If you can’t get enough of that old-school peanut butter and chocolate pairing, then you’re bound to love these peanut butter bars. Not only are they utterly delicious, but the fact that they’re no-bake makes them super easy to whip up!

Peanut butter bars with a piece cut out of the main slab.

Each bar has a thick layer of slightly sweet peanut butter that melts in your mouth. Then, you’ll taste the thin layer of milk chocolate that dials the indulgence factor up to 11. Seriously, you’ll struggle to stop at a single bar once you take that first bite!

I adore pulling out these peanut butter bars when I’m vegging out in front of the TV. But they’re equally suitable for parties and holiday tables if you want to impress guests (without the hours of effort!). Plus, the fact that it’s considered a vintage recipe means it’s completely tried and tested.

Whether you’re a peanut butter fanatic or a total chocoholic (or both!), these tasty and chewy bars are unlikely to disappoint.

Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Bars

They’re loaded with delicious peanut butter and chocolate flavors.
They’re the perfect balance of sweet and salty!
They’re super quick and easy to make and don’t require a mixer.
These bars are ideal if you need to whip something up for large groups.
The awesome chewy texture gives them a wonderful mouthfeel.

Peanut butter bars on a wire cooling rack.

Ingredients

Salted butter
Powdered sugar
Creamy peanut butter
Graham cracker crumbs
Milk chocolate chips

How to Make Peanut Butter Bars

Step One: Mix butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and graham cracker crumbs together in a large bowl.
Step Two: Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray.
Step Three: Press the bar mixture into the pan.
Step Four: Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave.
Step Five: Spread the melted chocolate over the mixture in the pan and refrigerate until firm.
Step Six: Cut into bars, serve, and enjoy!

Equipment Needed

If you want the best results possible when making these peanut butter bars, I suggest grabbing a few key pieces of equipment.

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What to Serve with Peanut Butter Bars

Recipe Tips and Tricks

When you’re making these peanut butter bars, you should try and use emulsified peanut butter. Although natural peanut butter is amazing, it may not be sweet enough and won’t mix as well as it has an oily base.
Use a baking pan that gives your bars a decent thickness.
You can use an electric mixer if you want, but you can easily use a hand whisk to make sure there are no lumps in your peanut butter mixture.
If you need help melting your chocolate, use the stovetop and a pan of boiling water.
If you’re planning to serve the bars quickly, make sure you let them set in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This makes them easier to cut and won’t create a gooey mess.
When you come to cut your dessert, use a very sharp or serrated knife to avoid the bars breaking apart or crumbling.
When adding your graham cracker crumbs, try to add them a bit at a time. This will lead to a smoother and more combined base.
If you’re planning to make these bars ahead, don’t forget to account for the time they’ll need to set in the fridge!
Don’t overheat the chocolate. Make sure it’s just melted to avoid burnt chocolate!

Variations and Substitutions

If you want to make your peanut butter bars even saltier, top them with salted peanuts, pistachios, or a few crumbled pretzels for crunch.
If you’re not a fan of peanut butter, these bars are just as delicious with almond or cashew butter.
If you don’t have graham crackers (or don’t like them!), substitute them with Oreos, cheerios, Biscoff, digestives, or even crumbled chocolate chip cookies!
If you want your chocolate layer to be less sweet, use semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate!
If you want to bulk these bars up, a heap of chocolate or unflavored protein powder can work wonders. If they’re slightly too thick, just add a dash of milk to the mix before setting.
For a fun take on this classic recipe, top your bars with Reese’s cups, M&Ms, or chopped nuts!

Storage Instructions

These bars store well when they’re kept in an airtight container in the fridge.

Just make sure they’re completely cool before you start storing them!

When you’re ready to eat your bars, you can eat them straight out of the fridge or leave them to warm up slightly on the counter.

Can I Freeze?

Yup – you can totally freeze these peanut butter bars!

They stay delicious for up to 2 or 3 months when placed in Ziploc bags or wrapped with parchment paper.

I recommend slicing and freezing them separately for easy defrosting, but you can freeze the whole pan if you want!

Dessert Recipes

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