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Home ·  Recipes ·  Ice Cream

Frozen Peanut Butter Candy Cane Bars

Author: Maryanne CabreraPublished: Dec 4, 2014Updated: Nov 16, 2023
View Recipe43 Reviews
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Frozen Peanut Butter Candy Cane Bars

I love a challenge.  The tougher the better.  And being a competitive person, I HAVE to succeed and win.

Last month when Peanut Butter & Co. announced their holiday Yum Squad project, I was quite intrigued.  The challenge was to create a dessert incorporating peanut butter and candy canes.  Whaaaatt? was my first reaction.  Uh, won’t that taste gross?  NOPE.

Ms. Paula Abdul taught me at an early age at that Opposites Attract.  During the early 90s I had a tap teacher that played Paula Abdul during warm up every single week.  (Somewhere in the back of my closet at my parents’ house, I still have my Straight Up cassette tape.)  So if opposites can attract, you bet I can make a delicious dessert out of these two unlikely pairs.

Frozen Peanut Butter Candy Cane Bars

Frozen Peanut Butter Candy Cane Bars

As you’ve probably assumed, yes, I am a peanut butter addict.  First the peanut butter pretzel cheesecake, then the bread pudding with peanut butter and Nutella, and now these frozen peanut butter candy cane bars.  (Wait for the peanut butter giveaway at the end of the post!)

Chocolate and peppermint is a match made in holiday heaven, so I knew I had to incorporate chocolate in this dessert.  I thought about melting chocolate and whipping it into smooth peanut butter.  But why add that additional step when a jar of Dark Chocolate Dreams already does it for you?!

Frozen Peanut Butter Candy Cane Bars

What is a semifreddo?

These frozen bars are made with a chocolate peanut butter semifreddo.  Before I had an ice cream machine, I made lots and lots of semifreddos.

Instead of using a machine to fluff up and aerate the creamy mixture, you use freshly whipped cream to amp up the volume.  The whipped cream is folded with the rest of the liquid ingredients and frozen to create a soft ice cream treat.  It’s the perfect mixture to freeze into bars.

Now that that holiday season is in full swing, get ready for peppermint and candy cane overload!!

Frozen Peanut Butter Candy Cane Bars
Frozen Peanut Butter Candy Cane Bars

Frozen Peanut Butter Candy Cane Bars

Yield: 10 frozen bars
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream, chilled

Toppings:

  • 2 cups 72% dark chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup coconut oil
  • crushed candy canes, as needed

Instructions
 

  • In a medium pot, combine milk and sugar.  Set over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate peanut butter.  Whisk until smooth and homogenous.  Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge until cold.
  • Using a hand held mixer, whip chilled heavy cream to almost stiff peaks.  Add 1/3 of chilled peanut butter-milk mixture.  Using a large sturdy spatula fold into whipped cream.  Add another 1/3, fold, followed by remaining 1/3.  Fold until there are no longer any streaks of whipped cream.
  • Immediately transfer mixture to popsicles molds, filling molds all the way. Place in freezer for 15 minutes and then remove. Insert wooden sticks into popsicle mold cavities. Return mold to freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours to fully set.
  • To make chocolate shell: combine chopped chocolate and coconut oil in a small heat-proof bowl. Set over a pot of simmer water, creating a bain-marie (double boiler). Melt chocolate over low heat. Stir to combine. Once chocolate has melted, remove from heat.
  • Dip frozen bars into chocolate shell mixture and immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes. The chocolate will quickly set, so work quickly! Consume and enjoy immediately.
Author: Maryanne Cabrera
Did you make this recipe?Show us on Instagram! Tag @littleepicurean and hashtag #littleepicurean.
43 Reviews
Filed in:
Ice CreamChocolate · Frozen · Peanut Butter · Spring + Summer · Sweet

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Reader Questions and Reviews

  1. Jen+@+Baked+by+an+Introvert says:
    December 4, 2014

    I absolutely love this, Maryanne. I think you nailed the challenge!

    Reply
  2. Jocelyn+(Grandbaby+cakes) says:
    December 4, 2014

    These bars look way too good! Pinned.

    Reply
  3. Simone says:
    December 4, 2014

    The craziest PB concoction: my husband puts it on EVERYTHING. Not joking. The craziest thing we made was probably some sweet potato peanut butter wraps.

    Reply
    • Maryanne Cabrera says:
      December 8, 2014

      Sweet potato and peanut butter sound pretty good! :)

  4. Lois Kim says:
    December 4, 2014

    I haven’t really made anything super crazy which is surprising seeing that I absolutely love peanut butter, but I do love making peanut butter banana ice cream! So easy and so good :)

    Reply
    • Maryanne Cabrera says:
      December 8, 2014

      yummm…I love peanut butter banana ice cream!

  5. Merly C. says:
    December 4, 2014

    I love peanut butter and condensed milk!

    Reply
  6. Bianca+@+Sweet+Dreaming says:
    December 4, 2014

    i loveee peanut butter and chocolate together, so it was probably this cake! https://bsweetdreaming.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/chocolate-peanut-butter-birthday-cake/

    Reply
  7. Sarah @ SnixyKitchen says:
    December 4, 2014

    These popsicles are screaming my name – I’m a bit of a peppermint fanatic. (Funny enough, I just made some muddy buddies this week with peanut butter and peppermint!). Craziest thing I’ve done with peanut butter? Hmmm – my mom just sent me a picture of a recipe I used to make all the time as a kid that was basically peanut butter mixed into balls with coconut, raisins, and honey. I was a strange kid.

