These No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars taste like Reece’s peanut butter cups! A soft peanut butter biscuit base topped with a peanut butter flavoured chocolate, all you need are 5 ingredients: biscuits, butter, chocolate, peanut butter and sugar.
This is the ultimate emergency sweet-treat!
NO BAKE Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
When it comes to sweet treats, these No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars are probably what I make the most often because it’s so quick to pull together, no bake, and WHO DOESN’T LOVE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS???
Plus, I almost always have everything I need to make these. Even though biscuits aren’t part of my weekly shop, usually if I dig deep into the giant baskets into which I toss everything that doesn’t have an obvious dedicated position in the pantry, then usually I’ll find some sort of biscuit suitable to use.
A month past the due by date, perhaps. Pffff! That’s fine. Everyone knows that the used by date for things like dried goods are conservative. Right? 😜
And actually, here’s proof of how frequently I make these: I just realised as I was pulling together the photos for this post how they don’t fit together like a set, and it’s because I shot them all on different days.
The photos you see in this post are from 3 different batches where I snapped a quick photo thinking hmm, I really should re-publish these Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars recipe with a video soon, and finally I got my butt into gear and actually did it.
Albeit I’ve ended up with a weird set of photos from three different days. Four actually – because the step photos were taken while making the recipe video! 🙈
This Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars recipe truly is pure gold. It was given to me by a reader, the lovely Dorothy from Tennessee, way back when I started this blog. It’s only 5 ingredients – crackers, peanut butter, chocolate, icing sugar (confectionary sugar) and butter. That’s it.
And it’s NO BAKE. Waiting for it to set is the hardest part of this recipe.
I usually approach “5 ingredient” recipes with caution. I find that many “5 Ingredient” recipes I see usually include a store bought sauce or similar. Like 5 ingredient BBQ chicken which includes a “bottle of your favourite barbecue sauce”.
When I see recipes like that, I instantly think that’s cheating!! 😂
Please don’t ask me why in my twisted mind, this counts as a 5 ingredient recipe “made from scratch” even though it is made using crackers. It just is.
#FemaleLogic
– Nagi x
For the Peanut Butter Obsessed
Peanut Butter Caramel Pie – dangerously easy, outrageously decadent
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies – just 3 ingredients!
More irresistible bars and slices
Brownies!! AND Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownies – ooh la la!
Caramel Slice (aka Millionaire’s Bar!) – the great Aussie favourite!
Strawberry Bars – made with tons of fresh strawberries!
Easiest Ever Raspberries Jam Bars and Lemon Bars
And more emergency sweet treats – 3 Ingredient Desserts!!
1 ingredient Dulce de Leche – Slow Cooker Caramel
Classic Scones – and faster Lemonade Scones – both 3 ingredients!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Sometimes it helps to have a visual so watch me make these Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
5 Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (NO BAKE!)
Ingredients
Base
- 115g / 1/2 cup / 1 US stick melted salted butter (or unsalted butter + 1/4 tsp salt)
- 1 cup crushed Arnott’s Marie crackers (11 crackers) or graham cracker crumbs (8 crackers) (Note 1)
- 1 cup icing sugar / powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup peanut butter (smooth)
Topping
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips – the melting kind (US: semi sweet) (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp peanut butter (smooth)
Instructions
- Butter and line a 8″ / 20cm square dish or pan with baking paper.
- Place the Base ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Press into the prepared pan.
- Melt the Topping ingredients (I do it in the microwave in 2 x 30 second bursts). Pour and spread over the Base – smooth the top or do swirls (see photos for examples of each).
- Refrigerate until set – about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from fridge, allow to come to room temp slightly (so top cuts neatly). Cut into 16 squares (or whatever shape you want!). Best served at room temperature.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars recipe was originally published January 2018. Updated for some housekeeping matters in October 2018, no change to recipe!
LIFE OF DOZER
That time he snuck on mum’s couch and we wondered how many cushions we could pile on him. We ran out of cushions.
