Tiger Butter – and why I already have my Christmas
If you’re on Pinterest or Facebook and could use one of the buttons above, I’d really appreciate it! Thanks!
Today’s recipe for Tiger Butter is a form of almond bark that my children absolutely love. We first had it at Swiss Pantry in Belvedere, Tennessee (If you’re ever near there, stop and buy anything at all and it will taste wonderful!). This bark isn’t quite as sweet as regular bark and really ends up with a peanut butter infused flavor that my entire family gets excited about. You can make this for gifts in easily less than five minutes, too, so it’s great for this time of year! Before I show you how easy it is to make this, though, I wanted to share my heart with you a bit and thank you in advance for indulging me.
We’re in the home stretch leading up to Christmas and I know this is a time where anxieties grow more anxious, tempers have tendencies to flare, and a lot of folks begin to feel like a string stretched so tight you could pluck it and play a tune.
Been there, done that, and start down that road every year but manage to stop and turn around before it’s too late 
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, how this year is even more stressful than normal for our country. With many people out of work (I imagine if you are blessed to have a job you still know folks who don’t and simply can’t find one) and the prices of everything skyrocketing, it’s disheartening to say the least to try to come up with additional money to purchase gifts. We’ve all cut corners. Most everyone I know isn’t sending Christmas Cards in order to save that money. My mother and I have made a lot of gifts together this year. We usually do that for friends and staff at the kid’s schools but this year we’ve made many gifts for the kids and grandkids as well.
Mama and I have talked about how Christmas used to be versus how it has become and we’ve worked to bring it back to a happy medium once more. Still, I know there is a great deal of anxiety and worry. I know a lot of parents will be concerned that Santa might not bring enough.
But you know what? There is nothing new under the sun. We’re not the first people to feel this anxiety and we certainly won’t be the last.
My parents struggled all year long when we were little, just to be able to provide Christmas for us. Back then, “refunding” was common. Mama would save UPC codes and receipts all year long, scouring newspaper inserts for offers to send them in in exchange for items she could use as gifts. She’d get us dolls, clothes, even a calculator once that we all shared after opening it on Christmas morning. Daddy always worked at least one or two extra jobs but when the holidays rolled around he’d add an additional one, barely leaving time to sleep. They scraped, the worked, they fretted, and they hoped we’d not be disappointed come Christmas morning.
You know what’s crazy though? Knowing how hard they worked and how much they worried, I only remember three of the Christmas gifts from my childhood – and one of those was Dr Pepper flavored Chapstick! Oh, rest assured I got far more than that, but what I’m saying is that with all of their fretting, it’s not the gifts that stand out in my memories.
It’s the things we did together as a family that I remember when I look back. Mama letting us help her make Christmas cookies. Decorating the tree together. Driving around looking at Christmas lights. Special dinners at our grandparents houses. Learning to wrap presents all by myself. Singing Christmas songs at school. Making ornaments out of construction paper and glitter and glue and having Mama ooh and ahh over how beautiful they were when I gave them to her.
Christnas has always held a magical quality, but if you think about it, what do you remember most? The gift of Christmas itself, the memories that remain long after the paper and ribbons have been thrown away.
This is the time of year where we’re all searching for just the right gift. Where we’re budgeting and shopping sales and trying to come up with just one more little thing to make the picture underneath the tree seem perfect.
But we already have so much.
I always wanted a family, for as long as I can remember. I wanted to get married, I wanted to be a Mama. I remember when I was a teenager thinking “I wonder if I’ll ever have my own house?” and here I sit, in my own chair in my living room, looking at the tree that my husband and I decorated with our son and daughter. I wondered if I’d ever have someone love me unconditionally, and here it is Christmas, the birth of someone who loved me enough to die for me.
Just thinking about it all in that perspective fills me with so much joy my heart aches close to bursting.
This year there will be fewer presents under a lot of trees, but those won’t be remembered anyway. Rather than spending more money on the gifts that fade I’m going to spend more time on the gifts that will stay clear and warm in the hearts of my family for the rest of their lives.
You know, I can honestly walk into a store and not need a single thing on the shelves because everything I could ever hope for is right here around me.
I’ve already have my Christmas.
I hope you took a moment to let that sink in before diving into tiger butter because I’m ADHD so I go from life changing moment to “OH LOOK! A SQUIRREL” faster than you can blink.
I made my point, I shared my heart, and now I’m digging in the pantry wanting to cook something with you.
You’ll need: vanilla almond bark*, Crunchy peanut butter, and chocolate chips.
