No-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are thick, rich, and decadent. Originally published in 2013 and made from only 5 simple ingredients, these are a delicious treat anytime of the year. No oven required!
It’s no secret that many bakers love baking with peanut butter. Like these peanut butter cookies, a recipe that has lived on my site for years and serves as the base for so many of our other peanut butter favorites like peanut butter blossoms. But what about NO BAKING with peanut butter? No bake chocolate peanut butter bars combine an alluring flavor combination that we all love: chocolate and peanut butter. In this easy dessert recipe, velvety smooth chocolate sits on top of a thick layer of peanut buttery goodness. The peanut butter layer tastes remarkably similar to the center of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
The best part of all? They’re made from just 5 simple ingredients!
These no-bake peanut butter bars are a family favorite recipe. Every Christmas, my mom made a large tray of mini pecan pies, coconut macaroons, snowball cookies, and these glorious peanut butter bars. The competition was high, but you can imagine which dessert disappeared first.
I look forward to these bars every holiday season, so I quit limiting them to December. We make these no bake chocolate peanut butter bars all year long and they always cause a frenzy. In fact, I’ve never regretted making a double batch!
Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Bars
- Taste like peanut butter cups
- Only 5 ingredients
- Quick to make and even quicker to disappear
- Cut them as large or small as you want
- Freeze beautifully
- No oven needed
- Chocolate + peanut butter (!!)
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar Ingredients
There are only 5 ingredients required for no bake chocolate peanut butter bars and I bet you have each one in your kitchen right now.
- Butter: Butter binds the powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. You can use salted or unsalted butter. If using unsalted, add 1/4 teaspoon salt when you add the peanut butter.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: Graham cracker crumbs add structure and texture. You need about 8 full-sheet graham crackers for 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs. If desired, use gluten free graham crackers to make these a gluten free dessert recipe.
- Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is the main ingredient and it’s actually used in both layers. For best texture, I suggest a processed creamy peanut butter such as Skippy. (I do not recommend oily or natural style peanut butter for this recipe, though I do make homemade peanut butter all the time! If you are looking for a recipe to use natural style peanut butter, these peanut butter cookies are for you.)
- Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar keeps everything together and adds sweetness.
- Chocolate Chips: Because we can’t have chocolate peanut butter bars without chocolate!
How to Make No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
The first step is to melt the butter. Mix the butter with the graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and peanut butter. Press into a 9-inch square pan. Melt remaining peanut butter with chocolate chips. Pour on top of the peanut butter layer. Chill in the refrigerator until set, then cut into squares.
That’s it. You’re done. This is probably the easiest dessert you’ll ever make. Even easier than peanut butter balls and peanut butter eggs!
These 5 ingredient no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are so easy. They’re fudgy, creamy, absolutely irresistible, and taste like peanut butter cups! Step away from the computer and run (don’t walk) to the kitchen to get started. Like, right now.
More Peanut Butter + Chocolate Recipes
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Scotcheroos
- Peanut Butter Cup Tart
- Peanut Butter Balls
- No-Bake Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies
- Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie
More 5 Ingredient or Less Recipes
Print
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
- Yield: 20-24 squares
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are incredibly decadent and made from only 5 ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) salted butter, melted*
- 1 cup (120g) graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full sheet graham crackers)*
- 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (280g) creamy peanut butter, divided
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and confectioners’ sugar together in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup (250g) of peanut butter, then press evenly into prepared baking pan.
- Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter with the chocolate chips in the microwave or on the stove. Stir until smooth. Spread over peanut butter layer.
- Chill in the refrigerator until completely firm, at least 2 hours. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve chilled. Setting them out for a few hours at room temperature for serving is OK.
- Cover leftover bars tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Cover bars tightly, as a whole or cut into individual squares, and freeze for up to 3 months. I simply line the squares in a freezer-friendly container between sheets of parchment paper. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 8-inch Square Baking Pan or 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Rubber Spatula
- Butter: Unsalted butter can be used instead. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt with the peanut butter in step 2.
- Peanut Butter: For best texture, I strongly suggest a processed creamy peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy. I do not recommend oily or natural style peanut butter for this recipe. You can use chunky-style peanut butter, though the bars can get a little crumbly.
- Graham Crackers: Don’t have graham crackers where you live? Use 120g ground digestive biscuits instead (about 8 biscuits).
- This recipe was updated in 2019 with more confectioners’ sugar and peanut butter to produce thicker bars.
Very good recipe and easy to follow.
Thank you!
Everyone at work loved this one and said, You really knocked it out of the park with this one!”. I altered the recipe by using an organic version of Golden Graham cereal instead of graham crackers (only because I don’t care for graham crackers). Everyone said it should be made like that every time I make it!
You can also substitute Nilla Wafer cookies for the graham crackers
The recipe, as is, is great — the bars firm up, etc. Our family really likes pbutter and chocolate combinations. However, for those that prefer less sweet (as I do), you can substitute Ritz type crackers for the graham crackers to create a salty-sweet taste and use dark chocolate – I usually chop two 87% or 95% dark cocoa bars and add couple Tablespoons of peanut butter as I am melting the chocoate- I am not a fan of the sweetness of Reese’s cups and my family (all of whom love Reese’s) really likes the variation.
Super delicious and peanut buttery. Only used 200 g sugar ..still too much I think. Maybe more graham cracker to make up for less sugar. And I used some natural PB and it’s fine. Especially since you have to store in the fridge. I used a 9×9, so I felt like the amount of chocolate wasn’t enough…need a thicker layer for my taste. Will make again! I’d like to try with crushed pretzels like someone asked about… probably would use unsalted butter in that case. Or half pretzel/graham cracker
I loved this recipe too much! I need to know how many calories, please? I want to eat even while dieting 🙂
Hi Maria, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Very sweet next time might put less sugar in
I’ve made these, as is, a few times and they’re delicious! Has anyone tried crushed pretzels in place of graham crackers and leaving sugar as is??
Hi Lauren, We haven’t tested that, but it sounds delicious! Let us know if you give it a try.
These were amazing!!! I made part of it into pb cups. I plan to make a large batch for a fundraiser. Any additional advice for utilizing this recipe for mini peanut butter cups?
Hi Lisa, you can double the recipe for a 9×13 pan.
This recipe was so easy and when done it tasted just like a Reese’s peanut butter cup! So so good! I did 5 times the recipe and made 3 9 x 13 pans. Might have been a little thinner than expected but still great!
These little bars were wonderful as written.
A personal aside: Put the creamy peanut butter away and load up the crunchy. I used crunchy on both the chocolate topping and the interior and the additional crunch is amazeballs. . I would reduce the sugar by about 1/4cup -1/2cup and add some cornstarch, or sub out the semi-sweet chocolate for extra dark to lessen the sweetness.
I’m 85 and I still love chocolate and peanut butter. What a treat, thank you. Will share your site with my granddaughter.
I use this recipe all the time (and so many others on this site) and it’s great every time!
Delicious! I understand these need refrigeration to maintain the texture however is it safe to leave them out for a few days? Thank you!
Hi Debbie, Setting them out for a few hours at room temperature for serving is OK, but we recommend storing them in the refrigerator.
I want to make these to bring to an outdoor bbq this weekend but I’m afraid they will melt in the heat. Has anyone had this issue?
Hi DeAnna, it really depends on the exact temperature, but if you keep them out of the direct heat, they should hold up well.