No Bake Peanut Butter Bars (Printable View)
Creamy peanut butter bars with a chocolate topping—chill until set for an easy, indulgent make-ahead sweet.
# What You 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
# How To Make It:
01 - Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, blend melted butter with 1 cup creamy peanut butter until smooth.
03 - Stir in powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Add vanilla extract and mix until a cohesive, thick dough forms.
04 - Press the peanut butter mixture evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
05 - In a microwave-safe bowl, combine semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup peanut butter. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each interval, until melted and silky.
06 - Pour the chocolate-peanut butter mixture over the base layer and spread evenly with a spatula.
07 - Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or until the bars are fully set.
08 - Remove chilled bars using the parchment paper overhang, slice into 16 even pieces, and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You dont even need to touch the oven (and nobody has to know how easy they actually are).
- The layers come together so quickly that dessert can happen on a whim—dangerous and delightful.
02 -
- Once I tried to rush the chilling time and found myself with a gooey mess—be patient, the fridge really does work magic.
- One time, I sprinkled flaky sea salt on top and it transformed the bars—now it’s nonnegotiable at my house.
03 -
- Always use parchment paper with overhang—lifting the bars out whole makes them so much easier to cut (and serve pretty squares).
- Resist the urge to shortcut the melting process for the topping; patience here means a smooth, shiny finish instead of seized chocolate.