There’s something special about a dessert that comes together in minutes, satisfies every peanut butter lover’s craving, and requires zero baking. These No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars are exactly that—a perfect balance of sweet, salty, creamy, and chocolatey goodness.
Years ago, someone brought these to my workplace and I couldn’t stop eating them. Everyone ate them up quickly and I made her give me the recipe immediately. They were actually one of the first desserts I made on my own as a young adult and I have been hooked on them ever since.
I love a good, simple recipe that delivers great texture and flavor without a fuss. These bars are a go-to when I need a last-minute treat for guests, a potluck, or just a little something sweet for my family or to take to work. Plus, they remind me of those classic peanut butter cups we all love, but with an irresistible homemade touch! My husband thinks these are better!
This is not a last minute treat, because it requires refrigerating ahead of time, so be sure to plan accordingly. I am the queen of starting a recipe and then realizing it needs to be refrigerated overnight… and then I need to completely change my plans. Luckily, this one only needs an hour or so, but it still needs time for the chocolate to harden.
However, my Caramel Apple Toffee Dip is a great backup if this happens to you and people will not believe how good this is. You can pick up the ingredients and assemble it in minutes… and then come home, take the peanut butter bars out of the fridge and eat them yourself. 😀
Need a couple more last minute dessert options?
Easiest Cream Cheese Dip: Pick up the ingredients on the way to where you are going. It’s super easy!
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip: Serve with raspberries and graham crackers for the perfect bite.
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Now put on a cute apron, and lets throw these together!
***NOTE: Before you make this, be sure that there are no peanut allergies in the group. This seems obvious, but I once made these for my small group and TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT A PEANUT ALLERGY! I felt terrible.
Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Bars
- No oven required – just mix, melt, and refrigerate!
- Perfectly balanced flavors – sweet chocolate, salty peanut butter, and buttery graham crackers create the ultimate bite.
- Crowd-pleasing – whether it’s for a church potluck, a neighborhood gathering, or an after-school snack, these bars disappear fast. They also make great gifts!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 9 graham crackers (crushed into crumbs)- I use one of the packs in the box
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter- don’t use the natural kind that separates, the texture doesn’t come out as good. Sun butter (made with sunflower seeds) or Nutella (hazelnut spread with cocoa) can be used if someone has a peanut allergy
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips (melted)- depending on how much you like chocolate, you can use more for a thicker chocolate topping.
- 2 more Tbsp peanut butter (for the topping)
Make it gluten and dairy-free:
This can be made gluten and dairy-free by using gluten-free graham crackers, a non-dairy butter substitute (like Earth Balance), and dairy free chocolate chips.
How to Make These Easy No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars
1. Crush the Graham Crackers
Start by crushing the graham crackers into fine crumbs. You can pulse them in a food processor, or if you’re like me and prefer fewer dishes, throw them in a ziplock bag and roll over them with a rolling pin. Either way, you want a nice, even crumb.
2. Mix the Base
In a medium bowl, melt the butter, then stir in the graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and salt. Mix until everything is well combined and forms a thick, slightly sticky dough.
3. Press into the Pan
Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with foil, leaving enough overhang to easily lift the bars out later. You don’t need to grease the foil because the peanut butter and butter provide enough to stop if from sticking.
Press the peanut butter mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.
4. Melt the Chocolate Topping
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and fully melted. Pour over the peanut butter layer and spread evenly.
Here are pictures of the the steps:
I just used a spatula to mix everything together, but you can use a Kitchen Aid mixer with a paddle attachment if you don’t feel like stirring the peanut butter mixture.
5. Chill & Slice
Refrigerate for at least one hour to let the bars set. Once the chocolate is firm, lift them out using the foil overhang and slice into 16 squares.
Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Bars
- Use creamy peanut butter – it helps create a smooth and cohesive texture.
- Don’t skip the salt! It enhances the peanut butter flavor and balances the sweetness.
- For clean cuts, run a sharp knife under hot water, dry it, and slice through the bars. If you only refrigerate it for an hour, it should cut easily. If you put it in and forget about it, you will definitely need this tip.
- Feed more people! These are pretty rich, so even thought I often cut these into 16 bars, I have also cut each one of those into 4, which will give you 64 (This is my preferred way to eat them). It makes for delicious, bite-size treats and feeds a lot of people.
- Or… this recipe can easily be doubled and made in a 9X13 pan. They will come out a little bit thicker, but just as delicious.
Serve these with a glass of milk or something salty like popcorn or Chex Mix. The sweet and salty combo is perfect!
How do I store these?
- Store these covered in the refrigerator for up to a week (and potentially longer)
- These can be stored in an airtight container on the counter, but make sure it is cool enough for the chocolate to stay firm and not melt. If that does happen, just stick them in the fridge until they firm back up.
- You can store these in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure they are well wrapped to avoid freezer burn.
These No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars are pure comfort in every bite. They’re rich, satisfying, and best of all—incredibly easy to make. Whether you’re serving them to guests or sneaking a late-night bite straight from the fridge, I promise you’ll be coming back for more!
Let me know if you try them—I’d love to hear how they turned out!
peanut butter bars
Equipment
- 1 8×8 pan
- 1 spoon
- 1 Rolling Pin optional
- 1 food processor optional
- aluminum foil
- 1 bowl medium
- 1 bowl small
Ingredients
- 9 graham crackers one package (crumbs)
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup peanut butter creamy
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 Tbsp peanut butter
Instructions
- Smash up graham crackers to form crumbs. I put them in a ziplock bag and roll a rolling pin over them until they are equally crumby. You can do this in a food processor as well. I was too lazy to pull mine out.
- Melt the butter in a medium bowl.
- To the melted butter, add the graham cracker crumbs, salt, powdered sugar, and peanut butter. Mix until combined.9 graham crackers, ½ cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup peanut butter, 1 tsp fine sea salt
- Line your 8X8 pan with foil, leaving enough to pull it out of the pan with the bars on it.
- Press the peanut butter graham cracker mixture onto the bottom of the pan.
- In a small bowl, melt chocolate chips and smaller amount of peanut butter. I use the microwave for 2, 30 second intervals.1 cup chocolate chips, 2 Tbsp peanut butter
Nutrition
Looking for more no bake desserts? Try these:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Pie
7 Comments
My husband says these are better than peanut butter cups. I like to cut them into small, bite-sized squares. It makes me feel like I’m not eating as much. 🙂
Mzing
oh my gosh I am DROOLING these look absolutely divine and they are giving me major throwbacks to church potlucks. Have to try these!
Yes!!! These are SO church potlucky. lol They are easy to make and everyone loves them.
So easy and AMAZING! Will make again!
I’m so glad you liked it!
These were such a hit, and I will definitely make them again! Thanks for this delish recipe.