Classic chocolate cookie bars are given a crunchy twist with the addition of Kettle Brand sweet and salty chips and marshmallows!

Occasionally a recipe speaks to you. It calls to you from the page, draws you in, and whispers “maaaaaake me, Courtney”. Except in a totally non-creepy, non-intrusive way. Know what I mean?

When I saw these Crunch Bars in last December’s edition of Bon Appetit magazine, I immediately ripped out the page and then, of course, completely forgot about them for 12 months.

That’s just the way it goes around here, y’all.

But then I discovered Kettle Brand Sweet and Salty Chips. They’re all, “Hey, girl…I’ve got that crazy crunch and salty sprinkle you love, buuuuut waiiiit…is that a hint of sweetness? Awwww, yeah girl. It totally is.”

Ok guys, I promise it’s actually much less weird than it sounds. Chips don’t talk to me like a Ryan Gosling meme (usually).

But really, that hint of sweet will draw you back. It hits you right at the end of the bite, and it’s just enough to make you wonder…was that a touch of sugar I detected? So of course you have to try another…and another…and another. I mean, mysteries like these don’t solve themselves.

So okay, back to those Bon Appetit crunch bars. When I found the sweet and salty chips, something clicked. I knew I wanted to play up the sweet and saltiness by using them in a dessert, and it needed to include chocolate. (Ummmm, hello chocolate covered potato chips!) I also wanted it to be easy to make and great for holiday gifting or parties. I was flipping through my trusty Binder ‘O Magazine Recipes and there it was.

Kettle Chips, meet Crunch Bars.

These bars are so simple to make and are incredibly versatile. A layer of cookie dough, a layer of semi sweet chocolate, and a smattering of crunchy toppings. The door is wide open for your favorites and I tried them with crushed peppermints and pecans and coconut. But by far my favorite and the crowd favorite was this crunchy, salty sweet combo of crushed Kettle Chips and fluffy marshmallows. Be warned: You might find yourself comping up with excuses to return to the buffet table to grab another nibble of these bars. Excuses like, “Ooopsies…I dropped my fork! Guess I have to swing by the Crunch Bars to grab another one,” or “UhOh. My face is covered in chocolate and chip crumbs. Guess I need a napkin (and another crunch bar).”

Guys, you know I don’t share products with you that I don’t capital L-O-V-E, and these Kettle Brand chips are one of them. They’re made with real, natural ingredients, are non-GMO, MSG free, and totally gluten free (yay)! Plus, they just taste good. With flavors as wild as Spicy Thai (my personal favorite) and as dependable as Salt and Vinegar, there really is something for everyone.

This season, Kettle Brand helped me spice up a classic holiday party. So alongside the massive meat and cheese platters and cocktail weenies, Kettle chips could be found in these crunch bars, as a coating on a holiday cheese ball (recipe coming soon), and mixed into my favorite chex mix.

Here are more ways you could use Kettle Chips in your favorite holiday party dishes:

• Use the Honey Dijon chips as a crispy coating for chicken fingers.
• Crumble the Sweet and Salty chips over a fruit crisp for added crunch and flavor.
• Use the Chili Garlic in an Asian inspired Chex Mix OR
• Make some spicy nachos with Jalapeno chips as the base!

I hope these crunch bars call to you just like they did to me. But don’t forget about them for a year like me. They deserve better.

*This recipe was created for Kettle Brand Chips and I was compensated for my time. All opinions are solely my own. 

Sweet and Salty Marshmallow Chocolate Crunch Bars with Kettle Brand Chips

Yield: 24

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 42 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• Scant 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate (or mini chocolate chips)
• 1 1/4 cup marshmallows
• 3 cups slightly crushed Sweet and Salty Kettle Brand Chips (or other assorted crunchy toppings like popcorn, nuts, coconut, or candies)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with foil (enough to go up the sides) then spray the foil with cooking spray.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugars and salt and beat until well incorporated. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour, stirring until incorporated. The mixture will be thick.

Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and use your fingers to press it into an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 22 minutes, or until golden, puffed, and slightly cracked.

Remove the cookie layer from the oven and immediately spread the chopped chocolate evenly over the top. Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to smooth the chocolate over the top.

Cover the chocolate with the chips and marshmallows (or other toppings of your choice) and gently press them into the chocolate. Allow bars to cool, then use the foil to pull them from the pan. Slice and serve.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit