Chewy peanut bars have a history dating back to the evolution of homemade sweets in the United States, where the combination of peanuts and chocolate has been a favorite for decades. Hershey's bars, in particular, are an extension of the famous American brand Hershey's, which has been globally recognized for its chocolates and related products since the late 19th century. In Latin America, although they are not uniformly named, this type of bar can be found as "peanut bars," "peanut energy bars," or simply "chewy bars with peanuts," depending on the country. In Mexico, they are often identified as "peanut and chocolate bars," while in other countries like Argentina or Colombia, they are more commonly known as "homemade peanut energy bars." These treats maintain their popularity due to their unique texture and peanut flavor combined with chocolate, making them ideal as a snack and dessert.
Beyond their name, these bars represent the tradition of combining simple ingredients like peanuts, coconut, and chocolate to create a delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-prepare homemade sweet. The influence of brands like Hershey's has helped popularize this type of recipe and give it an industrial yet homemade touch, which perfectly suits contemporary tastes.
How to Make Hershey's Chewy Peanut Bars
Ingredients:
Wheat flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, light brown sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, eggs, peanut butter chips, sweetened condensed milk, coconut flakes.
Steps:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 13x9-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add the butter.
Incorporate with a pastry mixer or with your hands until the mixture is well integrated, resembling coarse crumbs.
Add the eggs.
Mix well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing firmly against the bottom of the pan.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the mixture is firm.
Remove from the oven.
Sprinkle the peanut butter chips on top.
Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the chips.
Add the coconut on top.
Return to the oven.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Cut into 24 bars.
This recipe may be reproduced with permission from Hershey's Kitchens.
