This easy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars recipe uses just five ingredients and requires no oven—perfect when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen. Creamy peanut butter meets a graham cracker base and a rich dark chocolate topping for a bar that tastes like a Reese’s cup in square form.
No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
This no-bake dessert comes together quickly with a short step to melt the peanut butter and chocolate on the stove or in the microwave. If you love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate, these bars deliver that classic flavor in an easy, slice-and-serve treat.
🛒 Ingredients Needed:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full-sheet crackers)
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter, divided
- 6 ounces 70% cacao dark chocolate, chopped
✏️ How to make No Bake Peanut Butter Bars:
*Printable recipe card with exact measurements and instructions appears below.
- Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and powdered sugar. Stir in 1 cup of peanut butter until evenly mixed, then press the mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan.
- In a small bowl, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut butter together with the chopped dark chocolate, either in short bursts in the microwave or over a double boiler. Stir until smooth, then spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the peanut butter layer.
- Refrigerate the pan until the bars are completely firm, at least 2 hours. Let rest at room temperature about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve chilled.
➡️ Tips and Substitutions:
- You can buy graham cracker crumbs or make them by pulsing whole crackers in a food processor, or by placing them in a sealed bag and crushing with a rolling pin until fine.
- Almond butter is a good substitute for peanut butter; sunflower butter also works if you need a nut-free option.
- Natural peanut butter is recommended because it contains just peanuts (and sometimes salt), which gives a cleaner peanut flavor. Regular processed peanut butter can be used, but it may alter sweetness and texture.
✔️ Storage Tips:
Store leftover bars tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to one week. Remove as many as you want to enjoy and keep the rest chilled until needed.
❤️ What I Love About This Recipe:
- It captures the classic peanut butter and chocolate pairing in a simple, no-bake format.
- Bars are easy to store chilled and serve as single portions whenever you want a treat.
- They’re portable and practical for gatherings or potlucks.
Favorite No Bake Recipes:
- Rocky Road No Bake Cookies
- No Bake Chocolate Mint Bars
- No Bake Oreo Layer Dessert
- Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Balls
- No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full-sheet crackers)
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter, divided
- 6 ounces 70% cacao dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
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Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment and set aside.
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In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and powdered sugar. Stir in 1 cup peanut butter and press mixture evenly into the pan.
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In a small bowl, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons peanut butter with the chopped chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler. Stir until smooth and spread over the peanut butter layer.
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Chill in the refrigerator until completely firm, at least 2 hours. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature before cutting. Serve chilled.
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Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- These bars can sit at room temperature for a few hours when served, but keep them refrigerated for longer storage.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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