Dreamy Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares

It doesn’t matter where I go, but any place I visit over the course of December has a tray of sweets waiting for me.

Squares and cookies that so-and-so’s neighbour or cousin sent over. Maybe it’s a catered Christmas party with a mountain of sugary goodies on display. If you’re going anywhere this month, chances are you’re showing up with a container full of sweet stuff in tow.

Christmas brings out the sugar fiend in all of us.

Usually I ignore these trays unless there is something I “omgneedtohave.” I’ve had a billion sugar cookies in my life. I know what a date square tastes like. I can pass up on these treats pretty easily. But there is one square I will always go for. One I will seek out. One that I can’t just have one of.

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares.

Long-time blog readers already know that I love marshmallows. Beyond the point that’s probably normal. Nothing, in my opinion, tastes better with marshmallows than peanut butter. Yes, fluffernutter trumps hot chocolate.

Despite my love for these fluffy treats, I have never actually attempted to make them. Rather, I would just anxiously scan dessert trays at parties hoping to see my favourite multi-coloured square.

Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when I went looking for recipes and found this one only has four ingredients.

 

 

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 (300g) bag butterscotch chips
• 1 (200g) bag mini marshmallows

I ended up choosing this recipe in particular, simply because it had more peanut butter than the others. You can never go wrong with extra peanut butter.

The first step is easy. Melt your peanut butter, butter and butterscotch chips together in a pot on low heat.

Slow and steady does it. The more you stir, the more it melts.

This is where your kitchen starts to smell like a buttery heaven.

Let that mix cool for a little bit so it doesn’t melt the marshmallows. I’m impatient and perhaps did not let it cool long enough (ahem, three minutes). You’ll later see why letting it thicken up is better.

Throw in your bag of multicoloured marshmallows. I know these are the fruity ones and seem like an odd choice compared to the regular white ones. But it’s not the same with the white ones. It just isn’t.

Try not to jump in there and bathe with the marshmallows. It’s tempting!

Once everything is coated and mixed, transfer it to a greased 11×13 baking dish and refrigerate.

One of the commenters on the recipe said she put them in the freezer right away, then let thaw slightly before cutting and taking them out of the dish. I tried this method, leaving it in the freezer for an hour, then on the counter for 5 minutes or so. They came right out of the dish with very few bits left behind!

You can see here where the warm mix sank to the bottom of the dish. I have a feeling if I let it thicken up, it would have coated the marshmallows more evenly.

The final product is nothing short of amazing. Rich, buttery peanut fudge with fluffy sweet marshmallows. I can’t believe how quick and easy they were to make. Clean-up was a cinch too!

Now, if only I can keep my grubby little hands off them. They’re all wrapped up and ready to give away in the name of the holiday spirit. I highly suggest you add these to your Christmas treat list. For girls like me, who will be scanning the treat trays at parties for them ;)