Hi Nagi I’m from Aus. And just had to try this recipe as my hubby just adores peanut butter and is a chock-a-holick. So to keep up his energy levels as he just loves to dig holes for me on request (he has to) on our acres, I have to keep him happy and obliging. As he like dark and I like white I varied it a bit with swirls of white chock (as I had some in the fridge) using a skewer, very decorative and utterly delicious! Love the fudgy base. Thank you so much
Carmen!!! You’re hubby is one LUCKY guy. Not only do you make these for him but you do swirls to accommodate the both of you!! Soooo cute 🙂 Where in Aus are you? I’m up in the northern beaches are of Sydney! N x
Thanks Nagi for the lovely complement. My husband and I retired here onto our 5acre property just on ten years ago from the Central Coast just about an hour North Easterly from Newcastlein in the lovely little country town of Barrington just 5ks further on from Gloucester. This arvo I made the criss-crossed cheese and garlic stuffed sour dough bread to complement my chicken and veg soup for a late lunch, soo lovely. I will definitely make it for our family sometime! Love checking out your recipes as they are soo simplistic.
I LOVE Barrington!! We got camping at the Barrington River – a place called the Steps! And I am very fond of the town pub – we always stop by in the way there AND on the way home!
Oooh, so glad you tried the crack bread. It’s CRAZY delicious isn’t it! N x
These look so beautiful – and more importantly super inviting. Mel and I will have to share!
Dorothy is a kicker, right? Always fun to interact with and her husband gets fed very well 😉
Pinning and making this one soon.
Her husband is seriously one lucky guy! PS Looks like you had a FAB grill out on the weekend! 😉
We did indeed, thanks to you. Sorry for my quick iPhone pic, but we devoured that Thai chicken rather quickly. 🙂
I lived many years there and I’m a certified Tennessee VOL but I never had this recipe. I wish I’d known Dorothy then but it’s quite possible she wasn’t born yet. 🙂
Dorothy, I think I’m in love with you. I’ll give you my finest East Tennessee phrase. “You’re finer than a frog hair split four ways!”
I’m off to make these.
Hi Maureen! We are transplants from MI and love it here in TN! As to age, well I’m guessing that I’ve got some years on you! Thank you for the kind comments!
Maureen, when she reads this, I think you’ll make her day 🙂 Thank you for such a sweet comment!! N x
This looks great! I love chocolate and peanut butter. Is there a reason why it has to be smooth peanut butter? I love crunchy PB.
Hi Nisi! Go wild – use crunchy!!! 🙂
This look so tempting! Bookmarking to try out soon <3
Hope you do Priya!! 🙂 N x
Wow these look so good. And so perfectly sliced too!
He he!! Everyone keeps comment on the slicing….I didn’t even think about it! Just CUT it!! 🙂
When I saw this recipe/photo, I did my best not to squeal like the little chocolate and peanut butter piglet that I am! I love the fact that it’s NO BAKE and who doesn’t have these ingredients in their pantry? I’m going to take inspiration from this and try a sugar free version for me, myself, and I because it looks like they would be hard to share! I want them all to myself! Gorgeous photo And thank you Dorothy for the recipe!
You crack me up!! Chocolate and peanut butter piglet? He he he!!! You are TOO FUNNY!! Dorothy is the best. She has such great taste! This recipe is totally GOLD. 🙂
Yum! These remind me of buckeyes but without all the work of rolling them into balls and dipping. If you want even more crunch you can mix in some Rice Krispies cereal into the base layer – so good!
Oooh, I got that tip from another reader! I should add that into the recipe. Thanks Tara!! Happy weekend! N x
Love the pic with the bite taken – these look as tempting Nagi – even for me who does have much of a sweet tooth. Your images are just so beautiful and tempting!
Thanks Rachel! You and I are two peas in a pod….95% of the recipes I share are savoury because I don’t have much of a sweet tooth either. When I go to restaurants, I usually can’t fit in in 3 full course so I choose 2 and I always choose an entree and main, rather than main and dessert!! Though I have also been known to do 2 x entrees and dessert!! N x
Heyya.. That looks like my kind of treat! Thanks to Dorothy for sharing it with you… your food styling is really incredible Nagi. That slice that you’ve bitten looks so yummy. I’m also wondering about how you managed to cut them so clean, they look perfect. 🙂 Thanks for sharing… 🙂
Hi Sneha! Honestly no trick to cutting them clean 🙂 All I did was run a large sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry then slice! I think because the slice base isn’t crumbly that’s why it sliced so neatly! 🙂
I was already smitten with this recipe and now I see that it’s NO BAKE! These look incredible.
Dorothy is such a gem, isn’t she? I’ve got a recipe of hers in the queue on my blog too. I love her thoughtful comments.
Hi Marissa! Thank you so much for your kind comment!