*Almond bark doesn’t have any nuts in it, that is just a generic name for a chocolate-like candy coating that is commonly used in candymaking. I say this because I always get several folks asking each year and I like to try to answer questions before folks have to ask them . However, if you have a nut allergy in your family, the peanut butter is going to be a problem of course. I suggest trying SunButter, which is a substitute that my friend HodgePodge Mom uses a lot.
Oh! Did I mention you’re going to need a rimmed baking sheet lined in waxed paper?
Well now ya know
I have these wonderful baking sheets I love that I got from Sam’s Club. When we were doing photos for my book a few weeks ago, the food stylist came bearing a whole passel of the same ones and we talked about how much we loved them.
Break up your almond bark into a large mixing bowl.
Breaking it up is optional and dependent on my mood. Sometimes I just throw the whole thing in there.
It’s gonna melt either way so just do whatever cranks your tractor.
Place bowl in microwave for about one minute. Stir well.
Microwave at 30-45 second intervals, stirring after each, until bark is melted and smooth.
Add in peanut butter.
Stir until peanut butter is melted and well blended.
Spread onto waxed paper lined sheet.
Place chocolate chips in a small bowl and melt the same way you did the almond bark.
Drop dollops onto your peanut butter mixture.
Kinda swirl it a little bit with a butter knife until it looks good from ten yards on a galloping horse.
My standards of perfection are pretty low but I stay a whole lot happier a whole lot longer that way!
Place in the refrigerator to harden or, if you’re one of those patient people I’ve heard folks speak of in legends, allow it to sit out on your countertop at room temperature until fully hardened. If it’s cold where you live, you can also just put it outside
Once it’s hardened, break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
ENJOY!
Ingredients
- 1 package ( 24 ounces) white almond bark
- 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (Milk chocolate will work fine too)
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper. Set aside
- In large mixing bowl, break up almond bark as best you can (or you can just toss the whole thing in). Place bowl in microwave for about one minute. Stir well. Microwave at 30-45 second intervals, stirring after each, until bark is melted and smooth.
- Stir in peanut butter until melted and well blended.
- Spread out onto waxed paper lined baking pan.
- Place chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave at 30-45 second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth and melted.
- Drop dollops of chocolate onto peanut butter mixture in pan. Swirl with a knife.
- Place baking sheet in refrigerator until hardened or allow to harden completely at room temp.
- Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Print This Recipe
For more quick and easy recipes using almond bark, see below.
Holly Jollies – with endless variations, this is one of the most popular recipes on Southern Plate and a must do for Christmas gifts!
Double Layer Peppermint Bark – this beautiful bark sells in stores for a small fortune, but you can make it at home for just a few dollars.
“Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree.
In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.”
~Larry Wilde
Related posts:
Posted by Christy Jordan
on Dec 12 2012. Filed under Chocolate, Holiday Favorites!.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
I can so relate to all you said. My Dad was in his 30′s when he started having heart attacks, I was about 4 years old. We had to learn to live on a fixed income – Mom would take in ironing, and would clean houses, and eventually work in a lotion factory. My Sister helped out by babysitting. I will never forget the following things 1) My older Sister used her babysitting money to buy my Christmas during those years, 2) My Dad made sure our stockings were full of Nuts, Christmas Candy, Oranges and Apples. I had never heard of presents being in stockings! 3) My Mom made the BEST Christmas dinner – ham and her scallopped (augratin) potatoes – not the boxed kind – no she sliced the potatoes, cooked them in milk, butter, and cheeses until everything was thick and succulent and tender. Christmas Cards were taped year after year – they were part of our decor, Christmas records playing in the background.. You are right – I really don’t remember the presents, but I do so remember my family. We didn’t have much, but we had so much more than most!! Thanks for that walk down memory lane!!
Oh my goodness Kathleen, I can just see it all now, like I was there with you. You were so blessed and richer than any wealthy person I have ever known.
Christy, thank you for sharing your heart. It brought tears to my eyes and many memories of Christmas’es past. Like you I have everything I need. Thanks again and I hope everyone has a wonderful, grateful holiday season.
We are blessed indeed Cindy.
Wow! What a beautiful thing you wrote about Christmas. I have been quite down this month. You opened your heart to us and I want to thank you for your words of wisdom. Tiger Butter….wow! This looks great! I’m gonna have to make this. I make my peanut butter fudge with almond bark, peanut butter & nuts. This is a great way to change it up a bit. Thank you, Christy!
I hope your spirits are lifted and merry and bright Jean. I am so glad you were able to see my heart.
I needed to read this today. Most of us are blessed beyond measure. Thanks for gently reminding me, I already have my Christmas too!
Merry Christmas Amanda!!! May your days be merry and bright! I am so glad to hear that you have yours too!!
