Best Peanut Butter and Chocolate Candy

[Chris Hennes]

As we sit around starting at our post-Halloween leftovers (or, if you went Trick-or-Treating, your haul!), I find myself wondering what the best candy with peanut butter (or PB flavor) and chocolate is. At first I thought the clear winner was Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, but then I was reminded of the Butterfingers, which is a damned fine candy bar. And there must be dozens of others out there. What are you favorite PB&C candies?

[nakji]

Butterfingers is inferior, IMHO, to a Crispy Crunch.

But Reese's Cups are the gold standard, especially the extra-thick ones.

[codheadred]

Large Reese's peanut butter cups, they are awesome.

[Boilerfood]

Yes! Peanut Butter and Chocolate is probably my favorite flavor combination of all time. I have to vote for 5th Avenue bars for PB+Chocolate Candy Bar.

[Chris Hennes]

Oh yeah, 5th Avenue, I forgot all about those. I haven't had one in years.

[Katie Meadow]

Okay, there is so much adoration at the altar of Reese's among eGers. Am I missing something? I do like the combo of peanut butter and chocolate. For instance I can really appreciate a sandwich of homemade bread with good crunchy PB and a smear of Nutella. Especially when hiking.

But. I also don't like Jiff or Skippy any more, although I grew up on them. I like natural peanut butter without the added corn syrup. And I don't care for milk chocolate either. Why hasn't anyone made a treat that combines high quality PB with high quality dark chocolate? Or have they and I just need an introduction? With the numbers of people who are sentimental about Reese's and the numbers of people who prefer better chocolate, this would seem to be a no-brainer.

[Fat Guy]

I think Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are gross. And while in theory I like the combination of chocolate and peanut butter I've never had a commercial candy with that combination that I didn't think was terrible. I've had some petits fours at fancy restaurants where they did a good job with the combination, but I guess when you have to do something shelf stable you have to go way down in quality.

If we can include a nomination for peanut (as opposed to peanut butter) and chocolate, then I definitely support Goldenberg's Peanut Chews.

[pastameshugana]

Peanut butter scooped on a spoon, and your favorite chocolate syrup dripped on at each bite - or with a handful of mini bitter chocolate chips works in a pinch!

[Fat Guy]

Yes, specifically you want Trader Joe's Valencia Peanut Butter With Roasted Flaxseeds and Callebaut Semisweet Chocolate Chips (though the TJ's house brand will do if you don't want to go to two stores).

[Chris Hennes]

I think Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are gross. And while in theory I like the combination of chocolate and peanut butter I've never had a commercial candy with that combination that I didn't think was terrible.

Insanity. I mean, while I agree that in theory one could use higher-quality ingredients and get a superior product, all the artisinal PB cups I've had sucked WAY worse than a Reese's. They are a thing unto themselves, and I think the bland, waxy milk chocolate Rees's use is part of their unique appeal.

[Katie Meadow]

I was trying to be tactful, but I would have to agree that Reese's pb cups are some of the least tempting commercial candy bars, and I pass them up in favor of nothing. But I also agree with Chris, that the quality of both parts is all of a piece, and the pasty sweet pb and plasticky milk chocolate probably suit each other. Perhaps a high-end product would be a waste of resources. That said I've never even seen an artisanal pb cup. Maybe there's a good reason for that.

[Kerry Beal]

Wonderbar in Canada is a good chocolate-pb combination.

[lancastermike]

Proving once again that my taste is plebeian, I think Reeses Cups are cool stuff. Of course the ingredients are not top quality, at the price i doubt they could be. Guess I am just some sort of rube.

[tammylc]

Okay, there is so much adoration at the altar of Reese's among eGers. Am I missing something? I do like the combo of peanut butter and chocolate. For instance I can really appreciate a sandwich of homemade bread with good crunchy PB and a smear of Nutella. Especially when hiking.

But. I also don't like Jiff or Skippy any more, although I grew up on them. I like natural peanut butter without the added corn syrup. And I don't care for milk chocolate either. Why hasn't anyone made a treat that combines high quality PB with high quality dark chocolate? Or have they and I just need an introduction? With the numbers of people who are sentimental about Reese's and the numbers of people who prefer better chocolate, this would seem to be a no-brainer.

