Oatmeal Coconut Reese's Pieces

I think the combination of peanut butter and chocolate was one of the best inventions in history. Who doesn't love it?? I feel sorry for the people who are allergic to peanuts, you're missing out.

These bars are the easiest and quickest little snack so they're perfect for after school/work or a late night craving. You don't need to bake them so you can whip them up anytime, or make them with your kids for a fun little activity. So easy! As a bonus, this recipe is completely gluten free if you use almond meal/flour instead of wheat flour.

Yield: 16 small pieces

Prep time: 10 minutes

Bar ingredients:

1 cup quick oats

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup flour or almond meal or flour (to make GF)

3/4 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate topping:

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1 1/2 tbsp smooth peanut butter

Directions:

1. Add peanut butter and honey into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until smooth enough to combine.

2. Add dry ingredients to the peanut butter/honey mixture and combine. Spread into a 9x9 baking dish until flat.

3. Heat a small saucepan on medium-low heat. add chocolate chips and peanut butter to make the topping, stirring often to ensure it doesn't burn. Only heat enough to combine.

4. Pour onto bar mixture and spread evenly.

5. Place into fridge and cool for one hour or until ready to serve.

Storage: store in fridge for up to 5 days or in freezer for up to 3 months.

Reese's Pieces were one of my favourite treats to get when I was a kid, but they were even better when my mom made her own. This one has a few little tweaks compared to hers but it's still just as addictive, I promise!

Notes about the recipe:

1. I used crunchy peanut butter because I love a little crunch in my Reese's, but you can just use smooth if that's what you desire. If you like extra crunch, I suggest adding chopped walnuts, pecans or more peanuts. I've done that before and it's so good!

2. You can add more coconut on top of the chocolate if you like the taste of the coconut to be a bit more prominent.

If you try this recipe out, make sure to post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag me @emsprairiekitchen or use the hashtag #emsprairiekitchen.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy :)