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    Hummusapien » Recipes » Dessert » No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

    ★★★★★ from 29 reviews

    No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

    Published Aug 17, 2020 · Modified Aug 16, 2022 · by Alexis Joseph · 62 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Decadent tasting No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars make the perfect healthy snack or treat! Made with only five ingredients.

    hand holding three bars with chocolate in background

    Chocolate smushed with peanut butter...is there anything more magical? Topped with flaky salt, mind you. We're so extra today!

    The best part about these bars (beyond only having five ingredients) is that they're kept in the freezer to preserve that wonderful texture. Who in their right mind would say no to a chilly treat right about now? No bake recipes are life.

    How to make chocolate peanut butter bars

    1. Combine peanut butter, maple syrup, oats  and flax in a mixing bowl.
    2. Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter to form topping.
    3. Pour topping over bars. Freeze, slice, EAT!

    Are these bars healthy?

    Yes, totally! A lot of no bake chocolate peanut butter bar recipes call for boatloads of powdered sugar and butter. That's all fine and dandy, but I wanted to create a more snackable version that's not a total sugar bomb after that 2pm work call.

    With over five grams of plant protein, three grams of filling fiber and oodles of satiating fats, we're blessed with total brain food right here.

    I swear they still remind me of Reese's cups! Ugh, so good. Halloween nostalgia is totally happening right now.

    sliced chocolate bars on marble background

    Tips and tricks for success

    1. Use natural, salted peanut butter for the best flavor and texture. It should be drippy, not hard. I love Costco's Kirkland organic peanut butter or 365 brand from Whole Foods. If your peanut butter isn't salted, I'd add ½ tsp fine sea salt.
    2. Top with salt! I'm a fan of flaky salt but even plain old kosher salt will do. It adds a wonderfully delicate little crunch and brings out the chocolate flavor even more.
    3. Freeze until solid. You don't want the chocolate coating to fall apart! The peanut butter + chocolate combo in the topping helps create that perfect, sliceable texture but this baby needs time to set.

    Recipe substitutions and modifications

    These are divine as is, but I like to anticipate any and all substitution questions so you can get your [no] baking on straight away.

    • Go nut free: Swap out the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter.
    • Go grain free: Swap out the oats for almond flour.
    • Up the chocolate factor: Want a thicker chocolate layer? Increase the chocolate chips to 1 cup or more!
    • No ground flax: Sub almond flour, more oat flour, or simply omit. They will be a bit more moist and extra peanut buttery, which isn't a problem in my book.
    • Boost flavor: Go wild with a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or half a teaspoon of cinnamon.

    hands holding three peanut butter bars

    Craving more healthy snacks? I got ya!

    • Frozen Yogurt Bars
    • Chocolate Drizzled Wine Soaked Grapes
    • Healthy Zucchini Bars
    • Cookie Dough Protein Bars
    • Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
    • Blueberry Pie Bars

    Three cheers for the flawless union that is chocolate and peanut butter!

    Print
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    hand holding three bars with chocolate in background

    No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Recipe

    ★★★★★ 5 from 29 reviews
    • Author: Alexis Joseph
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 16 bars 1x
    • Category: Muffins, Bites and Bars
    • Method: No-Bake
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Decadent Healthy No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars make the perfect healthy snack or treat! Made with only five ingredients. (Prep time does not include freezing time.)


    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    For the bars:

    • 1 cup natural salted peanut butter*
    • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
    • ½ cup old-fashioned oats, ground into flour (I use my Nutribullet, can sub almond flour)
    • ¼ cup ground flax (or sub more oat flour)

    For the topping:

    • ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • 2 tbsp natural salted peanut butter

    Instructions

    1. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Combine all bar ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth. Press mixture evenly into the lined pan.
    2. Make topping by placing chocolate chips and peanut butter in small bowl. Microwave for a minute in 30 second increments, stirring each time until smooth. Pour chocolate on top of bar mixture and use a rubber spatula to smooth. Top with flaky salt.
    3. Freeze for four hours or overnight. Once solid, slice into 16 bars. Store in a freezer baggie or air-tight container in the freezer.

