No Bake Peanut Butter Bars {just like Reese’s!}
These no bake peanut butter bars are the perfect summer treat. They won’t heat up your kitchen and are so simple to make. They taste just like Reese’s peanut butter cups!
No-bake.
Music to your ears during the hot, hot summer, no?
Peanut Butter. Chocolate. No-bake.
Sounding better and better, right?
Let me also tell you how dangerous these are. We’re talking put-them-in-the-freezer-to-“forget”-about-them-but-proceed-to-eat-them-straight-out-of-the-freezer good. Who cares if they almost break your teeth? Who cares if you get chocolate all over your face? Who cares if your overly sensitive teeth sting as you bite through the cold chocolate and peanut butter? Who cares? Your stomach is happy. Very, very happy.
These no bake peanut butter bars couldn’t be any simpler to make, either. Really, really easy and you don’t have to turn the oven on.
Hence the “no bake,” in case you haven’t had your coffee yet today.
The addition of graham cracker crumbs gives these the signature texture of Reese’s peanut butter cups. Slightly grainy, but in a good way — not gross like it sounds. I’m serious you guys. These things are good. Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood. If you make these for any event, your friends and family are going to be absolutely raving about them.
Enjoy!
Updated to add: Since writing this post, my son has been diagnosed with a peanut allergy (amongst other food allergies), and going back in to edit and freshen up this post is quite torturous! I wish I could whip up a batch of these right now. Who wants to make some and invite me over to eat them?
Craving more no bake treats? These no bake lemon berry cheesecakes are one of my favorites! If you’re looking for something a bit healthier, try these chocolate protein balls. And your kids will adore these Fruity Pebbles no bake bars! I also can’t wait to try these Cookie Dough Bars from The View From Great Island.
No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
These no bake peanut butter bars are the perfect summer treat. Simple to make, won’t heat up your kitchen, and taste just like Reese’s peanut butter cups!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon oil
Directions:
- Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar, peanut butter, vanilla and salt. Stir frequently until butter is melted and all ingredients are combined. Remove from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs. Spread into prepared pan, tapping down on counter to level it out. Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, gently melt chocolate chips and oil in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring well in between each interval until smooth. Spread over peanut butter mixture, tapping down on the counter again to smooth out and get rid of any air bubbles. Return to fridge and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cut while cold and serve. Store any extras in the fridge.
adapted from I Heart Nap Time
All images and text ©.
Verdict: Umm I probably gained ten pounds eating these darn things. I wish I was joking. Worth every bite, though.
Husband’s take: I’m pretty sure he liked them too but I was too busy stuffing my face to listen to his thoughts on these bars.
Changes I would make: GIVE THEM AWAY before I eat them all.
Difficulty: Super easy!
Hi, I'm Rachel! This site features a wide variety of recipes with one common thread: easy preparations. I love creating accessible and delicious food that will please the whole family. Hope you enjoy! (
Made these today…yum! Mixed semi sweet and milk chocolate chips for the topping and increased the cups to 1 1/2.
I like the idea of mixing semisweet and milk chocolate. I’m glad you liked this recipe – thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
I am wanting to know if I could use vegetable oil in this recipe cause I don’t have any butter and if so how much
Unfortunately, that won’t work for this recipe. Butter is necessary for the final texture. It’s definitely worth a trip to the store!
I was excited to try these, but disappointed. The bottom layer is too dry, so they crumble and the chocolate layer separates.I just read “Hello Homebody’s recipe for the same squares. She only uses 1 cup of graham wafer crumbs.
Sorry to hear they didn’t turn out for you, many people have had a lot of success with this recipe. Are you sure you used the full amount of butter?
I’m looking to make these but I’m from the uk. I’m buying some graham crackers from Amazon however I don’t know how many boxes to buy because I need 2 cups. Can someone help me out please :)
Thank you
1 box should be plenty. :)
OMG! These are so good, I made them after lunch and the smell was so good my neighbor knocked on my door to ask what I was making.
Looks like I’ll be making these on a regular basis. They are so good, my husband and oldest son are devouring them!!!!!!!!!
Yes! SO glad you liked them. I need to make them again but that’s pretty much a guarantee I’ll gain ten pounds. ;)
I made these last night…they are DANGEROUSLY good! Sending them in with the hubs to work so they’re out of the house!!!
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My husband saw the photo for these bars while I was scrolling through Facebook. “I could eat some of those right now,” he commented. So I whipped up a batch. They were delicious! :D
I love that! Thanks for letting me know :)
Oooooo, Buckeye Bars! My favorite growing up, though we didn’t add the graham cracker crumbs. I have no doubt they would only enhance the bars. :)
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i used to make these all the time a few years ago, and stopped for obvious reasons. it’s been way too long… and frozen was my favorite way to eat these too!
I all too often put things in the freezer to hide them from myself, and the hallmark of a good recipe is if I risk tooth-breaking to eat it straight. These would pose a SERIOUS risk. But one I’m willing to take.
