It is no surprise that our family loves chocolate.
That said, Easter is a holiday where it is hard to avoid chocolate overload- even when you try! Two giant bunnies (and several adults) wielding baskets full of chocolate accosted our children yesterday. It is hard to say no when they are right in their face.
Luckily, our kids love the hunt slightly more than the chocolate so we are left with too many eggs and bunnies to eat and share, so we are left to decapitate some for baking purposes (telling the kids some were broken...)
I have been working on several "broken bunny bar" recipes. Some are healthier than others. The healthier ones usually get shared with the preschool moms because my kids refuse to eat them when they packed too full of goodness (last time the dried apricots turned them off).
This recipe walks the fine line. Not too healthy- but much healthier than letting them gorge on an entire chocolate bunny.
Broken Bunny Peanut Butter Bars
You can use chocolate chips or chunks in place of broken bunnies. Thanks again to my fave Rebar cookbook for the inspiration here. This recipe requires higher-end bunnies with not a lot of additives- use those that contain not much more than chocolate/cocoa, sugar, milk and vanilla.
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour (unbleached or spelt)
1/4 cup flaxmeal
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup -1 cup roughly chopped good quality chocolate bunnies (dark &/or milk)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together butter, sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Add egg and vanilla.
3. Whisk together flour, oatmeal, flaxmeal and baking powder.
4. Mix peanut butter mixture and flour mixture together. Stir in chocolate pieces.
5. Spoon into greased or parchment-lined 8" X 8" pan. Press down lightly with damp hands. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. Cut into slices after bars have been chilled thoroughly.
