Ritz Katz - No-bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Cups

It's kind of like a Kit Kat, but round and peanut buttery.

Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

24 Ritz Crackers
1/2 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Dark Chocolate Chips
Peanut Butter Chips
Butterscotch Chips
1 Tsp Brown Sugar
1 Tsp White Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
3 Tbsp Butter
Sea Salt (not pictured)

Makes one dozen

In a double boiler, melt 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butterscotch chips. You could throw in peanut butter chips if you want, or use dark chocolate. This ain't a science.

I use disposable decorating bags to make chocolate distribution easier. It's too thick for spoonin' and smearin', trust me.

These decorating bags are usually used for icing and whip cream. Putting melted chocolate in them makes them hot. So where a glove when you bag it up.

Spiral chocolate into baking cups, then place Ritz crackers on top. Press down carefully with two fingers and spin until the chocolate squishes out.

In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter into 1/4 cup of milk on LOW HEAT. This is a small amount of liquid and will heat up fast. Don't let it boil!

Stir constantly with a PLASTIC spoon.

Once it's melted and starts to froth up a little bit, dump in a teaspoon each of brown sugar and white sugar. Keep stirring!

It's getting really hot now! Better stir in the 1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs, which I call grahumbs!

Remove from heat immediately and stir! Don't burn the goo!

Spread a quarter inch or so of goo onto that first layer of Ritz you laid down. If you use a wooden spoon, spreading the goo will be very difficult. The goo slides right off of plastic and makes it easy to spread.

Place your second layer of Ritzes atop the goo, pressing firmly so the filling is even between the crackers and the top one is centered.

Decorate them however you want! This is the fun part!

Your bag of candy coating should still be warm enough to use. If not, pinch off the bag with a clothespin and put it in a bowl of hot water. Dry the bag before use so as not to get the Ritzes all wet.

I did a separate bag of peanut butter chips for contrast. 1/2 a cup should be more than enough for a dozen. Make sure these chips are heated up in a cold bowl or double boiler. Heat them slowly and try to use them as soon as they are smooth, they have a tendency to seize up with improper heating or sitting out.

Then I used a tiny bag of dark chocolate chips for the drizzle, a couple tablespoons maybe, cutting the tip of the bag extra small

Important Finishing Touches: You'll want to add sea salt (I used pink Himalayan sea salt, so there), but do not do it right away! I found that if I applied it too early, the chocolate side of the candy coating turned grey! At least I think that's why that batch turned grey, I'm not a scientist, okay? Also, don't put them in the fridge yet! That also adds to greyness or white edges. Let them cool down at room temperature for 20 minutes or so, then apply salt. To me, the salt is a crucial ingredient. I tried one without salt and it was okay. Try for yourself. Let them continue cooling at room temperature until there is absolutely no shine left to the chocolate, another half hour or so. No shine means it's completely dry and will look better after being refrigerated.

I think these have the best crunch right out of the refrigerator, not frozen or at room temperature. What do you think?

You could keep the sea salt coarse for a garnishing effect, especially if it's a fancier sea salt like black or pink. I find giant chunks of salt to be a bit of a turn off, but some people go nuts for 'em.

READ FULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER RESULTS.

Makes a dozen. Refrigerate.

24 Ritz Crackers
1/2 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs (grahumbs)
1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Peanut Butter Chips
Butterscotch Chips
Dark Chocolate Chips
1 Tsp Brown Sugar
1 Tsp White Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
3 Tbsp Butter
Sea Salt (not pictured)

In a double boiler, melt 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butterscotch chips.

Spiral chocolate into baking cup and place one Ritz cracker on top. Press down carefully with two fingers and spin until the chocolate squishes out.

In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter into 1/4 cup of milk on LOW HEAT.

When foaming, stir in sugars. A few moments later, stir in grahumbs. Remove from heat immediately and stir. Don't burn the goo.

Spread a quarter inch or so of goo onto that first Ritz you laid down with a PLASTIC spoon.

Center your second Ritz cracker atop the goo and press firmly.

Decorate with candy coating from earlier, plus some melted peanut butter chips.

Cool 20 mins at room temp. Salt. Cool 30 more mins at room temp or until no shine. Refrigerate before eating for best crunch.

Thank you so much for reading!