These no bake peanut butter bars are a quick and easy dessert to make with no oven time required. With an irresistible peanut butter base topped with rich chocolate, my family calls them ‘homemade Reese’s’!
Best Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
There is nothing better in the world than a dessert filled with both chocolate and peanut butter. Some of my favorite treats include this amazing combination like these bars, buckeye candies and Oreo peanut butter pie.
I am so excited to share the recipe for these no bake peanut butter bars with you. If you haven’t made these yet, add them to your baking list ASAP!
I found this recipe in my grandma’s recipe box a couple years ago and have been making them ever since. They taste pretty dang close to a Reese’s bar… but in my opinion BETTER!
Other must-try peanut butter and chocolate desserts include lunch lady peanut butter bars, peanut butter blossoms, muddy buddies and no bake cookies.
Why This Recipe Works
- Classic combination: If you are a chocolate peanut butter bar lover, you will love this easy dessert bar recipe!
- Easy to make: All you need is 10 minutes, there is no baking required and did I mention they taste like a peanut butter cup?!
- Year round treat: Holidays, lunchboxes, last minute dessert request, and especially great in the summer since no oven is required!
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Salted butter: Your butter will need to be melted. If you use unsalted butter, you will need to add a pinch of salt to the recipe.
- Graham cracker crumbs: I use Keebler graham cracker crumbs, but you can make your own crumbs with approximately 16 sheets of graham crackers.
- Light brown sugar: A little brown sugar gives these a deeper flavor.
- Powdered sugar: Also called confectioners sugar and dissolves easily!
- Creamy peanut butter: You will need this in both the bars and topping.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract for best taste.
- Milk chocolate chips: Milk chocolate will most make these bars taste like Reese’s cup candy, although you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate.
Substitutions and Variations
- Graham crackers: Try crushed Oreos, Golden Graham cereal, Cheerios, vanilla wafers, or even Teddy Bear grahams.
- Nut butter: If there is an allergy in the house, use another nut butter like almond butter, cashew or sunbutter.
- Topping: Add some chopped nuts, crushed pretzels or even crushed Reese’s for the top.
- Baking chips: Use your favorite! Anything works from butterscotch chips to even a combination of milk and white chocolate chips.
How to Make No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
This is the easiest dessert you will make, even easier than peanut butter balls!
- Gather your ingredients. Keep all your ingredients close by as these chocolate peanut bars are simple to make in only 10 minutes.
- Peanut butter layer. Mix the butter, graham crackers, sugars, peanut butter and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. If it’s too soft and runny, add in a little more powdered sugar. Then press the mixture into a 9×13″ baking dish and refrigerate.
- Chocolate layer. Melt the chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl or over a double broiler on the stove. Stir until smooth, then pour on top of the peanut butter layer. Spread evenly with a spatula.
- Chill. Place bars back in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened (this usually takes 30 minutes to an hour). You could also place in the freezer for a little to speed up the process. Once hardened, cut into squares.
Expert Tips
- Mixture too runny: If you’re peanut butter mixture is on the runnier side, try adding in 1/4 cup powdered sugar, mixing well and see if that helps (if not, add a second 1/4 powdered sugar to the mix). Or if your house is warm, refrigerating it should do the trick!
- Gluten free: For a gluten allergy, try substituting the graham cracker crumbs for crushed gluten free crackers, cookies or cornflakes. I’ve never tried this myself, but a few followers have and said they turned out great.
- Slicing tip: Use a plastic knife to easily cut the bars. It makes a super smooth cut. I’d wipe the knife clean with a paper towel in between each cut.
- Cut the recipe in half: Feeding a smaller crowd? Just cut this recipe for no bake peanut butter bars in half and use an 8-inch pan.
- Line your pan: This will make for easier bar removal! Just line with foil or parchment paper.
FAQs
No, I don’t think that would work as natural peanut butter you need to stir as the peanut butter and oil separates easily. Use a traditional no stir peanut butter like Jif, Skippy or your favorite.
I think that will work for the bottom layer, although for the top layer a smoother peanut butter may be preferred.
If you don’t have graham crackers on hand or just want to try something different in these no bake chocolate peanut butter bars, try a variety of cereals including cheerios, golden grahams, or even golden Oreo’s. If you are in a different country, digestive biscuits may also work!
I sure do think so and my family backs me up! If you opt to use semi-sweet chocolate chips they will taste less like a Reese’s. So if you want that candy bar taste, opt to use milk chocolate chips for the bars topping.
Storage
- Store: Store peanut butter chocolate bars in your refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. I’ve found that they hold their shape the best when chilled as well as taste the most like a reese’s peanut butter cup!
- Freeze: After your homemade Reese’s bars are chilled, slice and place them in a freezer safe container or bag for 1-2 months. Thaw and enjoy!
Love no bake desserts? No-bake cornflake cookies, this homemade granola bar recipe, cheesecake dip and no-bake scotcheroos are a few family favorites!
More Peanut Butter and Chocolate Recipes
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Homemade Reese’s Bars Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter , melted
- 2 cups keebler graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter , plus 1 Tablespoon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 11 ounce milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips, in a medium-sized bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy. If it's too soft, add a little more powdered sugar. Press into a 9×13" pan and place in the refrigerator.
- Melt chocolate chips with 1 Tablespoon peanut butter in the microwave (at 50% power) for 1-2 minutes or cook on the stove over a double broiler. Stir chocolate and pour over the peanut butter mixture. Spread chocolate with a spatula. To even out chocolate, tap pan on the counter.
