This recipe for Crunchy Surprise Bars comes from a holiday baking sheet titled “Celebrate the Season with Holiday Treats”. This was a promo piece featuring a variety of brands: Nestle Chocolate, Sun-Maid Raisins, Peter Pan Peanut Butter, Grandma’s Molasses and Gold Medal Flour. Date unknown. Recipe is typed below along with a scanned copy of the recipe and a scan of the cover (at the bottom).

CRUNCHY SURPRISE BARS

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup Grandma’s unsulfured molasses
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour*
1 package (12 ounces) Nestle semi-sweet real chocolate morsels
1 cup Sun-Maid seedless raisins
1 cup peanuts
1/3 cup Peter Pan peanut butter

Heat oven to 350°. Mix sugar, butter, molasses, egg yolk and vanilla with spoon. Stir in flour and 1 cup chocolate morsels. Press dough in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Mix remaining chocolate morsels, the raisins, peanuts and peanut butter in 2-quart saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate morsels are melted. Spread over crust in pan. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Cut into bars, about 2×1 inch. 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

*Do not use self-rising flour in this recipe.
Note: Unbleached flour can be used in this recipe.
High Altitude Directions (3500 to 6500 feet): Heat oven to 375°.