No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Posted Dec 09, 2018, Updated Dec 22, 2021
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No-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars taste even better than a peanut butter cup and are easy to make with only 7 ingredients. They are the first to disappear from our holiday cookie trays and a family-favorite recipe!
These No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars are my husband’s favorite Christmas cookie, and rank pretty high up there for me too (along with these soft peanut butter cookies and these cut-out sugar cookies)!
They taste like a peanut butter cup but are SO much easier to make! No cupcake liners or freezing between layers required for this No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars recipe!
Just mix & dump then melt and spread. That’s it! These no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars will be the star of your Christmas cookie tray, and they come together in a measly 15 minutes with 7 ingredients!
My husband calls these Turtlenecks. I have no idea why or where that came from, and neither does he! So I renamed them to something that makes sense haha!
I make this No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars recipe at least twice during the month of December, but the fun doesn’t stop there! We love these No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars so much that we make them year-round!
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Bars: Ingredients/substitutions
Let’s chat a bit about the ingredients used in this peanut butter bars recipe, and possible substitutions!
- Butter: You can substitute coconut oil or vegan butter (Earth Balance) for the butter if you need a dairy-free option.
- Peanut Butter: Make sure it’s creamy and not too liquidy. I prefer a natural, no-stir variety so that the bars hold up better as they reach room temperature. If you choose to use a more runny peanut butter you will need to serve these bars cold or add more powdered sugar or graham cracker crumbs to get them to hold up well at room temperature.
- Powdered sugar: if you try to avoid refined sugar, make this easy Paleo Powdered Sugar and use it as a substitution.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: I just toss some grahams in my Vitamix or food processor and blend them up. If you have any dietary restrictions I highly recommend using Schar gluten-free honey grams.
- Chocolate Chips: Our favorite chocolate of choice is a semi-sweet variety. However I have used milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and even white chocolate (only the real stuff made with actual cocoa butter please!) with outstanding results!
How to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
The directions are really simple and very straightforward, and all the work is done on these bars in less than 5 minutes! The hardest part is having patience and waiting for the chocolate/peanut butter topping to harden!
Make the Peanut Butter Layer
The base for these Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars is made with 6 ingredients, and comes together super fast. I recommend using a standing mixer or hand mixer (used in these photos) to ensure a smooth and creamy base layer!
To make the peanut butter bar layer, start with creamy peanut butter and softened butter (or coconut oil or vegan butter for a dairy-free option).
Using a mixer, cream the butter and peanut butter together until smooth.
Once the butter and peanut butter are fully combined, Add the vanilla and sea salt (optional ingredient depending on the saltiness of the peanut butter you use).
Beat again with your mixer, starting on low speed and increasing to medium-high until the ingredients are just combined.
Next add powdered sugar. If you would like to try a refined-sugar free option, you can make your own homemade paleo powdered sugar by following this recipe!
Add the graham cracker crumbs.
How do you make homemade graham cracker crumbs?
To make your own graham cracker crumbs, place the desired number of graham crackers in the container of your food processor fitted with an “S” blade. Process until the graham crackers reach a fine, flour-like consistency.
For this No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars recipe, you will need 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, which equals about 8 full graham crackers (a full graham cracker is one “sheet” with four crackers scored into it).
Once you’ve added the dry ingredients, beat the mixture again starting on the lowest speed possible. If using a standing mixer with a deep bowl you shouldn’t have to worry too much about powdered sugar/graham cracker crumbs splattering all over.
Once the mixture isn’t as powdery, you can increase the speed and beat until everything is well combined.
The peanut butter bar mixture will look crumbly, but will stick together when squeezed or pressed, as pictured below.
NOTE: If your peanut butter mixture is too wet, add up to 1/4 cup more graham cracker crumbs and/or powdered sugar until it reaches the correct consistency (as seen in the video). This happens to me if I use natural peanut butter
At this point, transfer the peanut butter bar layer to a pan lined with parchment paper and lightly greased. The parchment paper (or foil if you prefer) will ensure easy removal once the bars are cooled!
To line the pan, I trace the bottom of the pan onto the parchment paper, adding “handles” to opposite sides (like this =▢=). Then I use the handles to lift the No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars out of the pan after they have chilled!
Once the mixture is in the pan, press it down with your hands or a greased spatula.
It’s important to ensure that there are no holes/cracks in the peanut butter layer of these No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars so that the chocolate topping doesn’t leak through!
Set the pan aside while you move on to the next step, but keep the bars at room temperature so that the chocolate adheres to the mixture well!
Make the Chocolate Peanut Butter Topping
The next step in making this No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars recipe is to make the chocolate peanut butter topping! There are two ways to do this.
- In the microwave. Place chocolate and peanut butter in a microwave safe dish. Warm for 60 seconds in the microwave, then stir. Stir for a 15 or so seconds to see if you can get all the chocolate chips melted and smooth. If not, return to the microwave for 30 second increments, stirring after each one, until everything is melted and combined.