By the way…I tried your Tiger Butter for Christmas and we all LOVED it!! This recipe will definitely be added to my list of sweets to make every year! Thank you for sharing with us.
I am so glad to hear that you liked it Amanda!!
Thank you for sharing.
I find it funny that growing up the parts of Christmas that I thought I didn’t like so much is what I miss the most and has nothing to do with gifts at all and now as a grandma myself I try to fill my grandkids with what I hope will be wonderful memories to them one day!
Tiger Butter is a favorite of ours as well I just started my baking and candy making this week and it is on my list!
Merry Christmas I really enjoy all of your posts!
Merry Christmas to you Diane!! I hope you have a wonderful time making memories with your children and grandchildren. Blessings to you and yours!
this looks yummo, but i live in queensland australia!!! any suggestions for us overseas lovers of your recipe.!! thanks for your great site and xmas posts!!
I am not sure Natasha, but perhaps Su will comment and have a suggestion for you .
Oh Christy! Your story brought back so many wonderful memories! Much like you, the things I remember most are not really “things” but memories of how hard my parents and older siblings worked to make my Christmas memorable. I remember sitting near the heater in a rocking chair with my mother and little sister singing carols and reading Christmas stories together, I remember my mother sitting at her sewing machine until all hours of the night sewing us new pajamas (there were eight of us) and doll clothes…did I mention she worked full time in a factory? I remember firing up the stove and baking Christmas goodies with my mother and siblings from shortly after thanksgiving all the way up until Christmas. The goodies were put in cans and boxes in th coldest room in the house to keep until Christmas Eve when we were finally able to eat them all up. Many of the goodies I helped to make back then are the ones I still make for family and friends today. This year I will also add tiger butter because it sounds wonderful! I’m sure my family will love ir and I will make sure to tell them all I got the recipe from you. Christy, I hope you and your family have the mostly wonderful Christmas this year…your stories and recipes are a blessing to many!
What wonderful memories Becky, thank you so much for sharing them with me!! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and blessings to you!!
I remember my stocking so much, one of my mom’s discarded nylon support hose. Always had an apple, an orange, a package of Juicy Fruit Gum, a box of cherry chocolates, a new toothbrush, some pencils for school, and maybe a little rubber doll like you find in Mardi Gras cakes or other silly thing. We fixed my Daddy a stocking with chocolate drops (won’t use the other name they called them), the requisite toothbrush, Spearmint gum, and some pens Mom collected from businesses. He fixed her one with same stuff only had the little butterscotch nut candies and wedding mints. So fun to find all those old candies at Dollar Tree nowadays. I think I am going to do that for my grandkids this year!
I think that is a great idea Cheryl!! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!!
We are also having a different Christmas this year.
One I know we will remember for our lifetime. Our son 46 has terminal cancer. Hoping he will be here with us on Christmas day, but not knowing, we are celebrating early .Our tree is up presents are wrappred. Dinner will be Friday. He is in the hospital now but will come home Friday am. He has 5 little grandkids, 3 married daughters and 1 in college. He is Loved and has a wonderful wife. Please pray for him and for our family. God will take care of us. God Bless all of you and have a most wonderful Christmas.
Our Heavenly Father, I pray You will be with this family. I pray You will give them a big ole hug and let them feel your presence. I pray You will give them the strength & courage to get through this difficult time. I also pray Lord, they will feel Your love surround them. Amen
We had a similar Christmas one year with my Grandfather. I can not begin to imagine your pain and grief Judy, but please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I hope that you make lots of memories and despite the circumstances it is a wonderful celebration and blessed beyond measure.
Judy–Just sitting here reading through these posts–Reading yours made me really sad for you and your family .I hope yesterday went well and that he got to come home and be with the family. You really reminded me of what is most important. God Bless Your Family as you all are going through this heartbreak–
I have lost 2 children myself and this is the worst thing that anyone will ever have to go through.
Judy,
Prayer going up for your son and your family. May God bless and keep you all and give you that Peace that passes all understanding.
I so agree with you Christy. I also only remember a couple diffrent toys I recieved over the course of my child hood Christmas’s. But I do remember the Christmas cookies we baked and decorated, my mom always making candy divinity, searching lot to lot till we found the perfect Chrismas tree ( we always had a fresh cut tree ) helping to decorate the tree, but i think the church Christmas pagent was one of my favorites. I shared all these same things with my son and now hope to start these same traditions with my grand children.:)
Judy, My heart goes out to you and your family. Just want you to know, I’m praying for your son and also you and the rest of the family. God Bless you too.
I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas Susan!!
