This recipe for Oh Henry Bars is a nod to the old school candy bar: Oh Henry! It has a buttery oat, caramel-like crust topped with a peanut butter and chocolate ganache.
What is the history of Oh Henry! candy bars?
The Oh Henry! candy bar was first introduced in 1920 by the Williamson Candy Company in Chicago, Illinois. No one knows for sure how it got its name. One story is that the bar was named after a young man named Henry, who frequently visited the Williamson factory and flirted with the female workers. They often called out, “Oh, Henry!” when they needed his help. Another story suggests the name was inspired by O. Henry, the famous short story writer.
The original Oh Henry! bar is a sweet and salty combination of peanuts, caramel, and fudge, all covered in milk chocolate. You don’t see Oh Henry! bars that often anymore, but they are still around! Now you can make something slightly similar at home.
Ingredients Needed:
- Butter: Use salted butter.
- Oats: Use quick cooking oats. They have a softer texture than old fashioned oats.
- Brown Sugar: Feel free to use either dark or light brown sugar.
- Light Corn Syrup: Honey may be substituted for the corn syrup, if desired. This is going to act as a binder for the oat layer.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract is desired over imitation extract (yuck).
- Chocolate Chips: Chunks will work too. Semisweet is the chocolate we’re using here.
- Peanut Butter: Use creamy peanut butter, and avoid natural.
How to make Oh Henry Bars:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare a 9×13-inch pan by spraying it with nonstick spray.
This is a super recipe to make, and it only involves two steps!
- Combine the butter, oats, brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla. Spread that mixture onto the bottom of your prepared pan, and bake for 15 minutes. Let that first layer cool down.
- Then combine the peanut butter and chocolate chips in a bowl. Microwave it in short bursts (stirring along the way), until it’s all melted and creamy. Stir, and then spread that on top of the cooled crust. Then let it chill, and cut into bars. That’s it!
Recipe Tips and Substitutions:
- Use quick cooking oats. Old fashioned oats will provide too much of a tough texture for these bars.
- You can use light corn syrup or honey. Both will work just fine.
- If you’d rather use dark chocolate or milk chocolate instead of semisweet chocolate, that’s totally fine.
- Using creamy peanut butter ensures that the chocolate ganache on top is nice and smooth. Don’t use natural peanut butter.
How to store Oh Henry! Bars:
These bars can be stored at room temperature in a sealed container. Just make sure that you place waxed paper or parchment paper in between layers. They’ll keep at room temperature for a few days.
What We Love About This Recipe:
- It’s an incredibly easy dessert to make!
- We love everything made with the combination of chocolate and peanut butter.
- It’s kind of like a little candy bar!
Favorite Chocolate- Peanut Butter Recipes:
Oh Henry Bars
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 4 cups quick cooking oats
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, cream the butter; stir in the oats, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter in short bursts in the microwave; stir to combine. Spread over the cooled bars. Chill for several hours before cutting into bars.