Fudge Crumble Bars
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Fudge Crumble Bars - Fudge, peanut butter and coconut pecan frosting enveloped by a delicious yellow cake mix crust and crumble topping!
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Oh my goodness. This recipe for Fudge Crumble Bars is an oldie but goodie for sure. It combines so many of my favorite things: box cake mix, chocolate, peanut butter and coconut. This is one of those desserts that goes over well at potlucks, church gatherings and family parties. I have to be careful when I make these because I want to eat the WHOLE pan.
The Crust & Filling
The crust is a combination of yellow cake mix, peanut butter, butter and eggs. You don't even need a mixer to make the crust. I literally used my silicone spatula to mix up the ingredients.
The filling is a combination of chocolate chips, milk, butter and coconut pecan frosting. I know the addition of the frosting sounds a bit strange, but just trust me, it's oh so good.
Before the bars go into the oven, some of the leftover crust is sprinkled over the top of the filling and it creates a delicious crumble on top that helps "sandwich" the filling between the crust and the crumble topping.
The Finished Bars
Once cooled, it's a good idea to refrigerate the pan for a little bit before cutting them into squares. They'll just cut cleaner. How did I cool my bars? I just set them outside on the deck in the SNOW (yes, we still have snow in April). Feel free to just place them inside of your fridge for a bit. 😉
Just look at that delicious crumble crust!
And how about that thick, decadent fudge filling?! These bars are rich so even a small square is satisfying.
Yep, I'm pretty much in love with these bars.
I ended up taking most of the bars to a family birthday party to share, but I made sure to set a couple aside for our little family. 😉 It's the right thing to do, you know?
So, what are you waiting for? Gather up the ingredients and MAKE THESE BARS!! This is such a super simple recipe that the entire family will love!
Hungry for More Bars?
Fudge Crumble Bars
Ingredients
For the Bars:
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup peanut butter
- ½ cup butter (melted)
- 2 eggs
For the Filling:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 jar coconut pecan frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, combine cake mix, peanut butter, butter and eggs.
- Stir until dough holds together.
- Press ⅔ dough onto bottom of a 13x9 inch pan.
- Reserve remaining dough for topping.
- In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate chips, milk and butter.
- Melt over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat.
- Stir in frosting.
- Spread filling over dough in pan.
- Crumble reserved dough over filling.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes. Cool and cut.
Notes
- Proper Dough Consistency: Ensure that the dough for the bars holds together well but is not overly sticky. Mix the cake mix, peanut butter, melted butter, and eggs until the dough comes together smoothly. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. If it's too wet, add a little more cake mix.
- Layering Technique: When layering the bars, press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of the baking pan evenly. This forms a sturdy base for the bars. Reserve the remaining dough for the topping. Be sure to spread the chocolate chip and sweetened condensed milk filling evenly over the dough in the pan for consistent flavor throughout.
- Even Baking: Bake the fudge crumble bars in a preheated oven at 350°F for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown and set. Keep an eye on them towards the end of the baking time to prevent over-browning. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares for clean and neat slices. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container to maintain freshness.