If you’re all out of ideas of what to make for your child’s cake and candy day at school, don’t worry – we have the perfect treat! No-bake pretzel ladybug peanut butter bars are a great choice and are sure to be a hit among your child and their friends.
Here’s how to make them:
*Makes 25
Ingredients for the base
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ¾ cup icing sugar
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 200g packet pretzels, finely crushed
For the topping
- 200g milk chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
For the ladybugs
- 40g packet Smarties
- Black and white edible gel pens or royal icing
- 25 pretzels
- 80g red candy melts chocolate
Method
- For the base, line a 23cm square tin with baking paper, leaving 2cm overhangs for easy removal. Beat together all the ingredients. Press into an even layer in the prepared pan.
- For the topping, heat the chocolate and peanut butter in the microwave for about 1½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Pour onto the base and spread into an even layer.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until firm.
- For the ladybugs, pipe eyes onto 25 Smarties using the black and white pens or icing. Space the pretzels evenly over the bar.
- Heat chocolate in the microwave for about 1½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle.
- Pipe into about 5 pretzels and add a Smartie to the wider parts before the chocolate sets. Repeat with the rest. Pipe black dots and a line through the middle onto the bodies. Refrigerate for at least an hour until set. Slice into 25 bars.