Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Looking for more no-bake desserts? Then you’ve come to the right place! Try my recipes for No Bake Churro Krispie Bars, 3 Ingredient Old Fashioned Potato Candy, and No Bake Frozen Peanut Butter Pie. These peanut butter bars are rich too but so much easier to make than even the simplest fudge recipe. These are no-bake and come together in less than 20 minutes. The best part is the chocolate on top. The secret is that it isn’t just chocolate, it’s chocolate and peanut butter all swirled together into one splendid topping you can’t get enough of. Don’t you just want to sink your teeth into these bars just thinking about them? The hardest part is trying to not to eat them all in one sitting!

Why It Works

No baking – I love to bake, don’t get me wrong. But when I can eliminate a step to baking (or not turn the oven on during these hot summer days) I’m all in. You just mix all together and let set. That’s it! Peanut butter – I’m a peanut butter addict. It goes so great in all the desserts and this one is no exception. The combo of peanut butter and chocolate together. That’s the stuff dreams are made of right there. Portable – I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or bad thing that these no-bake bars are portable. I mean, it’s great for when you need to take a dessert to a potluck or picnic but bad when you realize you can just grab one (or two) on your way out the door. Know what I mean? Simple ingredients – Oats, butter, graham crackers, chocolate, peanut butter, and that’s just about it in these terrific peanut butter chocolate bars. And, if you don’t have everything in your pantry or fridge, all of these ingredients are easy to find at your local grocery store.

Here’s How You Make It

First of all, step away from your oven; you’re not going to need it.

Customization Ideas

Want to mix up these no-bake bars? Let’s do it.

Use chocolate graham crackers for an extra-chocolatey bar. After pouring the chocolate onto the crust, let it dry/cool for about 10-15 minutes, then add sprinkles to the top. Press in just a bit to make sure they stick. OR instead of sprinkles, you could add on more chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or another kind of chip/sprinkle you like. Other topping ideas include dried coconut flakes, chopped peanuts, or chopped walnuts. Give your bars a little crunch by adding a layer of Rice Krispies on top of the crust before pouring on your chocolate. Add a layer of dehydrated fruit (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries) to the crust layer before pouring the chocolate. I recommend this over dried fruit, as it will be less chewy but still flavorful.

Expert Tips

Oats should be old fashioned rolled oats, not instant oats! Make sure to check that chocolate in the microwave every 20 seconds. If you don’t stir in intervals, it can burn and won’t be nearly as smooth. To cut the bars evenly, I make scoring marks along the sides to make sure I am cutting at equal intervals, then press the knife down to cut through the chocolate, then gently pull it toward you, taking care not to break the chocolate on top if you can. These bars will keep in the fridge for up to one week in a covered container.