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Old-Fashioned No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Some of the best desserts are the simple ones that have been shared in family kitchens for years. These old-fashioned no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are one of those recipes. 

A white plate with several chocolate peanut butter bars sits on a brown checkered cloth. Text reads: "No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars" and "www.homewithgraceandjoy.com".

Made with a graham cracker peanut butter base and topped with a smooth layer of chocolate, this easy dessert comes together quickly using simple pantry ingredients.

If you love the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter, these easy peanut butter dessert bars are sure to become a favorite in your home.

Recipe Overview

These old-fashioned no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are a simple dessert made with graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar, topped with a smooth melted chocolate layer. The bars are chilled until firm and then cut into squares.

This easy no-bake recipe comes together quickly and sets up beautifully for slicing into rich dessert bars.

They are perfect for potlucks, holidays, or an everyday sweet treat. These chocolate peanut butter bars are a classic favorite that tastes like a homemade peanut butter cup in bar form.

Quick Highlights:

• No-bake dessert
• Made with simple pantry ingredients
• Graham cracker peanut butter base
• Rich chocolate topping
• Easy to cut into squares for serving
• Perfect for potlucks, parties, and family gatherings

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars – A Family Favorite

A white plate with chocolate peanut butter bars topped with chocolate sits on a brown checkered cloth beside a handwritten recipe on lined paper.

I can’t tell you where I found this recipe so long ago. It was shortly after we got married, so I have been making this for 40 years or so. Jay has always loved peanut butter cups, so I gave it a shot. I have tweaked it a little over the years, and it has remained a true family favorite.

A few years ago, we were going through Jay’s grandparents’ house before it was being sold. I was surprised that no one had taken Granny’s recipe box. What a treasure!

A wooden recipe album box with "RECIPES" on top and a colorful rooster illustration on the front, sitting on a fringed white cloth with a lantern in the background.

Imagine my surprise when I was going through her collection of recipes and found my recipe for these Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars in my barely 20 year old hand writing! I can only imagine that I took these to her house for Christmas, and she asked for the recipe.

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Why You’ll Love These No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

There are so many reasons besides the taste to love this simple dessert:

  • No baking required – These no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are perfect when you want a quick dessert without using the oven.
  • Simple pantry ingredients – Made with graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, chocolate, and a little bit of shortening.
  • Perfect for sharing – These peanut butter dessert bars cut beautifully into squares and are great for potlucks, parties, and family gatherings.
  • Classic chocolate peanut butter flavor – If you love peanut butter cups, these bars have that same rich flavor combination.
  • Easy to make ahead – These bars store well and can even be made a day in advance.

How to Make No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients

Back in the day, you could always find a box of powdered sugar, and it was the exact amount needed for this recipe. I have not been able to find a box in years, so the powdered sugar is an estimate, depending on whether you sift the sugar or not. (3 1/2 Cups if unsifted – 3 3/4 Cups if sifted)

A mixing bowl with powdered sugar and a blue scoop sits on a towel, next to all the ingredients you need for chocolate peanut butter bars: graham cracker crumbs, creamy peanut butter, shortening, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and two sticks of butter.

Ingredients

Instructions

Melted butter is being poured from a glass measuring cup into a green mixing bowl with flour and brown sugar, ready to make chocolate peanut butter bars. A wooden spoon rests inside the bowl, which sits on a white cloth with green leaf patterns.
A hand uses a wooden spoon to spread chocolate peanut butter bars dough evenly in a glass baking dish set on a white cloth with green leaf patterns.
A red spatula covered in melted chocolate is held above a saucepan filled with more melted chocolate, perfect for making rich chocolate peanut butter bars; a kettle and other kitchen items are blurred in the background.
A hand uses a red spatula to spread melted chocolate over a rectangular cookie crust in a glass baking dish, set on a patterned white towel, creating delicious chocolate peanut butter bars.
A glass baking dish with chocolate peanut butter bars, their solid chocolate layer being cut into squares with a large knife, on a table covered with a white cloth featuring green leaf patterns.
A white plate with several chocolate peanut butter bars, topped with rich chocolate, is placed on a beige and white checkered fabric background.

Instructions

  1. Mix the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and peanut butter together in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Flatten the peanut butter mixture into an ungreased 9 X 13 pan or baking dish.
  3. Melt the shortening and chocolate chips together in a pan on low to medium heat.
  4. Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer and smooth over the top and out to the edges until it is all covered.
  5. Refrigerate to set.
  6. Once the chocolate is set, cut into small squares and enjoy.

Tips for the Best No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

A hand holds a square chocolate peanut butter bar with a thick chocolate layer on top and a creamy, tan base, set against a background of brown and white checkered fabric.

