Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars | Cookies and Cups

These no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are fudgy, buttery, and straightforward to make with simply 5 elements. These style JUST like peanut butter cups, with a crunchy peanut butter filling smothered in a chocolatey high layer!

Craving extra dessert bar recipes? Strive my magic bars (you may also know them as 7-layer bars) and these chewy peanut butter passion bars.

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Is there something higher than chocolate and peanut butter? Not in my home there isn’t. I revisited these chocolate peanut butter bars as a last-minute dessert just lately. Boy, did they disappear rapidly! Right here’s why you’ll wish to make these bars ASAP:

• Buttery and chocolatey. In brief, you’re taking a thick layer of crunchy peanut butter goodness and slather it with chocolate. These chocolate peanut butter bars have been impressed by Paula Deen’s recipe (love her!). Whole bliss.
• Give your oven a relaxation. It is a no-bake dessert, so the oven can sit this one out. I really like making these bars once I entertain, or in the course of the holidays, when my oven is in any other case occupied with baked ham or a casserole.
• 5 elements. Dessert doesn’t get a lot easier, or higher. There’s probability that the elements for these chocolate peanut butter bars are already ready in your pantry.

Components You’ll Want

If you realize Paula Deen, you realize that these dessert bars are loaded with butter! I’ve realized to simply embrace it. I’ve tweaked her authentic recipe for my very own ease, although, and included some ingredient notes right here. You’ll discover a printable listing within the recipe card under the submit. 

• Butter – Salted or unsalted will work right here. Take your butter stands out of the fridge to melt earlier than you begin. It’s also possible to use margarine.
• Peanut Butter – Use clean or crunchy peanut butter (I really like the additional texture that comes with crunchy). Whichever you select, ensure that it’s shelf-stable peanut butter and never the pure sort, which makes these bars oily.
• Powdered Sugar – Additionally referred to as confectioner’s sugar. Sifting the sugar beforehand removes any lumps and retains the peanut butter filling clean.
• Graham Cracker Crumbs – Cookie crumbs assist bind the filling elements in order that the bars maintain collectively. It’s also possible to use crushed Nilla wafers, or Ritz crackers for a sweet-salty mixture. 
• Chocolate Chips – You’ll soften semi-sweet or darkish chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) for the chocolate high layer.

Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

I get so enthusiastic about these buttery bars loaded with chocolate that I generally neglect they want time to set. Right here’s a brief step-by-step exhibiting how one can make the perfect chocolate and peanut butter bars. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for printable directions.

• Put together the filling. Begin by mixing the peanut butter with butter, sugar, and graham crackers in a meals processor.

• Assemble the bars. Press the combination right into a evenly greased casserole dish. Subsequent, soften the chocolate within the microwave. Unfold this over the peanut butter layer.
• Chill. Let the bars relaxation whereas the chocolate cools utterly, after which transfer them to the fridge. 

Add Toppings

I really like altering up these chocolate peanut butter bars with completely different garnishes. The trick is so as to add any toppings whereas the melted chocolate remains to be moist. Sprinkle over chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, crushed pretzels, or rainbow sprinkles. 

After the chocolate has set, you too can drizzle the tops of your bars with icing, fudge sauce, or homemade caramel sauce.

Ideas and Variations

• Solely evenly grease the pan. Coat the baking dish or pan you’re utilizing with cooking spray after which wipe out the surplus grease with a paper towel. This fashion the underside of the bars gained’t be too greasy.
• Chill the bars. A whole lot of chocolate peanut butter bar recipes advocate serving at room temperature. Nevertheless, I’ve at all times discovered that these bars arrange higher when chilled. They’re much less sticky and simpler to deal with. Be happy to serve these at whichever temperature works greatest for you.
• Add a contact of honey. Sweeten up these bars with honey, as I do in my chocolate and honey peanut butter bars (one other straightforward no-bake recipe!).
• Give these bars a cookie crust. These chocolate peanut butter bars are rather a lot like my Lady Scout cookie-inspired Tagalong bars. In that recipe, I swap the graham crackers for a baked shortbread crust earlier than including a peanut butter filling and chocolate. You may also like these chocolate caramel shortbread bars.

How Lengthy Do These Peanut Butter Bars Final?

• Refrigerate. Retailer your chocolate peanut butter bars in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4-5 days. 
• Freeze. These bars will be frozen for as much as 2 months. Wrap them tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap or place them right into a freezer bag. Defrost within the fridge earlier than serving.

Extra Dessert Bar Recipes

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