- On the stovetop. Alternately, you can place the chocolate and peanut butter on the stovetop and warm over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and glossy!
I usually opt to use the microwave method because it’s so fast and easy!
Next, pour the melted chocolate and peanut butter mixture on top of the peanut butter bar base.
Smooth it with a spatula until it’s evenly distributed. Then place the pan of No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars in the refrigerator to set.
Speed up the chilling process:
The chilling can easily be expedited by tossing the No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars in the freezer. Note: If you do decide to speed up the hardening process, just be sure to cut the cookies into bars before the chocolate completely hardens and becomes brittle!
Cut the bars and serve
Use a sharp knife to cut these No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars into 9 or 16 squares, depending on how large you want them. For the sake of these photos I cut them into 9 bars, but when I make them for a crowd I always cut them into 16 squares!
To ensure a clean and even cut, dip the knife in boiling hot water and wipe it clean with a paper towel between every cut!
Store/freeze
Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw gradually in the refrigerator – do not microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can easily double the it and make it in a 9×13″ pan to feed a large crowd!
Another fun adaptation to this recipe is to make them into peanut butter chocolate balls! Check out the recipe linked to learn how.
There are two ways to do this.
In the microwave. Place chocolate and peanut butter in a microwave safe dish. Warm for 60 seconds in the microwave, then stir. Stir for a 15 or so seconds to see if you can get all the chocolate chips melted and smooth. If not, return to the microwave for 30 second increments, stirring after each one, until everything is melted and combined.
On the stovetop. Alternately, you can place the chocolate and peanut butter on the stovetop and warm over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and glossy!
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No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Base:
- ¼ cup butter, softened (or coconut oil or vegan butter)
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs*
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Chocolate Topping:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 TBS creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Lightly grease or line a 9×9” or 8×8″ baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.**
- In a large bowl, mix together powder sugar, graham cracker crumbs and salt, set aside.
- In a mixer, beat butter and peanut butter together until creamy. Add vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add dry ingredients and beat until combined.
- Pour into your prepared baking pan and spread evenly with a greased spatula or your hands.
- Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together in the microwave or on the stovetop, stir until completely combined and smooth. (If using the microwave, start by warming them for 60 seconds and stirring, and then if they still need to melt warm in 30 second increments after that, stirring after each).
- Pour chocolate peanut butter mixture over peanut butter base and spread until it’s evenly distributed.
- Cool in fridge for about 20 minutes or until chocolate is slightly hardened. Remove out before chocolate is completely hardened and cut into squares. Return to fridge until completely cooled.
- Serve cold or at room temperature!
Video
Notes
***You can make these into balls and dip them in chocolate. Just chill the PB filling, roll into balls, freeze, dip into chocolate, set on wax paper to harden. You may need more chocolate if you choose to do this. NOTE: If your peanut butter mixture is too wet, add up to 1/4 cup more graham cracker crumbs and/or powdered sugar until it reaches the correct consistency (as seen in the video). This happens to me if I use natural peanut butter.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Butter: You can substitute coconut oil or vegan butter (Earth Balance) for the butter if you need a dairy-free option.
- Peanut Butter: Make sure it’s creamy and not too liquidy. I prefer a natural, no-stir variety so that the bars hold up better as they reach room temperature. If you choose to use a more runny peanut butter you will need to serve these bars cold or add more powdered sugar or graham cracker crumbs to get them to hold up well at room temperature.
- Powdered sugar: if you try to avoid refined sugar, make this easy Paleo Powdered Sugar and use it as a substitution.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: I just toss some grahams in my Vitamix or food processor and blend them up. *These are my favorite gluten-free graham crackers!
- Chocolate Chips: Our favorite chocolate of choice is a semi-sweet variety. However I have used milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and even white chocolate (only the real stuff made with actual cocoa butter please!) with outstanding results.
Store/freeze
Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw gradually in the refrigerator – do not microwave.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More of our favorite recipes!
If you like these no bake peanut butter bars, try these recipes!
- The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie EVER (thousands of 5-Star reviews don’t lie)!
- You have to make these Oatmeal Cookies – again, they’re seriously the best!
- The BEST Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Classic Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
- Classic snickerdoodles!
- Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
- Flourless peanut butter blossoms
- Candy Stuffed Cookie Bars
- No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars
- These Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies are my favorite Christmas cookies!
- Try this puppy chow (the best ever) or this Reindeer Food (Christmas Puppy Chow) for a delicious & festive treat.
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Just wondering…… I like sweet and salty. Do you think you could substitute crushed pretzels for the graham crackers?
Hmm… I wouldn’t recommend replacing all of the graham crackers with pretzels. However, I bet you could blend 1/4 or 1/2 cup in there and it would taste great!
These are delicious! Thank you!