Thank you Christy. I needed that, and I don’t mean the recipe.
Judy, God bless you and your family.
I am so glad you were able to see my heart. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!!
For Judy: I just prayed for you and your family and will continue to do so. My heart just broke when I read your post. Bless you for being the kind of mama you are to continue with your holiday traditions…and may you be comforted.
Judy, prayers are lifted up to you and your family. It’s so easy for me to “waller” in my own problems. Thank you for sharing to put everyone else’s little problems into perspective. I pray for a joyful celebration for you on Friday! God Bless!
I Enjoyed your story so much. Will be baking for the first time this year with my youngest daughter & our grandbabys first christmas:) I had always did our christmas baking with my oldest daughter it was her favorite time of the year & such a special time for us to spend together, but she passed away suddenly & unexpectedly last Dec the 6th just before her 30th BD and we had her funeral 6 days later. So Christmas didnt happen last year. But God always knows what we need & in Jan this year our youngest daughter & her husband had a beautiful baby boy!!! He is the sunshine that God brought to our dark world at that time. So My youngest daughter ask if we could do our christmas baking together this year in honour of her older sister who she was so close to. I am excited & and so honoured to share this time with her:) Also this Chritmas we will have 13 family members in our home for a wonderful Christmas meal. And we are defintly going to try this Tiger Butter. Thanks for letting me share my heart. I pray your family has a wonderful Christmas. God Bless
I am so sorry for your loss Tammy, and celebrate with you over your new addition. I hope that you have a wonderful time baking new memories with your daughter and her little family. May your celebration be blessed, merry and bright this year!
I want to try this, it looks delicious. I don’t know about other bakers but I have found that the white bark tends to yellow over time if you don’t use it and this would be a good way to use up any leftovers (currently I have 1/3rd pack left) because I’m sure you can portion out the right amount of peanut butter to the right amount of chips and not have to use a whole bag of bark to get the end result. Thanks for the share!! always love your site and your recipes.
I hope you enjoy the recipe Stacy!
This is the first year in a long time my husband and I will have presents for each other under the tree. We had many years where the kids were the only ones and they got next to nothing, but were happy with what they had. I’m so glad they understand that it’s not about the presents and mom and dad cannot always get them what they want (they learned a LONG time ago that we never get what “everybody else” has-we just aren’t into that). Because we have struggled, they grew up appreciating what they have and what they get. Sometimes, struggles have benefits.
Thank you for sharing and I look forward to trying this recipe for my peanut butter loving husband!
I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy the recipe Jennifer!
Thank you for reminding us of what Christmas is truly about.
Thank you Jennifer, I hope your is blessed, merry and bright.
even I would look good 10 yards away on a galloping horse!! LOL…
Judy – I pray for peace for you and your family in the days leading to your son being pain free!
Christy, I loved your story. I can relate to some of it. Thanks for all you stories. I do have a question about this recipe………………does it have to be refridgerated?? Meaning could I mail it??????
Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Thank you Val! It doesn’t have to be refrigerated. So long as it isn’t going to a warm climate it should be ok to mail.
Thanks Christy. Son just moved to Manhattan so mailing should work~~~!!!
Thank you so much for your beautifully written “essay” on Christmas! I live in south Alabama, so I feel a “kinship” with you.
I love your recipes, but even more, I love what you write about family, friends, and Jesus Christ. Thank you, and have a most blessed and merry Christmas!!!
Thank you Jennifer!! I hope that you have a blessed and merry Christmas!!
I love your stories. — Love your recipes — I am not a fan of Peanut Butter. – I make a similar candy using candy canes. — I crush them up and put them in the white candy. Makes an easy dessert to have during the holidays.
You are so right about memories and gifts.
That sounds wonderful, thank you so much for sharing!!
I too will try this Tiger Butter. It sounds great!! I too have many Christmas memories that have nothing to do with the gifts or lack of gifts that were received. My best memories revolve around family and all being together then going to church for our annual program put on by many adults as well as all of the children. I try so hard each Christmas season to remember that this season should be about the birth of our Jesus Christ and not about the gifts. Let’s all try to take some time during the marvelous season the reflect on the true meaning.
Made the Tiger Butter Bark last night and broke it up this morning…
is it BAD that I ate Tiger Butter before breakfast???
Yummy!
Thanks, Christy, and may the true blessings of Christmas be yours…
Bless you Christy for the most Inspirational and wonderful story..It brought tears to my eyes and very fond memories of my childhood. You are a Gift to all of us with your writings and wonderful recipes.
Much love to you and your family.
P.S. My granddaughter and I will be making Tiger Butter very soon.
