Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
No bake peanut butter bars are so easy to make and taste almost like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. With only four ingredients, it’s easy to make them anytime.
When it comes to candy, I have my favorites but I rarely keep them in the house because I’ll eat it all. It has to be “out of sight, out of mind” to me. Of course, my hubby thinks it grand to bring home some Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to share with me. While his intentions are sweet, I have to tell him to hide the peanut butter cups and only give me one or two. That philosophy has now gone out of the window since making these homemade No Bake Peanut Butter Bars.
The peanut butter bars are way too easy to make and I will be making them often now! I mean with only 4 ingredients, 10 minutes to prep, and 1 hour to chill and set, I’ll be devouring the sweet confections in no time!
Perhaps, I will have to have hubby hide the homemade peanut butter cups too. Nah, that’s no fun.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Takes no time at all to make.
- Year-round treat.
- It’s only 4 ingredients.
- Classic combination of flavors.
No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
The peanut butter bars are fudgy, creamy, and so delicious that it is hard to believe it’s such an easy recipe. I always have the four ingredients in my pantry so this was a no-brainer to make when the craving for something sweet hits.
The hardest part of this recipe is waiting the hour for the pan of chocolate peanut butter bars to set. It’s worth the wait. Trust me.
I totally forgot about this recipe as I haven’t made it in forever when I found it in a kitchen drawer with some other old recipes, I was so happy. I thought I had lost it. You see, it’s a recipe from a dear friend and she would always send a batch in the mail to me at Christmas. Now, I can return the favor.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 ½ cups peanut butter
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
For the chocolate peanut butter top:
- 1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips
- 1⁄4 cup peanut butter
How to Make No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
Step 1
Line a 13 inch by 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine graham cracker crumbs, 1 1⁄2 cups peanut butter, and powdered sugar.
Step 3
Press the graham cracker and peanut butter mixture into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared baking sheet.
Step 4
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and 1⁄4 cup peanut butter. Melt in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after each until the mixture is melted and smooth.
Step 5
Pour the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter crust and smooth into an even layer with an offset spatula.
Step 6
Chill in the refrigerator for an hour, or until chocolate layer is set. Cut into bars and enjoy. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.
How to Freeze Peanut Butter Bars
Using a freeze safe and airtight container, simply add the bars between sheets of parchment paper. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Tips, Tricks, and FAQ’s
- Can I use natural peanut butter in this recipe? For best results, I would use processed creamy peanut butter like JIFF or Peter Pan. It will result in a better texture.
- Swap out the milk chocolate chips for dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips, or even white chocolate chips.
- Two cups of graham cracker crumbs are about 12 whole sheets of graham crackers.
- You can buy a box of graham cracker crumbs and use those in place of crushing the whole crackers.
- Some peanut butter bar recipes call for melted butter, this one does not.
- Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate and peanut butter if you prefer not to use the microwave.
- Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Other Candy Recipes You May Enjoy
- Homemade Pay Day Candy Bars
- 3 Ingredient Old Fashioned Potato Candy
- Hard Cinnamon Candy
- Soft Buttery Homemade Caramels
Printable Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1½ cups creamy peanut butter
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
For the chocolate peanut butter top
- 1½ cups milk chocolate chips
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Line a 13 inch by 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine graham cracker crumbs, 1 1⁄2 cups peanut butter, and the powdered sugar.
- Press the grahan cracker mixture into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared baking sheet.
- In a medium microvable safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and 1⁄4 cup peanut butter. Melt in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after each until the the mixture is melted and smooth.
- Pour the mixture over the peanut butter crust and smooth into an even layer with an offset spatula.
- Chill in the refrigerator for an hour, or until chocolate is set. Cut into bars and enjoy. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- How to Freeze Peanut Butter BarsUsing a freeze safe container, simply add the bars between sheets of parchment paper. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutritional Disclaimer
“Blogghetti” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Creative Candy Creations!
- Crack Cereal Snack from Palatable Pastime
- Homemade Peanut Butter Cups from Art of Natural Living
- Salt Water Taffy from That Recipe
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Enjoy!
These look so simple and so delicious! I would totally find chocolate graham crackers for mine for a double chocolate experience. Yum!
Almost too easy since they are addicting to eat!
Oooo, these are different than the chocolate PB rice krispie bars but a whole lot more natural. I’m going to need to convert!
They were so good that I had to hide some in the freezer to save for later so that I could get a couple.