Oooh! I look forward to seeing what she shared with you!! 🙂 N x
It must be peanut butter chocolate week! I’m also wondering about how you managed to cut them so clean, they look perfect. 🙂
No tricks! I’m not much of a baker so I don’t have any styling tips for sweets 🙂 I just used a very big sharp knife and ran it under warm water then wiped it dry before using. 🙂
You must think I’m following in your footsteps or something!! 🙂
That looks like my kind of treat! Thanks to Dorothy for sharing it with you… your food styling is really incredible Nagi. That slice that you’ve bitten looks so yummy. Wait, it’s calling me!
It sure is calling your name Mel!! What are you waiting for?? 😉 N x
What can I substitute graham crackers or Ann Marie crackers with in the UK? Would digestive biscuits be ok? They have a distinctive malty flavour due to the use of coarse brown wheat flour.
Hi Ann! Digestives are perfect. I actually made them with digestives the other day. I love digestives!!! You can’t taste that malty flavour once everything else is in. Well, at least I couldn’t. 🙂 I’ll update the recipe!
Hi Nagi
Made these today with Digestives. Mmmmm awesome. Do I really have to leave some until my family get home? If I eat the lot they would never know that I had made them, would they? he he. On second thoughts I would probably feel quite ill and then they might just guess! I’ll be nice and leave some for them – this time…..
Ann! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!! Forget your family. Pop them in a box and hide them somewhere. They’ll never know…until you go up a jeans size!! He he!! 🙂
simple and delicious. those are the best. and thank you for allowing me to keep the oven off in this texas heat! haha
Ha! Didn’t even THINK of your heat but yes! Perfect for those lucky ones in the height of summer. I’ll trade your heat for our miserable cold weather anyday. 🙂
These are just so darn decadent! And they are FIVE ingredients AND they are no bake!!! Darn! Why are they on my screen on not on my plate! 🙂
Shashi, these are ridiculous. RIDICULOUS! Honestly. I cannot get over how good they are and how FAST they are to make!! N x
Wow these bars look incredible and sound so easy to make! I love your photography by the way, the shadows and the lighting makes them look stunning! Your food is too pretty to eat!
Thanks for the kind words – but there’s no such thing as too pretty to eat!! 😉 N x
Woot, woot! Way to go Dorothy! Thanks for posting this incredible recipe, Nagi! You know I have a serious weakness for peanut butter and chocolate! I can’t get over how quickly and easily I can make these…. this could be dangerous, very dangerous indeed!
Dorothy is a LEGEND. I seriously have made these so many times its ridiculous. Chocolate melts, graham crackers and peanut butter are now regular pantry items because of this recipe. It’s my “go to” sweet treat whenever people are coming over cause it literally takes 10 minutes to make!! N x
Hi Nagi! You are way over inflating my ego! I just like good, sometimes simple and sometimes complex, food! That said, I will definitely tell my husband that I am now as “Legend”. Haha! 🙂
Well you’re certainly becoming famous on MY site! have you seen all the comments about you from other readers and bloggers? 🙂 N x Thank you again! N x
Yesssssssss to everything about this. Graham cracker crusts are my favorite to make (and eat)! And chocolate and peanut butter is the best combination. Is it weird to say I’m in love with Dorothy because of this recipe?
Not weird at ALL! She’s a legend!! 🙂 I know, how good are Graham cracker crusts?? Honestly, forget the cheesecake filling. Just give me more crust!! N x
Hi Nagi! You are too funny about the cheesecake crust! We have a friend (80 years “young” man) with an enormous sweet tooth – he buys graham cracker pie crusts and fills them with Redi-whip! I have another graham cracker, chocolate snack/dessert that I will get to you soon!
Nagi! I can’t even right now! These pictures are ridic! Like probablly my fave on your site…that steam… omg these pictures are pure porn…excuse I am going out for a ciggie…OK I’m back. That was intense 🙂 I make a no bake chocolate pastry that my mama used to make …and people are nuts about it… it makes me happy cuz it’s mama’s recipe and I can now teach everyone how to make it…but you know…this recipe…it makes me think of a VERY exciting twist 🙂 Stay tuned. And wow… those pics… have mercy.
No bake chocolate pastry? I need that recipe….I’ll do a twist on that, you do a twist on this!! 🙂 (P Your enthusiasm CRACKS ME UP!!) N x
Done! Here is the linky 🙂 http://wp.me/p40Zjn-1ng
Already got it and saved it!! 🙂