In browsing my Betty Crocker cookbook for ideas on what to serve to the teens at youth group, I stumbled about the Salted Nut Bars recipe. They sounded delicious and intriguing, not to mention simple to make. I was hooked. 

I altered a few of the ingredients to fit my ingredients and my tastes. I used unsalted nuts and sprinkled lightly with sea salt as I didn’t have salted peanuts on hand. I opted for chocolate chips as opposed to butterscotch chips because who doesn’t love the chocolate and salty-peanut combination? (If you don’t, please don’t tell me. I like to think everyone loves that mixture. :)) 

The teens gobbled up every last one of these chocolate nut bars before I could offer seconds.  Definitely a winner. 

Makes 32 bars

1-1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp margarine or butter, softened

2 cups peanuts 

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 Tbsp margarine or butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In medium bowl, mix flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in 1/2 cup butter using pastry blender or stand mixer beater blade on medium/high until evenly mixed and slightly crumbly. 

In the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 inch pan, press dough evenly. Bake 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool slightly. 

Sprinkle nuts evenly over crust. In 1 quart saucepan, mix chocolate chips, corn syrup and butter over medium heat until chocolate chips are melted. Drizzle chocolate mixture evenly over nuts. 

Bake 5 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes. Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows while still warm. (A pizza cutter worked well for me.)

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