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People go wild for these No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars! They only take 5 ingredients and 10 minutes (plus chilling time) to make, and they take just seconds to disappear. This is my grandma’s recipe which she dubbed “Almost Reese’s.”
These no-bake peanut butter bars are a must-make for anyone who loves the timeless combination of chocolate and peanut butter.
I’ve had this recipe on my site for years, and it’s always been popular. The only issue is, some readers complained the peanut butter mixture was “grainy” if the brown sugar didn’t dissolve properly in the melted butter.
We reworked the recipe and swapped out all the brown sugar for an equal amount of graham cracker crumbs. I personally think it’s better (sorry grandma!) and there are no issues with graininess anymore. I hope you love it! And if you like the old way better, you can continue to 1 ½ cups brown sugar instead of the graham cracker crumbs.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Butter: Cold butter usually softens up in about 30 minutes when left out at room temperature (much longer if frozen). To soften butter in the microwave, cut each stick of butter in half, unwrap, and place on a microwave-safe plate. Then cook the butter at 10% power (that’s ten percent!) for 1 minute. Afterward, gently press on the butter with your finger. If still too firm, cook for another 40 seconds at 10% power.
- Graham cracker crumbs: The original version of this recipe was prone to grittiness (the brown sugar would not always dissolve completely in the melted butter). To fix this issue, we updated the recipe to use graham cracker crumbs instead of brown sugar, and it’s fabulous. But if you miss the old way, just substitute an equal amount of brown sugar for the graham cracker crumbs.
- Peanut butter: I use store-bought peanut butter for this recipe, and Skippy is my favorite brand.
- Chocolate: I like regular semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate if you prefer that.
Step-by-step instructions
- Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with a foil sling for easy cleanup and coat with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, cream 5 tablespoons butter, graham crackers, and powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in peanut butter.
- Mix well and press into prepared pan.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and remaining 5 tablespoons butter for 1 minute. Stir carefully and continue to microwave in 30-second increments until smooth, stirring after each increment. Pour over peanut butter filling and spread evenly.
- Chill until completely firm, at least 3 hours or overnight. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: I calculated the yield based on using an 8-inch by 8-inch pan and cutting the bars into 2-inch squares. This makes 16 bars. Your yield may vary depending on which size pan you use and how you cut the bars. The bars are very rich, so smaller pieces may be appreciated by some guests.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. Or, if you live in a cold climate and the temperature is 40 degrees or less, feel free to store these in the pan in your garage or on your patio.
- Make ahead: These bars need some time to set up, so plan on chilling them at least a few hours, preferably overnight.
- Freezer: The Peanut Butter Bars can be frozen for up to 2 months. You can either freeze them unsliced in the pan, or slice them into pieces and store them in layers between parchment paper.
Recipe FAQs
Some cooks prefer crunchy peanut butter for the bottom layer, and even chop up peanuts for pressing over the warm chocolate before it sets up. Get creative!
If I’m using a 9″x 13″ baking pan for this recipe, I will usually make a double batch. BUT, readers have used a larger pan for a single recipe and have been happy too, claiming it makes a thinner bar that is more like the real thing.
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No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons butter room temperature, divided (see note 1)
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (see note 2)
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter (see note 3)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips (see note 4)
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with a foil sling for easy cleanup and coat with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, cream 5 tablespoons butter, graham crackers, and powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well and press into prepared pan.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and remaining 5 tablespoons butter for 1 minute. Stir carefully and continue to microwave in 30-second increments until smooth, stirring after each increment. Pour over peanut butter filling and spread evenly.
- Chill until completely firm, at least 3 hours or overnight. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Butter: Cold butter usually softens up in about 30 minutes when left out at room temperature (much longer if frozen). To soften butter in the microwave, cut each stick of butter in half, unwrap, and place on a microwave-safe plate. Then cook the butter at 10% power (that’s ten percent!) for 1 minute. Afterward, gently press on the butter with your finger. If still too firm, cook for another 40 seconds at 10% power.
- Graham cracker crumbs: The original version of this recipe was prone to grittiness (the brown sugar would not always dissolve completely in the melted butter). To fix this issue, we updated the recipe to use graham cracker crumbs instead of brown sugar, and it’s fabulous. But if you miss the old way, just substitute an equal amount of brown sugar for the graham cracker crumbs.
- Peanut butter: I use store-bought peanut butter for this recipe, and Skippy is my favorite brand.
