If you love Payday candy bars, here’s a Payday cookie bars version just for you. This easy recipe is full of peanut butter and marshmallow deliciousness and will leave you wanting just one more, that’s how good they are!
I have learned so many, many things from the Southern husband. For example: convertibles are light-years better than regular cars. Few meals in life are better than crayfish steamed in Old Bay spices and chased with Dixie beer. All the words to more Springsteen songs than I can count. And Payday candy bars.
Before he bought me my first Payday bar, lo these many years ago, I foolishly thought that all candy bars needed to involve chocolate. Not so…the wonderful Payday bar is peanuts and caramel with not a bit of chocolate anywhere, and it is GOOD. You don’t see them around too often, but when you do, it’s well worth buying one. Or two. And if you can’t find an actual Payday bar (or even if you can!), these Payday cookie bars are the next best thing!
Ingredients
for the cookie layer-
1 box of yellow cake mix
2/3 cup butter
1 egg
pinch of salt
for the marshmallow layer-
2 cups mini marshmallows
for the topping-
1 bag peanut butter chips
2 tbsp butter
2/3 cup corn syrup
2 cups crispy rice cereal
2 cups salted peanuts
pinch of salt
Instructions
Mix the cake mix, butter, and egg until combined. Press mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are golden.
Sprinkle marshmallows over the baked crust and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
To make the topping, melt peanut butter chips, butter, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and add cereal and peanuts. Once combined, spread mixture evenly over the base. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.