These no-bake peanut butter bars, also called peanut butter squares, are three layers in one square pan: a graham cracker and chunky peanut butter base, a creamy peanut butter middle, and a semisweet chocolate top. You need about 20 minutes of hands-on work and at least 2 hours in the fridge, and one 8 or 9 inch pan cuts into 16 bars.
Nothing goes in the oven. The one step that decides how they look on the plate is the cut: let the chilled slab sit for 10 to 15 minutes first, and the chocolate slices instead of cracking.
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Try the Recipe Converter →They sit in the same no-bake family as my peanut butter marshmallow squares and peanut butter Rice Krispie treats, but these are denser and closer to a peanut butter cup in bar form.
What Goes Into Each of the Three Layers
- Base: 1 cup melted unsalted butter, 2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup chunky peanut butter, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Middle: ¾ cup creamy peanut butter and ½ cup powdered sugar
- Top: 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon coconut oil or unsalted butter
- Pan: 8×8 or 9×9 inch square, lined with parchment that hangs over two sides
- Time: 20 minutes to make, at least 2 hours to chill
- Yield: 16 bars
8×8 or 9×9 Pan: How the Bars Change
Both pans take the same amounts and give 16 bars, just not the same bars.
- 8×8 inch pan: thicker layers and 2 inch squares. Rich and tall, closer to fudge. Give it the full 2 hours, or a little longer, before you cut.
- 9×9 inch pan: thinner layers and squares about 2¼ inches wide. They set faster, the chocolate is thinner, and the knife goes through more cleanly.
If you care most about neat edges for a tray or a bake sale, use the 9 inch pan. If you want a thick bite with a soft middle, use the 8 inch.
Chunky Peanut Butter Below, Creamy on Top
The base uses chunky peanut butter on purpose. The bits of peanut give the crumb layer some crunch and help it hold together, so it reads as a crust and not as a second soft layer. The middle uses creamy peanut butter so it spreads smooth and shows a clean stripe when you cut.
Use the regular no-stir kind for both. Natural peanut butter, the type with oil on top, keeps releasing that oil. In a base that already has a full cup of butter, it turns greasy, and the middle layer stays soft even after chilling.
Pressing the Graham Cracker Base
Crush the graham crackers until they look like fine sand, with no pieces bigger than a lentil. Coarse crumbs are the main reason a base crumbles off the bars later.
Stir the melted butter, crumbs, chunky peanut butter and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl until no dry crumbs are left. It will be thick, a little shiny and heavy on the spoon. Tip it into the lined pan.
Press it flat with the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat glass. Work into the corners and along the edges, where the layer is usually thinnest. Firm, even pressure now means even bars later. If the base feels very soft because the butter was hot, 10 minutes in the fridge makes the next layer easier to spread.
Spreading the Creamy Middle Without Lifting the Base
Stir the creamy peanut butter and powdered sugar together until smooth, with no streaks of white. It should be thick but spreadable, like soft frosting.
Drop it over the base in several spoonfuls instead of one big mound, then join them with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Short strokes from the middle out keep the crumbs from lifting into the filling. If it is too stiff to spread, warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir.
The texture of this layer is close to the filling in my Amish peanut butter cream pie, just firmer, because there is no cream in it.
Melting the Chocolate So It Slices Later
Put the chocolate chips and the coconut oil or butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20 second bursts and stir after each one. Stop while a few soft lumps are still there, then keep stirring. The heat in the bowl melts them and the chocolate stays glossy instead of scorching.
That tablespoon of fat matters more than it looks. Plain melted chips set into a hard, brittle shell that shatters under a knife. The coconut oil or butter keeps the set chocolate just soft enough to cut. Keep the bowl and spatula dry, because a drop of water can make melted chocolate seize into a thick paste.
Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter layer, then tilt the pan or nudge it with a spatula until it reaches every edge. An even top is an even cut.
Chilling and Cutting 16 Even Squares
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until the chocolate is firm and no longer shows a fingerprint. Lift the whole slab out by the parchment and set it on a board.
Leave it at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Then run a large sharp knife under hot water, dry it, and score the chocolate along your cut lines. Press straight down instead of sawing, and wipe and warm the blade between cuts. Four cuts each way gives you 16 bars.
