• 1 tablespoon coconut or canola oil
• ¼ cup (2 oz/60 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1⅓ cups (5½ oz/170 g) confectioners’ sugar
• 5 tablespoons (2½ oz/75 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (10 oz/315 g) creamy or chunky peanut butter
• 3 oz (90 g) dark or milk chocolate, chopped
• 1½ cups (9 oz/280 g) semisweet chocolate chips

Grease a 9-inch (23-cm) square baking pan with the oil.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugars, 4 tablespoons (2 oz/60 g) of the butter, and the peanut butter on high speed until the ingredients are well combined and the mixture is sandy, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and use your hands to press it evenly onto the bottom. You might find that dampening your hands will make it easier to spread the mixture evenly.

Put all of the chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler over (not touching) simmering water and heat, stirring often with a heat-resistant spatula, until melted and smooth. Let cool for 3 minutes.

Use the spatula to spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Place in the fridge until set, about 3 hours. It can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.

At this point, you have two choices: You can use a knife to cut the mixture into small squares, or you can use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes. I like to use a small round cookie cutter (about the size of a quarter). Before using cutters, it helps to let the mixture stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it softens just a bit.

When I have removed the shapes from the pan, I smush together whatever edges are left in the pan to form another layer. I let the layer sit in the fridge until it hardens, and then I use the cutters to cut out more shapes. I repeat this process until nothing is left. I hate to see any of this gorgeous peanut butter perfection go to waste.