Peanut Butter Crumble Bars

A super simple dessert using a cake mix and peanut butter for a crust, topped with chocolate, coconut and nuts. Yummy!

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 24 bars

Ingredients

• 1 (18 1/4ounce) package  yellow cake mix
• 1  cup  smooth peanut butter
• 8  tablespoons butter, melted
• 2  large eggs
• 1 (12 ounce) package  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  cup  grated coconut
• 1  cup walnuts or 1  cup pecan pieces, chopped
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325*.
2. Place the cake mix, peanut butter, melted butter and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
3. Blend with an electric mixer on medium speed for about a minute.
4. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 30 more seconds,or until uniformly mixed; the mixture will be very thick.
5. Transfer the mixture into an ungreased 13 X 9 cake pan, reserving 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
6. Using your hands, press the crust evenly over the bottom of the pan so it reaches all sides.
7. Set both the pan aside and the reserved topping.
8. For the filling, stir the chocolate chips, condensed milk and 2 TBS butter in a pan on low heat and cook for about 5 minutes, until chocolate is melted and is well mixed, then remove from the heat.
9. Stir in nuts, coconut and vanilla until well mixed.
10. Pour the chocolate mixture evenly over the crust.
11. Crumble the reserved topping over chocolate mixture in the pan.
12. Place the pan in the middle of the preheated 325* oven for about 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned.
13. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.
14. Note- I used Darlene Summers' recipe#14062 for an excellent substitute for the sweetened condensed milk.