If the Bars Crack, Crumble or Look Greasy
- The chocolate cracks: the slab is too cold, or the knife was sawed back and forth. Wait the full 10 to 15 minutes and use a warm, dry blade.
- The base falls apart: the crumbs were too coarse or the layer was pressed lightly. Next time crush finer and pack it hard, especially at the edges.
- The bars feel greasy or soft: usually natural peanut butter, or bars that sat out in a warm room. Chill them again for 30 minutes and serve cold.
- The chocolate slides off the middle: the chocolate was poured very hot onto a soft filling. Let it cool for a minute or two before pouring.
Keeping the Squares Fresh in the Fridge or Freezer
Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, with parchment between the layers so the chocolate tops do not stick. Serve them cold for a firm bite, or let them sit out for a few minutes if you like the middle softer.
To freeze, wrap the cut bars well and keep them frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Other Peanut Butter Treats That Skip the Oven
If you like these, try buckeyes, which are the same peanut butter and chocolate pair rolled into balls, or peanut butter fudge when you want something even simpler. Peanut butter no bake cookies add oats, and a no-bake peanut butter pie turns the idea into a dessert for slicing at the table.
When you do want to turn the oven on, chocolate peanut butter brownies are the baked cousin of these bars.
Short Answers on Peanut Butter Squares
Are peanut butter squares and peanut butter slice the same thing?
Yes. “Slice” is the usual name in the UK, Australia and New Zealand for a bar baked or set in a tray and cut into pieces. A no-bake chocolate peanut butter slice is this same layered bar.
Can I make them without graham crackers?
Yes. Use the same 2 cups of fine crumbs from digestive biscuits or vanilla wafers. The base will taste a little different but sets the same way.
Do no-bake peanut butter bars need to stay in the fridge?
Yes. They hold their shape at room temperature for a short time, but the layers soften. Store them in the fridge and set them out shortly before serving.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
These no-bake peanut butter bars are layered peanut butter squares made with graham cracker crumbs, chunky and creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar and semisweet chocolate. They take about 20 minutes to make plus 2 hours to chill, and one 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan cuts into 16 bars with a crunchy base, a smooth peanut butter middle and a firm chocolate top. A tablespoon of coconut oil or butter in the chocolate keeps the top soft enough to slice cleanly, and a 10 to 15 minute rest before cutting stops it cracking. Serve them as chocolate peanut butter bars for bake sales, lunch boxes or holiday trays. Keep them in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- FOR THE CRUNCHY BASE
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (finely crushed)
- 1 cup chunky peanut butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- FOR THE CREAMY FILLING
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or unsalted butter
Instructions
- LINE YOUR PAN: Line an 8x8 or 9x9 inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving extra overhang on the sides to make lifting the bars out easier once set.
- MAKE THE CRUNCHY BASE: In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, chunky peanut butter, and powdered sugar until the mixture is fully combined and thick. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon or a flat-bottomed glass to firmly compact and level it.
- ADD THE CREAMY LAYER: In a separate bowl, stir the creamy peanut butter and powdered sugar together until smooth and uniform. Spread this mixture evenly over the crunchy base. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.
- MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING: Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second increments, stirring after each, until the chocolate is completely melted and glossy.
- SPREAD THE CHOCOLATE: Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer. Tilt the pan gently or use a spatula to spread it into an even layer across the surface.
- CHILL THE BARS: Refrigerate the pan for at least 2 hours or until the chocolate is set and firm to the touch.
- SLICE AND SERVE: Lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes for easier slicing, then use a sharp knife to cut into squares.
Notes
Use regular no-stir peanut butter; natural peanut butter releases oil and makes the bars greasy and soft. Crush the graham crackers very fine and press the base firmly into the corners so it does not crumble. Stop microwaving the chocolate while a few lumps remain and stir until smooth. Before cutting, let the chilled bars sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes and use a hot, dry knife, pressing straight down. An 8x8 pan gives thicker 2 inch bars; a 9x9 pan gives thinner bars that cut more cleanly. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, with parchment between layers, or freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 448Total Fat 33gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 33mgSodium 188mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 3gSugar 24gProtein 8g
