Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
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Posted: 04/30/23
Updated: 07/31/23
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Easy no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars are the answer to everyone’s peanut butter and chocolate cravings! Sweet and salty peanut butter plus a rich chocolate topping make these easy no-bake bars perfect for any occasion.
If you love Reese’s (or any other chocolate peanut butter candy for that matter), you’re going to love this recipe! These no bake chocolate peanut butter bars are so easy and absolutely delicious. They remind me of buckeye candy a little, just in bar form and with a little more chocolate.
It only takes six pantry staple ingredients to whip together a batch of these tasty little bars. There’s nothing easier than a recipe like that! Plus, these don’t require any baking. Perfect for a hot summer day when you don’t want to heat the house up by using the oven.
Why You’ll Love Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- This simple dessert doesn’t require an oven! It’s a great recipe for the holidays when the oven space is taken up.
- It only takes 15 minutes to prep these no bake bars. You can mix them up and move on to making more delicious recipes while they set in the fridge.
- You can easily whip up together multiple batches and divide into separate pans. Such an easy way to make plenty of dessert to go around.
Ingredients for No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- Vanilla wafers – Feel free to substitute graham crackers for vanilla wafers. Whatever you use, you’ll need about 2 cups once it’s crushed.
- Powdered sugar – Using powdered sugar in these peanut butter bars helps keep them chewy and creamy.
- Creamy peanut butter – I recommend using creamy peanut butter, but you can use crunchy peanut butter if you want to add some crunchy texture to these chewy bars.
- Salted butter – You can use unsalted butter instead of salted if that’s what you have on hand. Just add a pinch or two of salt into the mixture!
- Vanilla extract – A touch of vanilla extract will bring out the flavors in these tasty bars.
- Dark chocolate chips – Dark chocolate pairs best with the peanut butter mixture in these bars, but semi-sweet or milk chocolate would be tasty as well!
Helpful Tools
- Food processor
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- 8×8 baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Microwave safe bowl
- Mixing tools
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Place the vanilla wafers in a food processor and until finely crushed. It should take about 1-2 minutes to reach the right texture.
Add the powdered sugar to the food processor and pulse until combined.
Then, add one cup of peanut butter, the melted butter, and vanilla extract to the food processor and blend until smooth. The dough will be pretty thick.
Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, then scoop the peanut butter dough into out of the food processor and into the pan.
Press the dough down until it is an even layer across the pan. Cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.
While the dough is chilling, you can prepare the melted chocolate. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl with 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter.
Heat in the microwave for 60 seconds and stir. If the mixture is not completely melted, then continue microwaving it in 10 second increments, stirring well in between.
Remove the plain peanut butter bars from the fridge and pour the chocolate over the top. Use a silicone spatula to smooth it into an even layer.
Cover the pan in plastic wrap again and put it back into the refrigerator. Let it chill for 3-4 hours, or until it’s fully set.
Cut into even squares and serve!
How to Store Leftover Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
FRIDGE: Place any leftover peanut butter bars in an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
FREEZER: If you’d like these bars to last longer, you can freeze them! Wrap the bars in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw for a few hours before serving.
How should I cut these bars to get clean slices?
Be sure the bars are completely chilled and set before cutting into them. When they a firm and ready to cut, use a sharp knife to cut them into squares.
A useful little trick is to run the knife under hot water and dry it off before cutting these bars. It will warm the knife and allow it to cut the chocolate layer without cracking it.
Be sure to wipe the knife clean between cuts to keep your squares looking all tidy!
Pro Tips!
- Use a really good quality peanut butter like JIF or Peter Pan for best results.
- If you want to add some different texture to these bars, you can sprinkle some cookie crumbles or sprinkles onto the layer of chocolate before refrigerating them.
- Crunched on time? Put these bars in the freezer and they’ll set a little quicker!
I have to pace myself of these fudge-like peanut butter bars…they’re so rich! But my goodness, are they tasty!
More Recipes You’ll Love
- How do you make a chocolate chip cookie better? You add peanut butter and turn them into these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.
- Peanut Butter Blossoms are a classic cookie recipe that anyone will love!
- This Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake is mouthwateringly delicious.
- Did you run out of Reese’s? No worries! You can make them at home with this Homemade Peanut Butter Cup recipe.
- Quick and easy 3 ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are a classic old fashion recipe that is easy to make from scratch because you just need three pantry staples.
- Peanut Butter and Banana Icebox Cake is a Homemade Light & Fluffy Peanut Butter Mousse Layered with Peanut Butter Cookies and Bananas and then Drizzled with Peanut Butter! The Perfect No Bake Dessert!
- These Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars are soft and chewy.
- These quick and easy overnight oats are stuffed with peanut butter and banana for a delicious and healthy way to start your day!
- These old fashioned Peanut Butter Blossoms are a hit on every holiday cookie tray or just because.
- Turtle Cookie Cups have all the flavors of your favorite Turtles candy in cookie form!
- Basketball Peanut Butter Dip is a Delicious, Creamy Peanut Butter Dip topped with Reese’s Pieces!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Quick and easy no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butters are the perfect sweet treat for anytime.
Video
Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups vanilla wafers
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 ¼ cups creamy peanut butter divided
- ¾ cup salted butter, melted (1 ½ stick)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place the vanilla wafers in a food processor and pulse until crushed into fine crumbs, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the powdered sugar to food processor and pulse 1-2 times until combined.
- Add 1 cup of the divided peanut butter, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the food processor and blend together until a smooth, thick dough forms, about 2-3 minutes.
- Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, then scoop in the peanut butter dough.
- Press the dough down into an even layer in the prepared pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator to chill.
- Next, place the cup chocolate chips and the remaining ¼ cup of creamy peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat for 60 seconds and then stir until smooth. If it doesn’t smooth out completely, you can continue heating in 10-second increments, stirring well each time, until smooth. Do not overheat.
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the top of the peanut butter layer and use a spatula to smooth it into an even layer.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place the pan into the refrigerator and allow to chill until set, about 3-4 hours.
- Once completely set, cut into squares and serve.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1bar, Calories: 567kcal (28%), Carbohydrates: 59g (20%), Protein: 7g (14%), Fat: 36g (55%), Saturated Fat: 15g (94%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 31mg (10%), Sodium: 318mg (14%), Potassium: 235mg (7%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 42g (47%), Vitamin A: 355IU (7%), Calcium: 31mg (3%), Iron: 0.5mg (3%)
Joyce says
Recipe sounds great! I have a suggestion – you should provide the measurement for the vanilla wafers as crushed vanilla wafers. That would be more accurate than trying to measure whole wafers. Can you tell me the measurement for wafer crumbs?
Sarah Hill says
The 3 cup measurement is for the crushed vanilla wafers – hope this helps!