- Refrigerate bars until chocolate has hardened (about 30 minutes). Allow to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before cutting so the chocolate doesn't crack. Enjoy!
Notes
- These are best kept stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
- To get a smooth cut, use a plastic knife.
- Can sub with almond butter if there is a peanut allergy in your house.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Can these be made using margarine instead of butter?
Hi Laurie! Using margarine should work just fine! :) Hope you enjoy these!
I never commented! Wanted you to know…I am baking this today! WOW
Thanks for commenting! I hope the recipe turned out great for you! :)
have been making these for years a good tip is to into squars before you put in frig my recipe is a little different 1 cup p butter 1 cup butter 1/3 box gram crackers crushed 1 box conf sugar (not so much measuring )
These are great but when I make them the chocolate is separating from the graham cracker base when I cut them. Do you know why this would be happening?
Was the chocolate fresh? Also, try using a plastic knife when cutting them. It makes a nice smooth cut.
I just made these today and loved loved them. Especially the no-bake aspect! Is it alright if I feature them on my blog? I will link back to your original posting.
Hi Kelly! So glad you enjoyed them. They’re one of our favorites! Yes you can totally write about them. Just make sure to re-write the recipe in your own words and use your own picture with a link back to the original recipe. Thanks! :)
Is there a good way of melting the chocolate chips without using a microwave?
You could also use a double broiler. Hope that helps. :)
Just come across this can’t wait to try pb bars and other new recipes
Love these! Only I make them with carob chips, as my husband is allergic to chocolate. And as much as I love chocolate, I prefer these with carob.
I made these this week, and they are soooo good! I ran out of graham crackers, so the other cup was of bread crumbs I had in the pantry! They still turned out amazing. They were for my friends birthday and it was a hit. Thanks!
looks yummy!
These look so good as soon as I can get all the ingredients together I am going to make these and share them. Thanks for tr recipe!
i made these yesterday and they’re AMAAAZING and super easy. I topped the chocolate with a small amount of fleur de sel before the chocolate set and it really kicked them over the top!
THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE. I JUST MADE IT AN HOUR AGO AND I CAN SAY THIS IS BY FAR THE EASIEST NO BAKE BAR TO MAKE. I WILL BE WATCHING MY GRANDCHILDREN OVER THE WEEKEND AND MY GRANDSON WHO IS 1 1/2 YEARS OLD AND A VERY PICKY EATER AND STILL ONLY WEIGHS 20 LBS I’M HOPING HE WILL LIKE THIS ONE JUST TO GET THE PEANUT BUTTER IN HIM AND GRAHAM CRACKERS. IF HE LIKES IT, I’LL MAKE IT EVERY WEEK FOR HIM. JUST TO MAKE HIM EAT! MY GRANDAUGHTER LOVES EVERYTHING SO NO WORRIES THERE. PERSONALLY I’M NOT A BIG FAN OF PEANUTBUTTER, SO I WON’T BE A GOOD JUDGE OF THIS ONE.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe. They really are so easy to make! :)
My favorite candy bar….Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups….Delicious bars, especially since they are no-bake!! Thanks for the recipe!
Got two packs of Reeses Peanut butter cups in my drawing, alway there for the enjoyment. I will give this recipe a try. Got 6 grandchildren living here, soooooooooo gonna make a big batch.
I just love all your recipes! I follow you on Pinterest. You have a great blog! So glad I found it.
I just made these tonight and they are awesome! They’re the first peanut butter chocolate thing I’ve ever made that really resembles PB cups… but, like you said, much better! Thanks for the recipe!
This recipe brings back memories as it is the “Peanut Butter Square” that was served in Grade School! :) YUM!!
I have Celiac, so graham cracker crumbs are not an option. Do you think it would hold together enough without the crumbs? It looks SO yummy!
I think it would be too runny without the crumbs. Maybe you could try a gluten free cookie or cracker? Would love to hear how it goes.
you can get gluten free graham crackers and gluten free graham cracker crumbs from Trader Joes or Whole foods- Ive used both for Smores and Cheesecakes. They are really good
I am Gluten free also and really wanted to try this recipe. So I made it tonight and used cornflakes. Oh my goodness they were delicious. My Bro who is not Gluten Free loved them!
Yay! I’m glad to know these turned out well using cornflakes. Thanks for letting us know. :)
If you can eat panko crumbs they should give you the same consistency as the graham cracker, You can even toast them in a pan over very low heat and a lil bit of butter to brown them just don’t walk away from the they brown quick.
I make something very similar using powdered sugar instead of graham cracker crumbs.
I use Gluten Free Graham Crackers, just pulse them thru the food processor …
I combine peanut butter, margarine, and powdered sugar only. Chill and roll in balls and dip in melted chocolate and chill again. Really yummy with No crumbs.
Yum! That sounds delicious…I am going to have to give that a try! Thanks for the idea!
Buckeyes! I love making them at Christmastime!
You can use Graham Style Crumbs by kinnikinnick foods they are gluten ,dairy and nut free .
Great idea, thanks Vicky! :)
I too am celiac. You can buy gluten free graham type crackers made by Kinikinnic(sp). I used them to make smores and they weren’t too bad. Would probably be better in this since there is more flavor.
Thanks for your comment Sally! I’m sure a lot of people will check out those gluten free graham crackers!