    Reply
    • Maryanne Cabrera says:
      December 8, 2014

      Whaaa?! That’s crazy! Haha, I totally thought peanut butter and peppermint couldn’t work, but it tastes good together!
      You’re not strange. I used to eat toasted peanut butter sandwiches with coconut and pineapple ;)

  8. Erin M. says:
    December 5, 2014

    Peanut butter and noodles! Haha, sounds so weird, but it tastes soooo good! Lol

    Reply
    • Maryanne Cabrera says:
      December 8, 2014

      That doesn’t sound weird! I make sesame almond butter noodles :)

  9. Ashley Gebauer says:
    December 5, 2014

    I LOVE peanut butter… my favorite concoction would be melted peanut butter with ice cream, preferably chocolate ice cream!

    Reply
  10. Arpita@+The+Gastronomic+Bong says:
    December 5, 2014

    This candy cane looks gorgeous.. the combination of peanut butter and candy seemed a bit weird at first but then everything made sense. . This looks so so good… yumm.. :)

    Reply
    • Maryanne Cabrera says:
      December 8, 2014

      Thanks Arpita!

  11. Ally says:
    December 5, 2014

    I don’t think I’ve made anything too crazy but the peanut butter shortbread was…interesting!

    Reply
  12. Dandi D says:
    December 5, 2014

    My husband thinks I’m crazy, but I love a peanut butter and spinach sandwich.

    Reply
    • Maryanne Cabrera says:
      December 8, 2014

      Whoa! That’s a combination I’ve never heard of!

  13. Alex says:
    December 5, 2014

    I used to eat a heaping spoonful of peanut butter, by itself, every single day, for over a year straight. I love peanut butter.

    Reply
  14. Thalia @ butter and brioche says:
    December 5, 2014

    How delicious are these ice pops… perfect for Christmas especially. Pinned!

    Reply
  15. Erica says:
    December 5, 2014

    These look so yummy! I don’t care if it’s arctic out, gotta have these! Pinned!

    Reply
  16. Alexa Reass says:
    December 5, 2014

    First off, these look amazing and I want to eat them all!

    And the craziest concoction I’ve ever made with peanut butter was a reese’s inspired 3 tier cake that made with 3 layers of dark chocolate cake filled with peanut butter mousse in between each one, then frosted with peanut butter buttercream. I also poured some chocolate ganache on the top and put cut up reese’s cups on top of that as a garnish. One of the most decadent but amazingly delicious cakes I ever made.

    Reply
    • Maryanne Cabrera says:
      December 8, 2014

      Oh man! That sounds UH-mazing! I want a slice!

  17. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says:
    December 5, 2014

    Nothing crazy, I just eat it all the time!

    Reply
  18. amanda whitley says:
    December 5, 2014

    nothing crazy but i love peanut butter and use it in all my baking recipes and especially love it melted over peanut butter.

    Reply
  19. Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says:
    December 6, 2014

    These look gorgeous! I love Peanut Butter Co. and the dark chocolate peanut butter is one of my favorites too! Love that you made peppermint treats, it sounds incredible!

    Reply
    • Maryanne Cabrera says:
      December 8, 2014

      Thanks Kelly! :)

  20. Lori S H says:
    December 6, 2014

    Potato chips dipped with peanut butter!

    Reply
  21. Brittany Koelmel says:
    December 6, 2014

    I tried goldfish in peanut butter the other day, it was great!

    Reply
    • Maryanne Cabrera says:
      December 8, 2014

      I used to eat cheese crackers filled with peanut butter! YUM!

  22. nadya kotik says:
    December 6, 2014

    Peanut butter and greek yogurt

    Reply
  23. jessica says:
    December 7, 2014

    I made these crazy brownies with peanut butter rice crispy topping!

    Reply
  24. Amy M. C. says:
    December 7, 2014

    I really haven’t made anything crazy with peanut butter, but my husband had a burger with peanut butter on it. He loved it!

    Reply
    • Maryanne Cabrera says:
      December 8, 2014

      I saw that combo on a menu!

  25. manda says:
    December 8, 2014

    Nothing too crazy. Just love peanut butter and chocolate.

    Reply
  26. Liz+@+Floating+Kitchen says:
    December 8, 2014

    Whoa this sounds so intriguing. I would never think to put PB and peppermint together. But I’m totally down. Hmmm….strangest PB combination. I can’t think of one for myself, but my a friend of mine used to put PB on carrots. I thought that was pretty weird!

    Reply
  27. rachel says:
    December 8, 2014

    Peanut butter scones! Delish!

    Reply
  28. Leigha @ The Yooper Girl says:
    December 9, 2014

    Oh. My. GOSH. These are beautiful!!! So happy I just found your blog! I’m a fellow Yum Squad member.. I still have to post my recipe!

    Wow. What kind of lens/camera do you use?! I can’t get over your pictures!

    Reply
  29. Leigha+@+The+Yooper+Girl says:
    December 9, 2014

    oops, never mind… just read your faq section. :) I might be your new stalker, just to let you know! In a good way :D love your blog!

    Reply
  30. Manali @ CookWithManali says:
    December 9, 2014

    Looks awesome! Beautiful pictures!

    Reply
  31. Annette says:
    December 10, 2014

    While not really crazy, the most recent combo I had was peanut butter and honey.

    Reply
  32. Trish says:
    December 14, 2014

    Wow, I would NEVER think to mix peanut butter and candy cane. I am totally intrigued! These are going on my to-make list!
    Trish

    Reply
  33. new recipes in urdu says:
    March 1, 2018

    frozen candy my favorite. I added strawberry in it and it tastes delicious. Give it a try

    Reply
Maryanne Cabrera

Meet the Author

Maryanne Cabrera is a classically trained pastry chef, baker, cake maker, and cocktail shaker.
Read more about me

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