Extremely Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bars

1. Preheat oven according to the pumpkin bar mix box instructions. Get out an 8x8x2″ baking dish and grease evenly with cooking spray. Line dish with parchment paper so that it covers the bottom and hangs over two sides by about 2″. This will make “handles” which will make lifting bars out of the pan super easy, once baked.

2. My box mix just called for melted butter. Why not kick the flavor up a notch and brown it? So, brown that glorious stick of butter.

To do this: In a small saucepan, add your stick of butter. Over gentle heat, about medium level, melt the butter. Once butter is all the way melted it will boil and froth. At this point, watch carefully because things will move quickly now. You can swirl the pan around a bit. Once the bubbles die down and leave only froth, you will start to smell a nutty scent! Almost there! Swirl pan around again—you should see a light golden brown color and smell a very nutty scent. Once that happens cook another 5-10 seconds and remove pan from heat. Pour into a bowl to cool (and stop the cooking). You’re looking for a gorgeous golden amber color!

3. Prepare pumpkin bar batter according to your box’s instructions. For this particular box mix, I needed 2 large eggs and 1 stick of melted butter (which I browned). I also love this mix because there’s little chocolate chips throughout the batter! Yum! Pour batter into the prepared dish and smooth top. Throw pan into oven and bake, again according to your box’s instructions.

4. As soon as your bars are done, remove from oven and sprinkle the top with your entire package of mini chocolate peanut butter cups! Feel free to move the cups around a bit as they melt, so that the entire surface is covered evenly. I chose to let the cups retain some shape, so I could show my friends what was on top. If you’re not into that, just swirl melting cups around to your liking.

5. Allow bars to sit until cool to the touch, then gently lift out of pan with those parchment “handles” hanging from the sides. With a clean, sharp knife, cut bars into 15-16 squares and place on a platter to cool completely.

Enjoy slightly warm or at room temperature! Bars are best served the day of, but can be stored in an airtight container in fridge, for up to 24 hours.

Makes approximately 15-16 bars.