Milk/Cream

Ritz Crunch Peanut Butter Squares

November  2, 2014
4
4 Ratings
  • Makes 1 9 x 13-inch pan
Author Notes

Sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy. In one bite. And don't forget the chocolate. The topping is one of my favorite discoveries from the Christina Tosi's Milkbar cookbook. —navahfrost

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Peanut Butter base layer
  • 2 cups peanut butter (I used Jif)
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • Ritz Crunch and Chocolate Ganache
  • 1 sleeve of Ritz Crackers, about 30 crackers
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted.
  • 9 ounces bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Peanut Butter base layer
  2. In the bowl of a standing mixer or with an electric mixer, combine all the ingredients for the peanut butter layer. It should be stiff but not dry. Press it into a 9 x 13 -inch pan with your fingers. You can smooth it out with a flat spatula if you like.
  1. Ritz Crunch and Chocolate Ganache
  2. For the Ritz crunch, preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with a slipat or waxed paper. Empty the crackers into a bowl, crush them with your hands and mix them with the sugar, milk powder, and salt. Pour the melted butter over the the crackers mixture and mix it together. It should remind you of streusel sized crumbs. Spread the mixture on the cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Set aside.
  3. For the ganache, put the chocolate into a glass bowl. Whisk the cream and creme fraiche together in a pyrex or other microwave safe container, and heat for 1-2 minutes, until steaming. Pour the cream mixture over chopped chocolate and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Whisk together until glossy. Add vanilla and give it a stir.
  4. To finish assembly: Pour the ganache over the peanut butter layer, smooth it to the outer edges. Sprinkle the ritz crunch over the top, crumbling it as you go if the pieces seem too big. Put in the refrigerator for about an hour, until the ganache is slightly set. Cut into small squares and serve.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • aargersi
    aargersi
  • navahfrost
    navahfrost
  • VioletFlame
    VioletFlame

4 Reviews

aargersi November 3, 2014
Yes please, yum
 
navahfrost November 3, 2014
Oh wow, you are the coconut tres leches cake person! It's one of my favorites!

And yeah, these are really good. The topping is an addiction.
 
VioletFlame August 27, 2021
@navahfrost, I know it is years later, but can you describe the peanut butter layer? Is it like the inside of a pb cup?
 
navahfrost August 27, 2021
Yes, very similar!