Classic No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars have a crunchy peanut butter chip base with a smooth chocolate topping. An easy dessert or after school treat!
Easy chocolate peanut butter bars are like homemade Reese's cups, only better! These no bake bar cookies are perfect when you need an easy dessert, and you can add seasonal candies to the top to dress them up for holidays.
I don't know about you, but I've got some picky eaters in my house. Even though the kids know they have to eat what I make, I like it when I make something that people actually enjoy!
The pickiness also extends to treats. Even though most kids love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, my pickiest eater doesn't! So, I came up with this recipe for chocolate peanut butter bars as a way to please everyone.
There are a lot of peanut butter bar recipes out there, and I've been making the basic version for a long time. However, when the pickiest child started hating peanut butter, I tweaked the basic recipe and amped up the chocolate.
You can still taste the peanut butter, but it isn't as strong as the original version. The best part about these chocolaty peanut butter treats is that no baking is involved, so you can enjoy these no bake desserts all year long!
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
This dessert is made with just a few ingredients, and it's super simple to put together. First, you make the base, which starts out as a mix of butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar.
When the mixture is nice and creamy, add your crushed graham crackers, chocolate chips and a little bit of cocoa powder. The cocoa powder is optional, but it add a little extra chocolate flavor.
Next, press the mixture into a greased 9 X 13 pan. Then, mix the ingredients for the chocolate frosting, and pour it over the peanut butter layer.
Use a spatula to smooth the chocolate over the peanut butter layer. Then, pop the pan into the fridge for about 30 minutes or until it's firm enough to cut.
These bars are pretty darn perfect just like this. But sometimes, I'll add colorful sprinkles or seasonal M & M candies to the chocolate layer to dress it up a little.
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No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
For the Base
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 cup softened butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups crushed graham crackers
- 1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips I use Ghirardelli
Ingredients for the Frosting:
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Base
- Grease a 13 X 9-inch glass baking dish.
- Combine 1 cup of peanut butter with the butter, and beat on medium until the mixture is creamy
- Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar, and stir gently until mixed. Then, beat until smooth.
- Add the remaining cup of powdered sugar, cocoa powder, the crushed graham crackers and the chips, and mix well.
- Take the mixture, and press it into the pan. Just make sure that it's even.
For the Frosting
- Melt 1 cup of peanut butter and the rest of the chocolate chips. I do this in the microwave, very gradually, but you can also melt the mixture in a pan over low heat. firm.
- Stir in the cocoa powder, and mix well,
- Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the bottom peanut butter layer, and spread with spatula until it's nice and smooth
- Refrigerate until the chocolate is set and bars are firm -- about 30 minutes. Cut into squares, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy these homemade peanut butter bars as much as we do. Let me know what you think!
Recipe was first published in 2014 and updated in 2019
James says
My daughter made these over the weekend, none left! she is making another batch for after school.
Dee says
That's wonderful! So glad you all liked them!