    Notes

    *This recipe was tested with drippy natural peanut butter. If your peanut butter is hard/refrigerated/needs to be scooped out, you won't need as much flour for these to come together. I have not tested this recipe with conventional peanut butter spreads like Skippy or Jiff and cannot verify the results. Add ½ tsp fine sea salt if your peanut butter is not salted.

    Readers have tried this recipe with almond flour instead of oats and reported that it worked great!

    Inspired by these bars.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @hummusapien on Instagram. I love sharing what you make!

    About Alexis Joseph

    Oh HEY there! I'm Alexis Joseph, food writer, blogger, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), new mama, and co-founder of local restaurant group, Alchemy. I use my passion for cooking and wellness as fuel to help others ignite a more freeing and happy relationship with food. Learn more about Alexis!

    5 Secrets to Delish, Healthy Lunches

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Mollie says

      March 02, 2022 at 5:17 pm

      These are delicious and super easy to put together! I used almond flour.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        March 03, 2022 at 12:38 pm

        Love that, thanks a ton Mollie!

        Reply
    2. Katie says

      January 26, 2022 at 2:15 am

      I love this recipe so much! I’ve made it so many times recently. I will say that I do prefer it with almond flour, and the flaky salt on top definitely makes them! Thanks for sharing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        January 27, 2022 at 4:42 pm

        Mmmmm need to make another batch! thanks, Katie!

        Reply
    3. Katie says

      January 26, 2022 at 2:11 am

      I love this recipe so much! I’ve made it so many times recently. I will say that I do prefer it with almond flour, and the flaky salt on top definitely makes them! Thanks for sharing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Barbara Watson says

      January 11, 2022 at 7:00 pm

      Five stars all around!! #1 chocolate and PB....I mean c'mon. 😋 #2 No bake. #3 You can cut these into little squares for a "bite" which is often all you really need to satisfy your sweet tooth. SO easy, SO good AND my company always loves them !

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        January 12, 2022 at 4:55 pm

        Right?! Such a delish snack! thanks, Barbara 🙂

        Reply
    5. melody sieglitz says

      March 27, 2021 at 8:26 pm

      what if allergic to all nut butters what is an alternative DATE PASTE?

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        March 28, 2021 at 5:01 pm

        You can try sunflower seed butter! There's not date paste in the recipe.

        Reply
    6. Maureen says

      March 06, 2021 at 2:51 pm

      Amazing!!! Who doesn’t love peanut butter and chocolate?! This recipe couldn’t be easier to make and is loved by all. I learned how easy it is to make it flour and have been using it in other recipes. I used Lilly’s chocolate to make these a bit healthier. Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        March 07, 2021 at 3:13 pm

        Niiiice! That sounds perfect. Thanks, Maureen!

        Reply
    7. Kayla says

      February 08, 2021 at 10:43 pm

      These bars are SO good! I've made homemade PB cups before but this is way easier!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        February 10, 2021 at 8:29 pm

        Yayyy thanks so much, Kayla!

        Reply
    8. Kati says

      January 22, 2021 at 11:48 pm

      Super good! Always skeptical to make "healthy" desserts but I'll be making these weekly now!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        January 29, 2021 at 3:41 pm

        Right?? Yay!

        Reply
    9. Kayleigh says

      January 19, 2021 at 8:07 pm

      Delicious and easy to make with kiddos!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        January 20, 2021 at 12:30 am

        I'm so glad, thanks Kayleigh!

        Reply
    10. Amy says

      January 11, 2021 at 8:21 pm

      Made these for the big buckeye game tonight! So easy and my taste test prior to the freezer told me they are going to be good!

      I used all oat flour and chunky gooey natural PB and it seemed to work just as well!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        January 11, 2021 at 9:21 pm

        I'm so glad you loved these, thanks Amy!!

