No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

These no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars with a creamy peanut butter filling and crunchy chocolate topping are quick and easy to make, and completely irresistible!

A lot of us grew up with some version of this recipe— a super easy, homemade cousin to Reese’s peanut butter cups. These are the no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars of my childhood. They’re what I craved as a child, and what I still crave as an adult.

With just 5 ingredients, only a few minutes of prep, no baking required, and the winning combination of dark chocolate and peanut butter, this treat has just about everything going for it! 

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Smooth or crunchy peanut butter
• Graham crackers
• Powdered sugar
• Butter
• Semi-sweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)

How to Make These No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

1. Beat butter and peanut butter until smooth, mix beat in powdered sugar.
2. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor, or place in a ziplock bag and beat until they are crumbs. Mix into the peanut butter mixture.
3. Spread into a 9×13-inch pan.
4. Melt chocolate and spread over peanut butter filling.
5. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour until solid.
6. Slice and enjoy, and keep stored in the fridge.

How to Slice These Bars

Since the peanut butter filling remains somewhat soft while the chocolate topping is very firm, these bars have a tendency to crack when you slice them. They taste amazing either way, but here’s my tips for getting clean square slices:

1. Chill in the fridge according to recipe instruction.
2. Score slice lines in the chocolate with a sharp knife. This can be done when the chocolate is completely set, or while it is still somewhat soft.
3. Use the parchment paper to lift bars out of pan and transfer to a cutting board.
4. Dip a sharp knife into very hot water and wipe dry with a towel.
5. Make a cut in the bars and wipe clean with the towel.
6. Dip the knife in the hot water again and repeat until bars are sliced.

More Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats to Love

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• No-Churn Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
• Peanut Butter Blondies with Chocolate Frosting

Note: This recipe was originally published January 2016.

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No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Servings: 24 bars

Prep Time: 15 mins

Chill Time: 1 hr

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Easy no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars made with just 5 ingredients!

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5 from 3 votes

Ingredients

• 8 sheets graham crackers (1 sleeve, about 1 cup crumbs)
• ½ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature (113 grams)
• 1 cups smooth or crunchy peanut butter (see Notes) (270 grams)
• 2 cups powdered sugar (227 grams)
• 1 ½ cups semisweet or dark chocolate chips (255 grams)
• Coarse salt , for topping (optional)

Instructions

• Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until they are crumbs. Or place them in a ziplock bag and beat with a rolling pin. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat together the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add the graham crackers and mix to combine. At first mixture will be very thick, but keep beating on medium high speed until it lightens and starts to stick to the sides of the bowl.
• Dump contents into a quarter-sheet pan or 9x13-inch pan lined with parchment paper and press into the pan evenly, using greased fingers or a greased spatula (I actually like to use the paper wrappers from the butter, they are perfect for a job like this.)
• In a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and pour on top of peanut butter mixture. Use a spatula to spread evenly. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.
• Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours until set. Slice and serve. For best results, store in the fridge.

NOTES

• Not natural-style peanut butter will work best for these bars. You can use natural style if you'd like, but the bars will be much softer.

Nutrition

Sodium: 93mg, Calcium: 44mg, Vitamin C: 1mg, Vitamin A: 118IU, Sugar: 16g, Fiber: 1g, Potassium: 149mg, Cholesterol: 10mg, Calories: 217kcal, Saturated Fat: 7g, Fat: 13g, Protein: 4g, Carbohydrates: 22g, Iron: 1mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Annalise

Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review below or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.