- Chocolate: I like regular semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate if you prefer that.
- Yield: I calculated the yield based on using an 8-inch by 8-inch pan and cutting the bars into 2-inch squares. This makes 16 bars. Your yield may vary depending on which size pan you use and how you cut the bars. The bars are very rich, so smaller pieces may be appreciated by some guests.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. Or, if you live in a cold climate and the temperature is 40 degrees or less, feel free to store these in the pan in your garage or on your patio.
- Make ahead: These bars need some time to set up, so plan on chilling them at least a few hours, preferably overnight.
- Freezer: The Peanut Butter Bars can be frozen for up to 2 months. You can either freeze them unsliced in the pan, or slice them into pieces and store them in layers between parchment paper.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I love these! I prefer the brown sugar recipe. I guess I like them gritty lol!
Hi Jenny, so happy you love them! – Meggan
today is going to be my second time making these. They are so good and my family loves them! I have to say the first time I had no graham crackers and used Ritz crackers which worked well. Today I’m going to make them the right way! Thanks for a recipe keeper!
Hi Meggan, what do you think about using 1/2 Graham crackers and 1/2 brown sugar for the Graham cracker part? Do you think that would turn out ok?
Hi Diane, yes! Just make sure to mix it well so the brown sugar dissolves. Take care! – Meggan
i would like to make some peanut butter bars , you have listed ingredients but not the amounts to use properly. please advise.
Hi Brett, please continue scrolling to the recipe card towards the bottom of the post and you will see the ingredients, amounts, and directions. You can also clip the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the post. Take care!
Do these need to be kept refrigerated?
Will they melt or get mushy if left out?
Hi Pat, yes! I recommend keeping them refrigerated up until you serve them and storing the leftovers in the fridge as well. – Meggan
HI MEGAN,
IT IS 04/10/22 AT 1530 HOURS AND I’VE GOT A POWERFUL “HANKRIN” FOR PEANUT BUTTER BARS. I CAME ACROSS YOUR WEBSITE AND MY TUMMY SAID YUMMM!!! THAT IS UNTIL I NOTICED THAT YOUR VIDEO HAD NO AMOUNTS FOR THE INGREDIENTS. SO I WENT TO “GET THE RECIPE: http://www.culinaryhill.com/chocolate.” ( I really dislike having to got to a 2nd site just to get recipe amounts) IT STARTED OFF WITH “People go wild for my grandma’s no-bake Peanut Butter Bars!” BUT AS I STARTED SCROLLING DOWN, THE PAGE STARTED DROPPING DOWN BEFORE I GOT TO THE INGREDIENT AMOUNTS, IT RESTARTED TO “People go wild for my grandma’s no-bake Peanut Butter Bars!” 5 TIMES UNTIL THE PAGE DISAPPEARED TO ONE VERY VERY LONG WHITE SCREEN. FINALLY GOT BACK TO THE PICTURE OF THE INGREDIENTS , IN BOWLS AND ON TO THE BOTTOM AND THE INFORMATION THAT I NEEDED.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW TO CHECK YOUR WEBSITE JUST IN CASE IT WASN’T MY DESKTOP SCREWING UP. EXCUSE ME NOW, I’VE GOT A TUMMY TO ATTEND TO.
Hi Lee, I’m sorry that you’re having computer issues! Sounds like a browser issue. Thank you for leaving a comment so I can check on our side. Take care! – Meggan
I was wondering if adding butterscotch chips to the chocolate chips would be good.??I love it on the scotcheroos.
Hi Shirley, that pairing sounds great! I’ve never tested it myself but I don’t see what could go wrong. Hope you enjoy, come back and let me know how it goes! – Meggan
I use icing sugar and graham cracker crumbs instead of brown sugar and a tablespoon of smooth peanut butter in with the chocolate chips instead of butter. These are definitely a few interesting changes though, I really like the idea of brown sugar ya!
Oh and when it comes to melting chocolate, am I the only one who, instead of using the double boiler method, just puts a small pot over the rear burner and turns the oven on? Lol. It works like a charm, every time!
Hi, those are interesting substitutions, I’m glad it came out well! I haven’t tried doing that to melt chocolate, I would worry that I’d forget it and it would burn. Take care – Meggan
Just made these, and oh my goodness! Tastes like a peanut butter cup. Such a creamy and rich texture Used semi-sweet chips and wow, delicious. Very easy recipe to throw together quickly.