Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars Recipe

I combined five pantry staples: unsalted butter, creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs and semisweet chocolate chips to make a Peanut Butter No Bake bar using no oven. Read on to see the clever five ingredient formula and the single topping that completes it.

I make these because sometimes you want dessert now not later, and these bars deliver. This Peanut Butter Bars Recipe uses just a few pantry heroes: 1 cup creamy peanut butter, room temp (dont use crunchy if you want smooth bars), 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if it looks lumpy, and 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, finely crushed.

Stir it up, press it into a pan and top with melted 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips for the chocolate topping. The texture is weirdly perfect, dense but not chalky and the chocolate sets into a snap, so you can slice clean pieces.

I love that these are Fast Desserts and true Peanut Butter No Bake treats, great when you need No Bake Bars that actually impress. I screwed one batch by using cold peanut butter and it was a mess so trust me, let things come to room temp first.

You’ll want to hide them, but you probably wont.

Why I Like this Recipe

1) I love how stupidly easy they are — nope, wait, dont use that character — ok: I love how stupidly easy they are; no oven, five ingredients, done.
2) I like the peanut butter and chocolate combo, its classic and totally hits the comfort food spot every time.
3) I like that they hold together and travel well so I can bring them to parties or school without a meltdown.
4) I like that you can tweak them fast — add flaky salt, swap the chocolate, or make them thicker by changing the pan size.

Ingredients

• Adds rich fat and calories, little nutrition, mostly saturates, makes bars smooth and rich
• Good protein and healthy fats, a bit salty, adds nutty sweetness and creamy texture
• Pure carbs, adds lots of sweetness, no fiber or protein, raises calories pretty fast
• Mostly carbs and some fiber, gives crumbly structure and mild honey like flavor
• Adds sugar and cocoa antioxidants, bittersweet note, melts to a shiny chocolate topping

Ingredient Quantities

• • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

• • 1 cup creamy peanut butter, room temp (dont use crunchy if you want smooth bars)

• • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if it looks lumpy

• • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full crackers, finely crushed)

• • 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups) for the chocolate topping

How to Make this

1. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper leaving some overhang so you can lift the bars out later, or grease it lightly if you dont have parchment.

2. In a medium bowl stir the 1/2 cup melted butter and 1 cup creamy peanut butter together until very smooth and combined, scrape the sides so no sticky spots left.

3. Add the 2 cups powdered sugar a bit at a time if its clumpy, and 2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs, then mix until thick and uniform, it should hold together when pressed.

4. Press the peanut butter mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan using the back of a measuring cup or the flat bottom of a glass, press hard so bars dont fall apart later.

5. Melt the 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second bursts, stirring between each burst until glossy and smooth, or melt over a double boiler if you prefer, dont overheat or chocolate can seize.

6. Pour the melted chocolate over the pressed peanut layer and spread gently with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to get an even top.

7. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour until the chocolate is fully set and firm to the touch.

8. Use the parchment overhang to lift the slab from the pan, then cut into bars with a sharp knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry for clean slices. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Equipment Needed

1. 8-inch square baking pan
2. Parchment paper with overhang, or nonstick spray/oil to grease the pan
3. Medium mixing bowl
4. Rubber or silicone spatula and a wooden spoon for stirring and scraping
5. Measuring cups (1/2 cup, 1 cup, and a 2-cup measure)
6. Rolling pin or food processor, or a zip-top bag and heavy pan to crush graham crackers
7. Microwave-safe bowl, or a heatproof bowl plus saucepan for a double boiler, to melt chocolate
8. Offset spatula or back of a spoon to spread the chocolate evenly
9. Flat-bottomed measuring cup or glass to press the peanut butter layer firmly into the pan
10. Sharp knife and a container of hot water to warm the blade for clean slices, plus a towel to dry the knife
11. Refrigerator for chilling the bars until set
12. Airtight container for storing the finished bars in the fridge

FAQ

Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Substitutions you can try, quick and reliable:

• Unsalted butter: swap with an equal amount of solid coconut oil at room temp for a dairy free option, or use salted butter if thats all you have and skip adding any extra salt elsewhere.
• Creamy peanut butter: use almond butter 1:1 for a different nut flavor, or sunflower seed butter 1:1 if you need a nut free swap. Note almond or sunflower may be a bit thinner so chill slightly before cutting for cleaner bars.
• Powdered sugar: confectioners sugar is the same thing, use 1:1. For a lower sugar alternative try powdered erythritol or allulose sweetener 1:1 but texture may be slightly drier so press mixture firmly into the pan.
• Graham cracker crumbs: substitute crushed digestive biscuits, vanilla wafers, or even Oreo crumbs (remove filling if you want less sweetness) in equal volume. For a sweet salty twist, crushed pretzels work too but will change flavor.
• Semisweet chocolate chips: swap with milk chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate 1:1. Chocolate melting wafers or almond bark melt easier and are fine 1:1 if you want a glossy top.

Hope that helps, and have fun making them. Theyre stupid easy and always disappear fast.

Pro Tips

1) If the peanut layer feels crumbly when you press it, dont keep forcing it, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk or an extra spoonful of peanut butter and mix again, that fixes dryness without changing the taste much.

2) For a glossy, snappy chocolate top stir in 1 teaspoon of neutral oil or a little butter after melting the chips, but dont let any water touch the chocolate or it will seize, and stir until totally smooth.

3) To get razor clean slices warm the knife under hot water, wipe it dry, slice, then reheat and wipe between cuts, or pop the whole slab in the freezer 10 minutes first if you want super tidy edges.

4) Little flavor upgrades make a big difference: sprinkle flaky sea salt or crushed toasted peanuts on the chocolate while its still wet, or add a teaspoon of vanilla to the peanut mix for depth — trust me it lifts the whole bar.