I think I have died and gone to heaven. Reese’s peanut butter cups are my absolute favorite thing in the world. And you know I will be the one eating them out of the freezer breaking my teeth. So if you see someone on the street with chocolate all over their face and broken in half teeth, you are probably seeing me :)
haha! Your comment made my day!
These would be dangerous at my house! We’d devour them in no time!
yum
Over the years I’ve left behind most of the treats that are available at eye level to consumers in the grocery store…the candy bars they all hope we will HAVE TO HAVE. Except Rolos and Peanut Butter Cups. I want to make these bad; I will have to make sure someone else is in the house to squirrel them away from ME!
Just eat the whole pan. :) It’s pretty much what I did.
OMG dangerous is right!!!!
Sooooo dangerous.
These look delish. Will have to try them with SunButter due to peanut allergy.
Let me know how they turn out!
Ooh, these look SO good! Peanut butter + chocolate is such an amazing combo + the fact that these are no-bake makes them even better. =)
Thanks Amy!
No-bake is music to my ears! Your right, these would be totally dangerous to keep in my house. I don’t even think they would make it to the freezer.
haha! Yeah…they were waaaay too good.
I have made these before – definitely addicting, and so good!
Sooo addicting!
Say no more, I’m in! These bars look super deliciously dangerous, just the way you described them! I have seen recipes for peanut butter cup-ish things that incorporate graham crackers and have been curious and this will be the recipe that cures my curiosity!
Yay! Let me know what you think of them!
These are trouble!!
Yes, yes they are.
These look perfect!! It’s like a buckeye candy, in a bar…what’s not to love?! I think I would have to give them away pretty fast too, or else I’d eat them endlessly (my obsession is chocolate and peanut butter)
Love buckeyes!
You deliver right? Because I want some immediately.
hehe! I wish!
Mmm…these look and sound amazing! Love.Love.Love chocolate and peanut butter together! Going to make these “for the kids” (yea right…hubby and I will be chowing down after the kids go to bed…) but I’ll try using ground oats in place of the graham crackers so I can keep them GF for me :-) Thanks for sharing!
oooh let me know how it goes with ground oats! What a great idea!
I love these bars. I add Nutella to mine, too! The more nut butters/spreads I can pack into 1 bar, the better. I even put something similar in my cookbook! I bet your family loved you for these :)
Mmm…Nutella would be great! My family? I was supposed to share? ;)
Yum, these look amazing! We have a college study gathering on Monday nights and I might have to make these for them soon!
I bet they would be devoured! What are you studying?
We’re studying the Cross Centered Life by c.j. mahaney. It’s a great little super short book – good for mothers of young children!! :)
Sounds awesome! I’ll have to look into it!
These are perfect! It’s warming up again here today too and I love no-bake desserts for that reason. I love PB/chocolate too!
Thanks Cassie! It’s sooo hot here too.
In my neck of the woods (Ohio)–they used to serve these at school (before they realized they should serve healthier options)–and they are called Hollywood Squares. A local candy place will sell a 9×13 of Hollywood Squares for $38.00!! How crazy for something so simple and cheap to make! My husband and sister could LIVE on these (and do!)
38 bucks? I’m in the wrong business!
http://www.sugar-luv.com/Hollywood-Squares-Whole-Pan_p_202.html
They are yummy—and this shop is amazing! But these are just too simple to make–buying them would be insane!
Hope you get some relief from the heat!
No bake is KEY today–we are in such a miserable heat wave :( These look tasty though!
Yessssssss! You have no idea how happy this makes me! These bars are da’bomb-izzle.
They make me happy too, Lauren! Fat and happy.
I’ve never met a chocolate-pb combo that I didn’t love! These bars look delicious and dangerous, and positively perfect!
Thanks Kelli!
i made something very similar to these before and its very addiction. Now looking at these i want to make to another batch…
Dooooo it. :)
Yes and YUM!! These look awesome!
Thanks Tieghan! PS: Loved your feature in FoodieCrush Magazine — I had no idea you were so young! I’m beyond impressed.
A recipe involving peanut butter and no bake! I’m in! Especially since I hate turning the oven on in the summer months!
Definitely! It’s so much better to avoid the oven. Usually quicker too!
I’ve made these more times than I care to admit and I have to confess that I cannot be trusted around them. No willpower. None.
Oh my gosh, Katrina. It’s absolutely scary how many I ate.
Certainly sounds like an American treat I should create in my Australian kitchen. Sometimes I just need to feel my inner Yank. :)
I think it is absolutely necessary!
These are all the things good in life. Seriously, I would eat them until I made myself sick.
I pretty much did. lol
I love these no bake treats. Reese’s are one of my favorite candies so I know these will be a hit.
You’ll love these, Meagan!
Totally had me at no-bake!
SO key during the summer months. :)
Yay for no bake! These PB bars look soooooo tasty!!
Thanks Ali! I’m loving no bake lately too.
Oh you’ve done it now!! These are my weakness!
Me tooooo!
We make a recipe similar to this, and no matter where I bring it, it receives rave reviews. People love their chocolate and pb! You definitely have me craving these bars again :)
People do love chocolate and PB — what’s not to love? ;)