Newman's Organic makes a dark chocolate peanut butter cup that's decent.

[faith]

Or the Trader Joe's mini peanut butter cups. They're the closest thing I've ever found to the homemade peanut butter cups that I could get at the Philly sub shop outside the back door of my dorm in college. Actually, they're a little bit too good--keeping them around for as long as 48 hours is a feat, so I rarely buy them any more.

[Beebs]

I literally just consumed a Wunderbar and a Reeses pb cup right before I saw this thread.

Wunderbar is the best pb+chocolate candy, IMO. Slightly chewy, slightly crunchy & peanut-buttery at the same time.

[IndyRob]

I think Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are gross. And while in theory I like the combination of chocolate and peanut butter I've never had a commercial candy with that combination that I didn't think was terrible.

Insanity. I mean, while I agree that in theory one could use higher-quality ingredients and get a superior product, all the artisinal PB cups I've had sucked WAY worse than a Reese's. They are a thing unto themselves, and I think the bland, waxy milk chocolate Rees's use is part of their unique appeal.

I concur with all points but the waxy part. I do have some waxy clones right now. Reese's chocolate seems on a par with most mass produced chocolate candy.

My only complaint with them is in the portion size. It's easy to eat them in two bites. That would be cool for an amuse, but not for something in the candy bar space. But they do have some cup inspired bars that I do like.

I've often thought about making my own. I'm pretty sure that brown sugar is an element in the peanut butter equation. Along with salt.

[Robbie]

For candy bars I have to agree with Beebs, wonderbar rules. I had the chocolate peanut butter crunch bar at Cactus Club a while ago and that was pretty awesome too.

[tammylc]

Oh, how could we forget the Take 5? Now that is definitely the best commercial peanut butter and chocolate candy bar! Pretzels, caramel, peanuts, peanut butter... Too sweet, but that's par for the course. I actually make an upscale version of that for my chocolate business, with salty caramel and natural peanut butter and dark chocolate. Yum.

[Pierogi]

Or the Trader Joe's mini peanut butter cups. They're the closest thing I've ever found to the homemade peanut butter cups that I could get at the Philly sub shop outside the back door of my dorm in college. Actually, they're a little bit too good--keeping them around for as long as 48 hours is a feat, so I rarely buy them any more.

I am SO glad someone other than me mentioned these little gems. I was going to, but since I so often sing the praises of TJ's and their house-branded products, I was afraid the rest of the eG-ers were going to start thinking I'm a shill for Trader Joe's.

I'm not. Really. But these are damn good. And dark chocolate to boot. Mini-size, too, so you don't feel guilty about snarfing 5 (or 10....) of them.

[pastameshugana]

...Mini-size, too, so you don't feel guilty about snarfing 5 (or 10....) of them.

Bhuwhahahahaa! Reminds me of a comedian talking about the deception of 'mini' muffins. "I think I'll have a muffin or twelve!"

It's true, though, isn't it? Last night I stood in front of the kids Halloween candy bowl and consumed a silly amount of 'little' candies because they were all so cute and bite sized...and missed my alarm this morning.

Oh well...

[Special K]

Another vote for TJ's mini-cups!

Dangerous.

[Pam R]

Another vote for TJ's mini-cups!

Dangerous.

I like them too. The closest TJ's is about 8 hours from here, but when there, a container is always picked up for the trip home.

[Marmish]

Oh, how could we forget the Take 5? Now that is definitely the best commercial peanut butter and chocolate candy bar! Pretzels, caramel, peanuts, peanut butter... Too sweet, but that's par for the course. I actually make an upscale version of that for my chocolate business, with salty caramel and natural peanut butter and dark chocolate. Yum.

I really like the Take 5. It's surprisingly hard to find. I also used to like the PB Max, which I don't think is made any more.

[Lindacakes]

Try the Five Star bar in peanut. You can get one at Whole Foods. Try the hazelnut, too, whether hazelnuts and chocolate count in this contest or not. You won't regret it.