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Candy Bar Cuties

Julie B.

These bite-sized treats include two sticks of butter and TONS of candy bar flavor. They include gooey caramel, peanut butter, and rich chocolate on top of a buttery graham cracker base. This recipe took 2nd place in the 2019 Holiday Cookie Recipe Contest!
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1 hr Prep Time
15 min Cook Time
  • Prep Time: 1 hr
  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Servings: 2 dozen cookies

Servings: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (from a 13.5 ounce box of pre-ground crumbs)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (10 ounce) package caramel candy squares, unwrapped
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, plus 1-2 teaspoons as needed
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted and salted peanuts, divided use
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter. Add sugar and continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix with mixer until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Step 3

Using a cookie dough scoop (approximately 1-1/4 inches in diameter), scoop rounded balls of dough and place one in each muffin cup, pressing evenly into bottom of cups. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 -15 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Remove from oven and cool cookies in muffin pans on a wire rack. Do not remove cookies from muffin pans.

Step 4

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat caramel squares, peanut butter and 1/4 cup of the cream on HIGH 2-1/2 to 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted when stirred; stir after each minute. Add 1/4 cup chopped peanuts and stir to incorporate.

Step 5

Top each cookie with 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons of the warm caramel-peanut butter mixture, spreading almost to edges with back of spoon (If caramel does not spread easily, stir in additional cream, 1 teaspoon at a time until spreadable, reheating as needed). Set aside until caramel is set, about 10-15 minutes.

Step 6

In the meantime, heat semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips in a medium-size, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 30 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving, stirring every 10-15 seconds, until chocolate is melted and can be stirred smooth. Spoon about 2 teaspoons chocolate over the caramel layer, spreading to edges, completely covering caramel and cookie layers. Immediately sprinkle with remaining chopped peanuts.

Step 7

Refrigerate 25-30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Carefully pop cookies out of pans one at a time, pushing up from the bottom of each muffin cup.
Supplies needed include mini muffin tins and muffin cups.