RECIPE: No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

I stumbled upon this recipe a few weeks ago after attending a holiday party with some girlfriends. After looking at the recipe, I realized I had all of these ingredients in my pantry— only 5 simple ingredients. There is no oven required but your family will think you spent hours in the kitchen.  The first batch I made was with my 14 year old son, Koleman. Our family devoured these bars within a few days. To my surprise, I came home from work the following week and Koleman was back in the kitchen surprising us with a fresh batch. These no-bake bars are a great holiday dessert or even during the summer since you don’t have to heat up the kitchen.  

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: 20-24 squares

 

1/2 cup salted butter, melted*

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full sheet graham crackers)

2 cups confectioners’ sugar 

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter, divided

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

1. Prep an 8×8″ or 9×9” square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper lining.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and confectioners’ sugar, then stir in 1 cup of peanut butter.

3. Press this mixture evenly into a lined baking pan.

4. Mix remaining 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter with the chocolate chips, then melt the mixture in the microwave or on the stove, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread on top of the pressed mixture in the baking pan. 

5. Put in the refrigerator and chill until completely firm (at least 2 hours). Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting, then serve chilled. They can also sit out for a few hours at room temperature. 

6. Store leftover bars in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

 

1. Freezing Instructions: Bars can be frozen, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

2. Butter: If using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt with the peanut butter in step 2.

3. Peanut Butter: For best texture, processed creamy peanut butter, such as Jif or Skippy, is recommended. Oily or natural style peanut butter will not produce desired results. 

 

 

We found this original recipe on SallysBakingAddiction.com.