        Reply
    11. Steph says

      December 08, 2020 at 7:01 pm

      An absolutely delicious frozen treat--no substitutions but I always add a little more flax for a health boost...I made them all summer long but am on my way to make some right now. Far more satisfying to eat than a peanut butter cup!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        December 09, 2020 at 12:26 pm

        Ohhhh love that you boost the flax!! Sounds fab. Thanks, Steph!

        Reply
    12. Ashley says

      September 23, 2020 at 6:40 pm

      My kids loved them! They were the perfect after school snack!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        September 23, 2020 at 9:36 pm

        Amazing, thanks Ashley!

        Reply
    13. Gretchen Thompson says

      September 16, 2020 at 10:00 pm

      I’m OBSESSED with these bars!! I made them about a week ago and am already thinking about making another batch!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        September 16, 2020 at 10:12 pm

        Heck yes!!! I think you should totally make another batch 🙂 Thanks, Gretchen!

        Reply
    14. chandra says

      September 15, 2020 at 12:51 am

      Made these a few days ago and they are so yummy! I was fortunate to get to eat a couple before they disappeared...

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        September 15, 2020 at 3:38 pm

        Hahaha my batch just disappeared too! Thanks, Chandra!

        Reply
    15. Meaghan says

      September 14, 2020 at 6:56 pm

      Made this recipe with almond flour instead of oat flower....delicious! Will definitely be making them again because I’m sure this batch will not last long!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        September 14, 2020 at 7:10 pm

        I'm so glad to hear almond flour worked! Thanks a ton, Meaghan 🙂

        Reply
    16. Stacy Selvaggio says

      September 11, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      Easy, only 5 ingredients, super tasty, reminds me of a frozen Reese’s cup! Will make again, sharing the recipe with my parents, I made this recipe for them and they loved it!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        September 11, 2020 at 5:59 pm

        Wonderful, thank you so much Stacy!

        Reply
    17. Jenny says

      September 10, 2020 at 5:46 pm

      Ok I freaking love these. So easy and delicious! Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    18. Melissa says

      September 03, 2020 at 3:49 pm

      These are so good! Extremely easy to make, it basically took me less than 10 minutes (minus the freezing time). Only change I made was to mix together the peanut butter layer in my food processor -- it made it faster and smoother since my peanut butter was just slightly clumpy.

      Will definitely be making this recipe again in the future!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        September 04, 2020 at 12:09 pm

        Thanks a ton for the feedback, Melissa! Glad you loved these.

        Reply
    19. Lindsay says

      August 26, 2020 at 12:02 pm

      So easy! used a mix of the nut butters I had (finished off cashew butter, some almond, and peanut) and also tried to make them a bit more doughy with an additional cup of almond flour and a splash of almond milk, very forgiving recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 26, 2020 at 12:09 pm

        I'm so glad that worked! Thanks a ton for letting me know, Lindsay.

        Reply
    20. Angela says

      August 25, 2020 at 10:23 am

      Love these! So easy to make. For me the hardest part was spreading out the mixture as mine was so stiff I could have rolled it out! For the topping I ran out of peanut butter so I mixed coconut oil with the chocolate - just enough so it was a nice spready consistency. They are totally yummy - remind me of Snickers bars (am I allowed to say that?!) and I nibble them straight out of the freezer (as I do now with flapjacks) - which makes them somehow more filling! A delicious satisfying indulgence!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 25, 2020 at 6:05 pm

        Oh man! Was your peanut butter the natural drippy kind? Did you spoon and level the oat flour? Thicker peanut butter or packed flour can definitely impact the texture. You can always add less flour if that helps. I love Snickers bars! What a compliment. Thanks for your feedback, Angela!

        Reply
        • Anita says

          August 26, 2020 at 4:26 pm

          I struggled with this a bit too! Do you leave your opened jars of nut butter out of the fridge Alexis? I've never known if that's safe to do!

