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These no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are dense and absolutely over the top with fudgy, peanut buttery flavor.t. First published in 2013 the simple 5 ingredients base make them perfect to be enjoyed throughout year. No oven necessary!

It’s no secret that many bakers adore baking with peanut butter. Like these peanut butter cookies, a recipe that has remained on my blog for years and serves as the backbone for so many of our other peanut butter faves like peanut butter flowers. But what about NO BAKING with peanut butter? No bake chocolate peanut butter treats combine an intriguing taste combination that we all love: chocolate and peanut butter. For this quick dessert dish, there is a rich silk layer of smooth chocolate on a dense layer of peanut buttery confection.

This recipe is an old-fashioned peanut butter bar recipe that doesn’t require baking. At Christmas, my mother made a large pan of these tiny pecan pies, coconut macaroons, snowball cookies, and these lovely peanut-butter bars. The competition was strong, but you can imagine whose dessert vanished first.

I look forward to these bars every holiday season, so I ceased confining them to December. We make these no bake chocolate peanut butter bars all year long and they always spark a frenzy. In fact, I’ve never regretted preparing a double batch!

Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Bars

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Taste like peanut butter cups
Only 5 ingredients
Quick to produce and even quicker to disappear
Cut them as large or tiny as you like
Freeze wonderfully
No oven needed
Chocolate + peanut butter (!!)

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar Ingredients

No bake chewy chocolate peanut butter bars require only 5 ingredients and I bet you have all the 5 in your kitchen at the moment.

Butter: After that, butter is added to the powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. You can use either salted or unsalted butter of the quantity needed for a proper preparation of the cookies. If you are using unsalted, you need to add ¼ teaspoon salt together with the peanut butter.
Graham Cracker Crumbs: They add many qualities into the recipe: structure in the form of crumbs, and better texture throughout the pile. To make 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, you will required about 8 full-Sheet graham crackers. If desired, the recipe can be completed using gluten free graham crackers to make this a gluten free dessert meal. Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is the major component and it’s really utilized in both layers. For optimal texture, I prefer a processed creamy peanut butter such as Skippy. (I do not advocate greasy or natural type peanut butter for this recipe, however I do make homemade peanut butter all the time! If you are seeking for a recipe to use natural type peanut butter, these peanut butter cookies are for you.)
Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar keeps everything together and has a sweet taste.
Chocolate Chips: Because there isn’t anything in the world, including chocolate peanut butter bars!

What You Need To Make This Recipe

Peanut butter - Use a standard processed creamy peanut butter for this such as ©Jif or ©Skippy (see photo above). For similar reasons, I do not advise using the oily peanut butter or the crunchy peanut butter because it changes the foundation’s texture.
Powdered sugar - This helps bind everything together and helps to set the bars, normal white sugar won’t work.
Chocolate chips — I used semi-sweet chocolate chips for this but you could simply break up a semi-sweet chocolate bar to be heated. Milk chocolate will taste considerably sweeter but will also work fine.
Graham crackers – The graham crackers are smashed down into thin crumbs, I find using a plastic ziploc bag and a rolling pin works wonderfully but you could also pulse them in a food processor.

How To Create Peanut Butter Bars

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Crush the graham crackers.
Combine the melted butter and peanut butter in a separately bowl ad mix until they get smooth.
Slowly sift the powdered sugar over this mixture and gently fold until simply combined.
Turn on the blender and add the graham cracker crumbs to it and blend until mix well.
Spread the peanut butter foundation onto a prepared baking tray.
Top with melted chocolate and peanut butter mixture then refrigerate to harden before serving.

Pro Tips For Creating This Recipe

You’ll need to use an 8×8 or 9×9 square dish for beautiful thick bars.
Be certain to grease only the bottom of the baking sheet or square dish you use so that, when you are ready to cut the chilled bars into 4 equal portions and remove them, you can just slide them out onto the counter using parchment paper.
It is recommended to use Jif or Skippy creamy peanut butter only. The oiliness of the peanut butter will not let the base set and also it contributes to altering the texture.
If you’re left with some clumps of butter and PB, whisk it gently using only a hand whisk to ensure that the batter becomes smooth.
It is safe to either microwave the chocolate or heat it on a stovetop. If using a stovetop do this in a bowl placed above a saucepan of simmering water.
The peanut butter contributes to a softer consistency once the chocolate has set, when added with the peanut butter it turns creamy. It greatly assists when cutting the bars so that the chocolate does not break.
Bear in mind that the bars need to be chilled for at least 90 minutes on the refrigerator before serving. Alternatively, you may prepare them the night before and let them cool overnight so much the better.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I use instead of Graham Crackers?

If you don’t have Graham Crackers then you might substitute regular, dry cookies. Make sure they are crisp and dry and not mushy for optimal results. Biscoff biscuits and shortbread work wonderfully.

Can I prepare them in advance?

Absolutely, these peanut butter bars are the perfect treat to make in advance. Prepare everything as suggested and let them to cool in the fridge overnight or 1 day in advance. You may need to keep the bars at room temperature for roughly 10 minutes to make them easier to cut.