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!
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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.
These were great!! Anybody that likes Reese cups will love this, and very easy to make
It’s so addictive Mary – I can’t have this in my house!
These bars taste like what I always thought reese’s PB cups should taste like. I ended up adding 19 marie biscuits to get closer to the texture of base in the video.
Awesome recipe so easy and delicious, and it makes heaps. Took it to work for a morning tea shout. And got loads of compliments. So have now passed on your recipe to a few new fans
That’s awesome Jimmy, I’m so happy they were a hit (and they are super easy too – so that’s a bonus!)
I used griffins -super wine biscuits (here in New Zealand) on the base and nestle milk chocolate melts for the top.
Turned Out great
Ahhh. Peanut butter and chocolate. A marriage made in Heaven. So I made these. I couldn’t find your cookie recommendation so I tried a Belgium biscuit (red and white package). This particular cookie gave it a nice ‘peanut butter cup’ type of texture. I wasn’t fully onboard with the cookie taste though. So, while this is a great recipe, I think the cookie part of it can really change it up… and is a matter of preference. So I will be in search of a different cookie before trying this again.
In the meantime, I have to iterate that your Caramel Slices are So. Darn. Good. And as much as I love chocolate and peanut… those Caramel Slices are glorious (as in, little slices of Heaven!
Hi Cynthia, I haven’t tried this with Belgium biscuits so not sure how it turned out! I’m so glad you love the caramel slice, it’s one of my favourites too!
Yeah, the Belgium cookie I used has been described as having a caramel flavor. What flavor would you say Arnott’s Marie crackers have? I did see Digestives on the grocery store shelf. I should try those next. Are they more a vanilla flavor or something else?
Lol….I just have 3 words for
you Nagi.. Delish , Easy & Thanks !!
Yum! Such an easy and quick dessert to make.
That’s so great to hear Fran! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this, thank you for letting me know! N x
Nagi, honestly, I think you could do a book of just your Dozer pictures with captions. He is such a card, thanks to you and the situations you put him in, or allow to happen!
This is the opposite of “Princess and the Pea”. What a good sleeper!
Don’t tempt me!!!😂
wow these are so delectable, especially being pregnant with baby demanding womb service!!
They were so delicious that I had to put most of them in the freezer to stop going back for more… then I tried one frozen…and it was still amazing like a tim tam out of the fridge… so since I have absolutely no self control I have had to forbid myself from making these again for a long time!!
Your baby thanks you… 🤣 N xx
OMG! This is so great. I could literally have this everyday as my dessert after meal. Love peanut butter that much.
ME TOO!
Very easy and quick to make and very delicious.
What more can we want 🙂
Also totally agree that this is a 5 ingredient recipe 🙂
We found them quite rich so cut them in smaller pieces but also lasted much longer.
Hi Rose – I hear you, I do that sometimes too! I cut them into single bite pieces, the size of chocolate in chocolate boxes 🙂 N x
My wife and I loved these, used Nilla wafers for the biscuits. Thank you Nagi!
That’s so great to hear John C! Thanks for sharing your feedback – N x
i have been making these for years. i have also created a recipe that is similar that i call Ferrero Roche Bars. I have been told to patent the recipe lol. Everyone says it is bang on to the chocolates..my one friend said she was hiding in the bathroom with them so she didn’t have to share with her family hahaha.
If you would like to try my recipe let me know
Thanks for the recipe offer!
I’d love to make the recipe- my mum’s favorite chocolate is ferrero roche so I’d love to make the bars for her!
Happy New Year!
Beth
Ferrero Roche Bars
Base
1 package of voortmans vanilla wafer cookies
1/2 package voortmans peanutbutter wafer cookies
1/2 c melted butter or margarine
1 cup of Nutella
1/4 cup sifted cocoa powder
Top
2 cups milk chocolate melted
4 tbsps Nutella
1/2 c coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts
Instructions
In a food processor, finely grind the cookies. Add the cocoa, melted butter and Nutella.
Spread in a 9X13 pan that has been lined with parchment paper, leaching some over hanging the sides for easy lifting from the pan.
After some trial and error I added the cocoa as the wafer cookies were too sweet with the Nutella. You May find it too sweet still, so before adding to the pan, taste it, and if it is too sweet for your liking add a little cocoa at a time till you get the desired sweetness.
Put in fridge to set while making the topping.
Toast the 1/2 cup of Hazelnuts and carefully grind in food processor.
Melt chocolate and nutella. Add half of the chopped hazelnuts.
Spread on top of base, then sprinkle the rest of the chopped Hazelnuts on top.
Chill for 1 hour then cut into bars and enjoy!
Teresa…… don’t be shocked if you happen to see this on my blog one of these days!!😂
I would be honored!! <3 You are one of my favorite cooks!
Would these work if I used Scotch Finger biscuits instead? How many would I need?
Hi Nagi, Love your recipes & Dozer!!!! Would this work with nut-free butters (for nut allergy folk). I’ll make them for myself with peanut paste (sorry – Queenslander). Love your work. 🙂
sorry, forgot to mention that I found them a little too sweet, so next time I’ll only be using 1/2 cup icing sugar.
Yummi! and soooo easy to make
I used crunchy pb, which I prefer, turned out fine
thanks Nagi
They look amazing! My 3-year-old loves peanut butter. I need to make these for him!
Don’t deprive him! 🙂 N x
Made this the first time around and it was a hit!
🙌🏻 N xx
Gotta try these, as I love peanut butter; and quick easy recipes. 🙂
Hope you do!! N xx
this looks like a great TV snack & i love peanut butter.
I’m literally watching TV now nibbling on one. I KID YOU NOT!