 10 seconds and enjoy the melted chocolate gooeyness.
Do you like to eat peeps?
