No Bake Peanut Butter Bars (Printable)
Rich peanut butter bars with a chocolate topping—no oven needed; chill 2 hours for firm slices.
# What You'll Need:
→ Base
01 - 1 cup creamy peanut butter
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 cups powdered sugar
04 - 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
05 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Topping
06 - 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
07 - 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
# Directions:
01 - Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang to assist with removal.
02 - In a large bowl, blend melted butter with 1 cup peanut butter until uniformly smooth.
03 - Stir in powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs, followed by vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until a dense, cohesive dough forms.
04 - Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
05 - In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips with 1/4 cup peanut butter in 30-second intervals, stirring between each session until the mixture is fully melted and smooth.
06 - Pour the melted chocolate-peanut butter topping over the base and spread into an even layer.
07 - Place pan in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, allowing bars to set completely.
08 - Once firm, lift bars from the pan using parchment paper. Cut into 16 even bars and serve.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- It’s an easy fix for peanut butter cravings when you want dessert fast but can’t face baking.
- The smooth, chocolatey top hides a perfectly dense, sweet peanut butter base that never fails to impress.
02 -
- If you skimp on chilling time, the bars will turn to goo when cutting—trust me, I learned the messy way.
- Swapping chunky peanut butter or adding peanuts gives an amazing crunch that keeps folks guessing.
03 -
- A warm knife makes for tidier bar slices and less chocolate cracking.
- Letting the base rest a couple minutes before topping helps prevent mixing layers.