A recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars! These no-bake rich and creamy bars are topped with a layer of chocolate peanut butter and festive sprinkles.
Evan currently loves peanut butter cups and asked to make a recipe with similar flavors. We came across the inspiration for these bars over on Live Well Bake Often and they are such a fun way to enjoy the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate in an easy two layer form.
I used parts of my recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Eggs and adjusted a few of the ingredients to create the base for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars.
Simply melt the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and pinch of salt until smooth and fold together with powdered sugar and graham crackers. Transfer the mixture into a parchment-lined 8×8 inch (20×20 centimeter) baking dish.
Melt together semi-sweet chocolate and peanut butter to form the chocolate layer and gently pour over the peanut butter. Use a spatula to smooth over the top and chill for at least 2 hours to set.
Bring back to room temperature for about 15 minutes before slicing into bars with a sharp knife and serving.
A Few Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar Tips
Line an 8×8 inch (20×20 centimeter) baking dish with parchment paper before adding the peanut butter. This will allow for easy removal after chilling.
This recipe is best with a no-stir peanut butter that won’t separate for the correct consistency. I have tried using a natural peanut butter and no matter how well I stir, the resulting texture still comes out crumbly and grainy.
Use creamy peanut butter for the chocolate topping. I also used creamy peanut butter for the bottom layer, but you can swap for a crunchy no-stir peanut butter for a little more texture if desired.
I added a pinch of salt to the saucepan along with the peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar. Adjust the amount of salt to taste based on the salt content of your peanut butter.
Finely crush the graham crackers before adding to the flour mixture. I like to use a food processor to quickly create a fine texture. If unavailable, you can also place them in a ziplock bag and hit with a rolling pin until completely crushed.
Sift the powdered sugar before adding to the bowl. This will make the mixture easier to blend without any clumping.
To melt the chocolate for the topping, I placed the semisweet chocolate chips and 1/3 cup (90 grams) peanut butter in a large bowl and microwaved it in 20 second increments until smooth. You can also use a double boiler. Take care not to overheat the chocolate.
If desired, you can swap the semisweet chocolate for milk chocolate or dark chocolate.
For a more festive appearance, I topped the Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars with Christmas/Winter themed sprinkles. If using sprinkles, add them immediately after spreading the chocolate over the bars to allow them to stick before the chocolate cools.
Allow the no-bake peanut butter bars to set in the refrigerator until well chilled, at least 2 hours. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
Adapted from Live Well Bake Often
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups (310 grams) no-stir creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) light brown sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) powdered sugar sifted
- 3/4 cup (75 grams) finely crushed graham crackers
Chocolate Peanut Butter Topping:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped
- 1/3 cup (90 grams) creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 inch (20×20 centimeter) baking dish with parchment.
- In a small saucepan, place the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and salt over medium low heat.
- Cook, whisking often, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
- In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar and crushed graham crackers.
- Fold in the melted butter and peanut butter mixture until well combined and no streaks of the sugar remain.
- Transfer the mixture into an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Place the semi-sweet chocolate and peanut butter in a large bowl.
- Microwave in 20 second increments, whisking in between, until fully melted and smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter mixture and use a spatula to carefully smooth over the top without pressing down into the peanut butter. If using, top with sprinkles.
- Place the dish in the refrigerator and allow to chill until set, at least 2 hours.
- Remove from the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before using a sharp knife to cut into squares.
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