Here are a few simple tips to help your No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars turn out great every time:

  • Use sifted powdered sugar to make the base smoother.
  • Press the base firmly into the pan so the bars hold together when sliced.
  • If you don’t have packaged graham cracker crumbs, you can make your own by adding graham crackers to a food processor and processing until they are fine crumbs or add the graham crackers to a freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin.
  • Use creamy peanut butter for the smoothest texture. If you prefer a crunchy texture, use the crunchy version of peanut butter.
  • Let the chocolate peanut butter bars chill before slicing for clean squares. Don’t let it chill long enough that the chocolate is too hard to cut into easily. Once you cut it, you can put it back into the refrigerator to harden.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the chocolate peanut butter bars need to be refrigerated

Yes. Refrigerating the bars helps the chocolate topping set and makes the bars easier to slice. They can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. You can leave them out at room temperature for serving purposes, but keep them stored in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze chocolate peanut butter bars

Yes. These peanut butter dessert bars freeze very well. Store them in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers for up to three months.

Why are my peanut butter bars too soft

Peanut butter bars may be soft if the mixture has too much butter or not enough graham cracker crumbs or powdered sugar. Chilling the bars longer will also help them firm up.

What type of peanut butter works best for peanut butter bars

Creamy peanut butter works best for making this chocolate peanut butter bar recipe turn out smooth and rich. If you like more texture, feel free to use crunchy peanut butter. I would use regular peanut butter instead of natural peanut butter for this recipe because of the extra oil content in the natural versions.

Helpful Items

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A cylindrical measuring tool dispenses peanut butter into a green bowl of flour and oats—ingredients for chocolate peanut butter bars. A wooden spoon rests in the bowl, melted butter sits in a cup, and the bowl is placed on a patterned cloth.
  • Strainer (I use this for quick sifting of the powdered sugar.)
A bag of powdered sugar is being poured through a metal sifter into a green bowl, ready to be mixed for chocolate peanut butter bars, all resting on a white cloth with a leaf pattern.

Printable Recipe Card

Old-Fashioned No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

A white plate with several chocolate peanut butter bars, topped with rich chocolate, is placed on a beige and white checkered fabric background.

These old-fashioned no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are a rich and easy dessert made with graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar, and topped with a smooth layer of melted chocolate. This simple recipe requires no baking and comes together quickly using basic pantry ingredients. Once chilled and set, the bars cut beautifully into squares and make the perfect treat for holidays, potlucks, or anytime you want a quick chocolate peanut butter dessert.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Sticks of Butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
  • 1 Cup of Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1 Box of Powdered Sugar (3 1/2 - 3 3/4 Cups)
  • 2 T. Shortening
  • 1 Bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions

  1. Mix the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and peanut butter together in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Flatten it into an ungreased 9 X 13 pan or baking dish.
  3. Melt the shortening and chocolate chips together in a pan on low to medium heat.
  4. Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter mixture and smooth over the top and out to the edges until it is all covered.
  5. Refrigerate to set.
  6. Once the chocolate is set, cut into small squares and enjoy.

Notes

You used to be able to find a box of powdered sugar, and it was the exact amount needed for this recipe. I have not been able to find a box in years, so the powdered sugar is an estimate, depending up whether you sift the sugar or not. (3 1/2 Cups if unsifted - 3 3/4 Cups if sifted)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

28

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 109mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 9gProtein: 3g

Nutritional information provided is an estimate calculated by third-party software. For accurate data, please calculate using the specific ingredients you use.

© Susan Sikes
Category: Desserts

These old-fashioned no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are proof that simple desserts are often the best. With their rich peanut butter base and smooth chocolate topping, they are an easy treat that comes together quickly using basic ingredients.

Whether you’re making them for a family gathering, a holiday dessert tray, or simply to enjoy with a cup of coffee, these easy chocolate peanut butter bars are a classic recipe that never disappoints.

Other Sweet Posts You Might Like

If you enjoy peanut butter desserts, you might also want to try easy peanut butter fudge, another easy homemade treat with rich peanut butter flavor.

Here are a few other dessert recipes you may want to try:
Easy Turtle Cheesecake (Cheat Version)
Southern Banana Pudding Two Ways
Granny Joy’s Chocolate Icing – For all of the chocolate lovers!

I hope you enjoy these!

Until next time,

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disclosure: Amazon Associates affiliate advertising program (and other affiliate links) are used on this page. Thank you for supporting Home with Grace and Joy. When you purchase an item, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. See my full disclosure policy and privacy policy on the website. 

“How sweet Your Word is to my taste – sweeter than honey in my mouth.”
Psalm 119:103

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2 Comments

  1. These look so delicious Susan, I cannot wait to try them. YUM YUM

    Reply

  2. These look just like the ones my Granny used to make, Susan. I’ve lost her recipe, so I’m super excited you shared yours! I can’t wait to try them. They look decadent! Big hugs, CoCo

    Reply

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