Payday Bars are spin on the classic Payday candy bar which is a caramel nouget rolled in salted peanuts. The base of the bars is a buttery shortbread base. The same one I use in my pecan pie bars and coconut cream pie bars. On top of the shortbread base is a layer of mini marshmallows then a homemade peanut butter caramel nougat and finally topped with a ton of salted peanuts.
These bars are like a fresh Payday candy bar. The sweet nougat and marshmallows melt in your mouth while the salted peanuts and buttery shortbread help balance the sweetness. It’s a perfect handheld sweet and salty treat. The hardest part is waiting for them to set. I recommend letting them set overnight on the counter or for eight hours. This makes all the difference with the crust melding with the other layers. I know it soudns strange, but don’t make them if you can’t let them rest.
Payday Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread
- 1 1/4 c flour
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 10 tbsp salted butter cold, diced
Nougat
- 4 tbsp salted butter (half stick)
- 2/3 c light corn syrup use a glass measuring cup (meant for measuring liquids)
- 10 oz peanut butter chips Reese's
- 4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 2 tsp vanilla
Topping
- 2 c mini marshmallows heaping
- 2 c salted peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- Add flour, corn starch, sugar and salt to a food processer and process a few times.
- Add the vanilla and cold diced butter. Process for 45 seconds until the dough starts to come together.
- The dough will be clumpy. Squeeze handfuls of the dough together then evenly distribute on the bottom of a parchment lined 9x9 pan. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan being sure to press and pack it down.
- Bake on the middle rack for 18 minutes.
- While the crust bakes make the nougat layer in a medium pot just under medium heat melt butter. Add light corn syrup and whisk until mixed.
- Add peanut butter chips and once melted add peanut butter. Whisk again until mixed. Whisk in vanilla and set over low heat until the shortbread is done baking.
- Right when the shortbread comes out of the oven pour over the marshmallows and spread them out evenly.
- Pour the hot nougat over the marshmallow layer. Spread out evenly if it's not already.
- Immediatly top with peanuts.
- Cool and set for 8 hours.
- Cut and serve.