Peanut Butter Bars
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These no bake peanut butter bars are made with 5 simple ingredients and super easy to whip up. No powdered sugar or butter needed.
If you’re a peanut butter lover, these peanut butter bars need to be on your list! They’re rich, satisfying, and remind me of homemade peanut butter cups, just in easy bar form.
A soft peanut butter base topped with a layer of chocolate makes them simple, classic, and really hard to resist.
And they’re made with just a handful of real, wholesome ingredients like oat flour, and pure maple syrup, so you can feel good about every bite. Just mix, layer, and chill. No baking required!
If you’re in the mood for even more no-bake treats, check out my healthy peanut butter balls or date energy balls.
Table of Contents
“Just made these today. Very easy recipe. They are delicious and very satisfying as a healthy snack! I will make them again!”
Why I Love These Peanut Butter Bars
- No baking required: These come together with just a bowl and a little fridge time. Perfect when you don’t feel like turning on the oven.
- Classic peanut butter and chocolate combo: A soft peanut butter base topped with a rich chocolate layer is hard to beat.
- Perfect make-ahead dessert: These bars hold up well in the fridge, which makes them great for prepping ahead or keeping on hand for the week.
- Easy to share: They slice cleanly and travel well, so they’re great for gatherings, potlucks, or packing up for friends.
Ingredients Needed
- drippy peanut butter – the star of these bars! I used Trader Joe’s natural peanut butter with no added sugar, but any smooth, unsweetened peanut butter will work. Just make sure it’s drippy so it mixes well!
- maple syrup – naturally sweetens the bars and adds a subtle caramel-like flavor.
- oat flour – helps hold everything together. If you don’t have oat flour on hand, you can make your own oat flour by blending rolled oats in a food processor until fine and powdery.
- graham cracker crumbs – crushed graham crackers give these bars a deliciously chewy texture and just a hint of classic s’mores flavor! Use about 8 full sheets for 1 cup of crumbs.
- chocolate chips – the rich chocolate layer on top. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but feel free to use dark chocolate or even dairy-free chocolate chips if needed.
How to Make Peanut Butter Bars
Step 1: Add graham crackers to your food processor fitted with the s blade and process until they’ve turned into crumbs.
Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl add peanut butter, maple syrup, graham cracker crumbs and oat flour. Stir until combined.
Step 3: Melt chocolate chips in the microwave on 30 second increments, stir in peanut butter.
Step 4: Press peanut butter mixture into a square baking dish using your hands to make it as even as possible. Pour melted chocolate mixture on top of the peanut butter layer. Place in the fridge to set (at least 1-2 hours), then cut into squares and enjoy.
Brittany’s Tips
- Go for drippy peanut butter: The drippier, the better! A smooth, natural peanut butter with no added sugar works best here. If it’s too thick, you’ll have a hard time mixing everything together.
- Press firmly: When pressing the peanut butter mixture into the pan, really pack it down so the bars hold together nicely. A piece of parchment paper over the top can help you press it flat without getting sticky hands.
- Melt chocolate carefully: Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second bursts to avoid burning. Stir in between. Chocolate burns fast, and nobody wants to lose good chocolate to a hot microwave.
- Finish with flaky sea salt: This is optional, but I highly recommend sprinkling a little flaky sea salt on top before chilling. It adds a nice contrast to the peanut butter and chocolate and really brings the flavors together.
How to Store
- In the fridge – Store your peanut butter bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. They’ll stay firm and ready for a quick grab-and-go snack or treat whenever you need one.
- In the freezer – These bars freeze beautifully! Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze initially, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. They’ll last up to 3 months in the freezer. Just thaw in the fridge or at room temp when you’re ready to enjoy them again!
Frequently Asked Questions
A food processor makes it super quick, but you can also crush the graham crackers in a plastic bag using a rolling pin. Just get them as fine as possible for the best texture.
Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work wonderfully, but feel free to use milk chocolate or even dairy-free chocolate chips if you prefer. Just make sure it’s a chocolate that melts well and complements peanut butter!
More Peanut Butter Treats to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup drippy peanut butter, no added sugar (I used Trader Joe’s)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup oat flour
- 8 full sheets of graham crackers, crushed (about 1 cup of crumbs)
Chocolate Layer
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
Instructions
- Add graham crackers to your food processor fitted with the s blade and process until they’ve turned into crumbs.
- In a medium mixing bowl add peanut butter, maple syrup, graham cracker crumbs and oat flour. Stir until combined.
- Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment and press peanut butter mixture into it using your hands to make it as even as possible.
- Melt chocolate chips in the microwave on 30 second increments, stir in peanut butter. Pour melted peanut butter chocolate mixture on top of the peanut butter layer.
- Place in the fridge to set (at least 1-2 hours), then cut into squares and enjoy.
Notes
- Storing: Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Equipment
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Just made these today. Very easy recipe. They are delicious and very satisfying as a healthy snack! I will make them again!
That makes me so happy to hear, Melissa! So glad they were a hit. Thanks for trying the recipe and for leaving a review. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Any idea if these could work out if you just lay out the graham crackers on the bottom of the pan and then let the other ingredients soak into them before topping with the chocolate? Might be risky!?
Hey Jan – That’s a creative idea, but I’m not sure it would turn out quite right with whole graham crackers on the bottom. The bars might end up being quite messy since the crackers likely won’t soften enough or bind well with the peanut butter layer. I’d recommend sticking with the crushed graham crackers for the best results — they really help create that classic, cohesive bar texture!
Thanks for another delicious recipe.
I made this today and these are very tasty and very easy to make – my husband loves peanut butter cups – so he really liked these too – but much more healthy version! We both like these better than them also.
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m so glad you and your husband loved this recipe. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Delicious! And easy to make! I made these as part of a holiday cookie plate using Sunbutter and carob chips. Very rich! So I cut them smaller into bite sized pieces. Everyone loved them! Big hit!!
Yay! I’m so glad this recipe was a hit. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I appreciate it!
Hi Brittany,
First, thanks for all the delicious recipes. I have tried many of them and they’re good. For this one, you say to use “drippy” peanut butter. I have some natural peanut butter, but it’s not drippy. In fact, I wouldn’t know how to buy drippy peanut butter. Would it work for me to add a bit of peanut oil? Or is there another trick for making normal peanut butter into drippy peanut butter. Any suggestions?
Hi Alex. Thanks so much for trying my recipes. I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying them! For drippy peanut butter, look for natural ones with just peanuts (and maybe salt) listed as the ingredients. If yours isn’t drippy, you can stir in a little peanut oil or warm it in the microwave for a few seconds to thin it out. Hope that helps!