You are such a wonderful blessing, Christy. Have a grace filled season, filled with all the blessings of the Spirit.
I can’t wait to make the tiger butter this weekend! Exactly what I needed to complete some of my home made items this year.
God bless you continually,
Denise and family
Hey Christy,
I love your stories and it makes me glad to realize that even though I’m not giving my kids a bunch of store bought presents that they are having the best Christmas ever. My family doesn’t typically agree with me when it comes to Christmas and they are all extravagant givers spending more in one month than our family makes in six months. Thank you for supporting a Christ based, family Christmas instead of a commercial based, stress-filled Christmas!! And the recipe we love at our house but do slightly different if you ever want to try it out. The first difference is I use creamy peanut butter and the whole 18 oz. jar. Then I crush some pretzels and add to the peanut butter concoction before smoothing it into the cookie sheet. And last the person who gave me the recipe calls it Tiger Fudge. Mmmmmm I love the sweet and salty the pretzels give it and it’s crunchy without getting stuck in my teeth (the only reason I don’t eat nuts more often)!!!
;-D
Christy, I just read your story and of all days it made your words never truer. The tragedy in Newtown is such a startling reminder that everyone needs to focus on the important things in life and appreciate our loved ones and not silly possessions. I pray that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.
Christy, Christy, Christy… You have no idea how much I needed to read this. At one point, I stopped and gasped with tears flooding my eyes. I, too, only really remember the Christmas spirit that my parents had and would extend to us kids by mom putting out nuts and tangerines. And my dad would make sure that there was old fashioned Christmas candy in the house in a dish. The gifts received over the years can’t even BEGIN to touch the heart my parents have put into this season every single year of our lives… And both of them worked fulltime jobs. Hard! You have done a wonderful thing, by posting this, and I will forever try to not get caught up in the wordly aspect of the holiday and focus on the loving memories I now have an opportunity to create for when I have a family oneday. Love you, Christy…
Christy, your recipe for tiger butter sounds delicious and I will be making it this week. You message of family memories really touched my heart. In the light of tragedy and grief we are all experiencing today, it means so much that you remind us that it is not the gifts but the love, sharing and togetherness that will be remembered in the future. That is what I remember when my sister and I were growing up. Thank you not only for the recipe but the reminder of what is really important this holiday season
Thank YOU Linda, I am so grateful you were able to see my heart in this post and I hope you enjoy the recipe!!
Christy, it was a HIT at our house! I’ve already made two batches and given some away! YUMMM!! Thanks for sharing!
I am so glad to hear it was such a hit!!!
Christy – I made this over the weekend while my in-laws were visiting. It sure was a hit! Even my adult daughter loved it, though she isn’t supposed to eat it because of allergies. Thanks for the simply wonderful recipe!
I am so glad to hear that everyone liked it Tammy!! I hope you have a Merry Christmas!!
I really needed to read this today. This year we are really struggling. My husband and I are having a hard time coping with the fact that christmas will be slim this year for our kids. As a parent we fill horrible. I went out this morning and bought things for baking. I told myself no matter what they will have the goodies that they come to expect from me. I sit here and look at the christmas tree that has no presents underneath it and it makes me tear up. But we are so blessed today at least I have my children with me to hold.
You have your Christmas indeed Wendy! Hug them tight and work on making special memories, the number of presents in the tree won’t matter in the long run.
Just tried your recipe for Tiger Butter. It was so easy and was a great hit! Will be putting this in my “Tried and Great ” recipe folder. We are also going to do Christmas dinner a little different this year. It is going to be more on the old fashion farm type with baked ham , biscuits and milk gravy, and mashed potatoes etc. Merry Christmas to you and your family and God’s blessings on everyone around the world.
Just made the Tiger Butter. Turned out great! So easy and everyone in my family is going to love it. Also used the spiced pecan recipe and I can’t keep them for longer than a day. My husband keeps eating them up! Thanks for your continued geat recipes. Merry Christmas!
I made this for the first time the week before Christmas for all of my daughter’s teachers/daycare teachers/anyone who takes care of my kid and they raved about it! It was cheap, easy and VERY decadent and yummy. Thanks!
I am so glad ot hear that everyone loved it!!
This may sound picky, but would it still work if I used real white chocolate instead of almond bark? Lol, and creamy peanut butter instead of chunky? I’m just wondering if the consistency would be different enough to cause a problem. I’d still like to have “bark” and not tiger glop.
I used to make this when I worked at a famous chocolate store. It’s incredible. We used smooth peanut butter though. I will have to try it with chunky!
Google “Avalanche Bark”. We made that as well. It’s to die for!!