          ★★★★

          Reply
          • Alexis Joseph says

            August 26, 2020 at 5:11 pm

            I do not refrigerate nut butter--should be drippy, natural PB. If it's hard and needs to be spooned out, I'd try 1/4 cup less flour? Feel free to play with it depending on how hard your nut butter is! It says to refrigerate to protect the fats so they don't oxidize and go rancid. I go through nut butter quickly so it's never been a concern. You'd know if it went bad because the flavor would be off 🙂

        • Angela says

          August 27, 2020 at 3:04 pm

          Aha - that’s it! It was super crunchy dense peanut butter! Yes less flour next time - and I need to make more as they’ve all GONE! Thank you Alexis - so happy to hear your wonderful news too! 😀 💕

          ★★★★★

          Reply
          • Alexis Joseph says

            August 27, 2020 at 3:25 pm

            Hahah I love it! I just added a recipe note clarifying how to adjust the recipe depending on the peanut butter consistency. Thanks, Angela!

    21. Shawna says

      August 25, 2020 at 1:22 am

      I make these as energy bites with honey and choc chips, but I would love to do the bars! Less time consuming I would imagine! I'm nursing, and these are a great snack to have on hand and oatmeal and flaxseed are great for you while you are nursing. Sometimes I throw in a little brewer's yeast (not too much).

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 25, 2020 at 1:49 am

        Love, that--I will totally remember this in 6 months 😉 Thanks for leaving a review and thoughtful comment, Shawna!

        Reply
    22. Caitlin says

      August 24, 2020 at 4:57 pm

      Soooo good and I'm so happy to have them on hand all week for snacks/dessert!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 24, 2020 at 7:15 pm

        Woop! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed these, Caitlin!

        Reply
    23. Katie says

      August 20, 2020 at 11:26 pm

      These look amazing, and I’m definitely going to make them ASAP! Could you sub something for the ground flax? Or just omit entirely? Wondering if that would change the consistency of the base layer.

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 21, 2020 at 2:35 am

        Thanks! I think you could leave it out and they'd just be more peanut-buttery, but since they're frozen, it wouldn't be a huge deal. Or add more oat flour! Let me know how they turn out 🙂

        Reply
      • Molly says

        August 22, 2020 at 5:09 pm

        I just made them with an additional 1/4 cup of oat flour and they turned out great! Never tried them with the flax so I really cannot compare, but they are delicious.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Alexis Joseph says

          August 23, 2020 at 1:24 am

          SO glad to know that worked, thanks Molly!

          Reply
    24. Whitney Long says

      August 19, 2020 at 3:00 pm

      Yum! I love your cookie dough protein bars. I will have to try these!

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 19, 2020 at 5:27 pm

        Love those! Let me know if you try these 🙂

        Reply
    25. Melissa says

      August 18, 2020 at 4:13 am

      Delicious and super easy and quick to make. These bars will definitely be a frequently requested in my house.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 18, 2020 at 1:29 pm

        Woop! Thanks so much for letting me know and leaving a rating, Melissa!

        Reply
    26. Annie says

      August 17, 2020 at 9:54 pm

      Very peanut-butter forward! The salt on the top was a nice way to break up the richness. Super easy to make.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 18, 2020 at 1:27 pm

        Glad you liked them! You can almost add more maple syrup if you want to cut the pb down.

        Reply
    27. Lisa says

      August 17, 2020 at 7:30 pm

      Easy to make and delicious! I’m a chocolate-pb fanatic and these bars hit the spot! I melted coconut oil with the chocolate just bc I love that combo but otherwise followed the recipe exactly.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 17, 2020 at 8:21 pm

        Ohhhh love that. I bet they had an awesome texture. Thanks, Lisa!

        Reply
    28. Gertrude says

      August 17, 2020 at 7:23 pm

      These are the best bars yet! I really enjoy the flavor and they are so easy to make!! They are such a wonderful treat and I’ll make them every week!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 17, 2020 at 8:21 pm

        I love that, Gertrude! Thanks a bunch!

        Reply
    29. Colleen Delaney says

      August 17, 2020 at 7:04 pm

      These came out so well, super tasty and easy to make!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 17, 2020 at 8:21 pm

        Amazing, thanks a ton Colleen! I'm super pumped you loved them.

        Reply

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