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Home » Desserts » Mocha Peanut Square Bars

Mocha Peanut Square Bars

December 17, 2019 by Danielle Green 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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Mocha Peanut Square Bars
Mocha Peanut Square Bars
Mocha Peanut Square Bars
Mocha Peanut Square Bars
Mocha Peanut Square Bars

Mocha Peanut Square Bars are a classic dessert recipe with a piece of spongy homemade angel food cake spread with icing and coated in chopped peanuts. The combination of sweet and salty makes for an amazing treat!

peanut squares cut in half

Mocha Bars

We grew up with these Mocha Peanut Square Bars as a special treat on a rare occasion. I think that might be part of the reason they are so beloved. When you only get a special treat like these Mocha Bars on a rare occasion, it makes them all the better when you do get to enjoy them!

The reason we don’t get these on a regular basis, is because they do take a little bit more work than your typical dessert like a Caramel Oatmeal Bars or Pumpkin Cake Bars. As any of you who have ever tried these before know, the work is most certainly worth it though.

mocha bars stacked on plate

You can often find Mocha Bars in the bakery section of grocery stores, but rarely are they near as good as the homemade version. For those of you local to me, I do suggest you give them at try at Beren’s Grocery Store in Milbank, SD. They are one of the best store bought bars I have ever tried!

peanut squares on table

Peanut Squares

Instead of using a regular angle food cake pan, this cake is baked in a 9×13 pan. This allows you to cut out nice even squares to make into bars. I’m honestly not sure why they are called Mocha Bars, but is just what my grandmother always called them. Maybe it’s a midwest thing? I see that lots of people these days refer to them as peanut squares. 

Mocha Bars sliced in half

Homemade angel food is denser than the 99 cent box mix version you can get at the store. There is nothing wrong with the box mix, as it is wonderful in it’s own right. I actually love it for quick and easy recipes like this Light Berry Angel Food Cake. 

For these peanut squares, that cake won’t hold up to the icing and peanuts though. A denser homemade cake is required and is the perfect balance to the crunchy peanuts.

peanut squares stacked on plate

Old Fashioned Peanut Square Recipe

In my opinion, the best dessert recipes are the old fashioned ones from our grandmothers. Whether it is a summer treat like this Marshmallow Peach Icebox Dessert or a Christmas classic like Microwave Peanut Brittle. There is something about enjoying the same go-to recipes during the holidays. This Old Fashioned Peanut Square Recipe is no exception!

That certainly doesn’t mean I am going to stop developing new recipes and whipping up fun twists on desserts like this Salted Dark Chocolate Tart!

mocha bars on table

More old fashioned dessert recipes from Grandma!

  • Old Fashion Sour Cream Cut-Out Cookies

  • Walnut Thumbprint Cookies

  •  Apple Bundt Cake

  • Toasted Coconut Straw Hat Cookies

  • Glazed Apple Pie Bars

  • Soft Molasses Cookies

  • Pumpkin Pie

  • Snowball Cookies

peanut squares on plate

Continue to Content
peanut squares cut in half

Mocha Peanut Square Bars

Yield: 18 bars
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Mocha Peanut Square Bars are a classic dessert recipe with a piece of spongy homemade angel food cake spread with icing and coated in chopped peanuts. The combination of sweet and salty makes for an amazing treat!

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 c. + 2 Tbsp. flour sifted four times
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1 2/3 c. egg whites
  • 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp salt.
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Icing

  • 1 c. shortening
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. almond extract
  • 2 lbs. powdered sugar
  • 2/3 c. boiling water

Topping

  • 2 c. chopped nuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°.

Sift the flour into a medium bowl. Add 3/4 c. sugar to the sifted flour and sift again one time.

In a separate large bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat until stiff, but not dry.

Slowly add 1 c. sugar, mixing well. Add the vanilla and almond extracts.

Add the flour mixture in 4 parts; folding after each addition with a wire whisk.

Break any bubbles by slicing a butter knife through the batter. Gently spread the batter into an ungreased 9x13 pan.

Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, cream the shortening and powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, almond extract and boiling water. Blend well.

Cut Angel food cake into 3"x2"x2" pieces.

Using a pastry knife, coat each square of cake on all sides with frosting. Roll in chopped nuts.

Store bars in an airtight container.

Recommended Products

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  • KitchenAid 5-Speed Hand Mixer
    KitchenAid 5-Speed Hand Mixer
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 483Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 145mgCarbohydrates: 74gFiber: 1gSugar: 70gProtein: 6g

Provided nutrition data is only an estimate. If you are tracking these nutrients for medical purposes, please consult an outside, trusted source.

© The Creative Bite
Category: Desserts
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Filed Under: Desserts, Vegetarian


This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Comments

  1. Kath M says

    December 18, 2019 at 9:07 am

    Oh, WoW! I have looked for this recipe for a while. Grandma (who was born and raised in South Dakota! 🙂 ) would make these delicious treats every year at Christmas. Oh, how I loved them!

    Thank you so much for sharing, though they are a bit time consuming, they are definitely worth your efforts!
    -Kath

    Reply
    • Danielle Green says

      December 19, 2019 at 3:21 pm

      They are time consuming, but so worth it. Especially if you can get someone else to make them like my Mom! 😉 haha Happy you were able to find the recipe Kath!

      Reply
  2. Sandi says

    October 23, 2020 at 8:23 pm

    I just had these for dessert tonight but they were from HyVee. I said to myself, I sure miss getting these from Beren’s! Then I decided to look for the recipe and came across yours and you mentioned Beren’s as well! Nice coincidence….we visit Beren’s often in the summer when we are at our cabin on Big Stone

    Reply
    • Danielle Green says

      October 25, 2020 at 12:02 am

      What a small world!

      Reply

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