No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars (5 Ingredients, Reese’s-Style)

Thick, fudgy peanut butter base. Silky chocolate on top. No oven. These no-bake peanut butter bars taste like a peanut butter cup—basically Buckeye Bars, but in clean, sliceable squares.

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No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars (5 Ingredients, Reese’s-Style)

Recipe by Elle RiversCourse: DessertsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

16

bars

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Calories

280

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

45

minutes

Five-ingredient, no-bake peanut butter bars with a fudgy base and silky chocolate top. Tastes like a Reese’s cup in bar form. Includes tips for clean slicing and natural peanut butter.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, melted (113g)

• 1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter (250g)

• 1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs, very fine (150g)

• 1 cup Confectioners’ Sugar (115g)

• Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips (255g)

• 1 tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter (15g)

Directions

• Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
• In a large bowl, mix melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until combined.
• Press mixture firmly into the prepared pan; smooth with an offset spatula.
• Melt chocolate chips with 1 tbsp peanut butter in the microwave in 30-second bursts until smooth.
• Pour over the base and spread evenly.
• Chill for 15 minutes until chocolate dulls, score lines with a knife, then chill 1–2 hours until fully set.
• Lift out by parchment. Run a sharp knife under hot water, wipe dry, and slice into squares.

Notes

• Texture Tip: If the base mixture feels too wet or glossy (common with natural PB), add 1–2 tablespoons more graham crumbs until it holds its shape like damp sand.
• Pan Conversion: For a 9×13 inch pan, double all ingredients.
• Storage: Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week or freeze for 2 months.

Why This Recipe Works

Structure without heat: The base relies on peanut butter fat, confectioners’ sugar, and very fine graham crumbs to set firm in the fridge without baking—classic no-bake chocolate peanut butter squares with a fudgy bite.

No-crack topping: A little peanut butter stirred into the melted chocolate keeps the top glossy and sliceable (not brittle), so it won’t crack when you cut.

Clean edges: The chill–score–chill method gives bakery-neat edges: partially set the top, lightly score lines, finish chilling, then slice with a warmed knife for razor-sharp cuts.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Peanut butter: Use creamy, no-stir peanut butter (Jif/Skippy style) for the most consistent set. Natural peanut butter can work—stir very well, measure by weight, and if the base looks glossy or loose, mix in a bit more fine crumbs until it feels like soft, moldable clay.
• Graham cracker crumbs: Use very fine, sand-like crumbs. Large chunks will keep the base from binding and cause crumbling when sliced. No grahams? Use digestive biscuits, tea biscuits, or pulse old-fashioned oats to a very fine meal. For gluten-free, use certified GF graham crackers.
• Confectioners’ sugar: Powdered sugar dissolves smoothly and helps the base set. If it’s clumpy, sift it to avoid pockets of sugar.
• Butter: Melted butter pulls the base together and adds richness. Unsalted or salted both work here.
• Chocolate: Semisweet chips are classic, but chopped bar chocolate melts smoother. Stir in a spoonful of peanut butter to keep the topping soft enough to slice. Prefer sweeter? Use milk chocolate.

Essential Equipment

• 8-inch square metal pan lined with a parchment sling (for thicker, fudgier bars).
• Kitchen scale (helps if using natural peanut butter).
• Silicone spatula and offset spatula.
• Microwave-safe bowl (or a small saucepan/double boiler).
• Long chef’s knife or bench scraper for cutting.

How To Make No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Line, Melt & Mix the Base

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with a parchment sling so the overhang helps you lift the slab out cleanly.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir melted butter, very fine graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, and peanut butter until the mixture looks thick and uniform.
3. It should feel like damp, pliable sand that presses together without weeping butter. If it looks shiny or loose, add a tablespoon or two of extra fine crumbs and fold again.

Press and Smooth the Peanut Layer

1. Tip the mixture into the lined pan.
2. Press firmly into an even layer, focusing on corners and edges.
3. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top until it’s level and tightly packed—no loose crumbs.
4. A firm press now equals cleaner slices later.

Make the Chocolate Topping

1. Melt chocolate with a spoonful of peanut butter in short bursts in the microwave (50% power, 20–30 seconds at a time), stirring between bursts until smooth and glossy.
2. You can also melt in a bowl set over barely simmering water.
3. Pour the warm chocolate over the base and nudge it to the edges with the offset spatula, keeping the layer even.

Chill, Score, and Slice

1. Chill the pan until the chocolate just loses its shine—about 10–15 minutes.
2. Lightly score guidelines on the surface with the tip of a knife.
3. Return to the fridge and chill until fully set, about 1–2 hours.
4. Lift the slab out by the parchment.
5. For professional cuts, use the Warm Knife method: run a long knife under hot water, wipe perfectly dry, then slice straight down.
6. Wipe and rewarm between passes for glassy edges.

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Expert Tips

• Pack the crumbs tightly: If the base crumbles as you press, your crumbs are too coarse or the mix is too dry—pulse finer and fold in a touch more melted butter or peanut butter.
• Use natural PB wisely: Stir until completely homogeneous, weigh it, and add 10–20 g more fine crumbs if the base looks glossy.
• Choose your pan thickness: 8-inch square gives a taller, fudgier bar. A 9-inch square works too; the bars will be slightly thinner.
• Convert to 9×13 cleanly: For a standard 9×13 pan, double the entire recipe for similar thickness; chill time may increase slightly.
• Score, then slice: Score while the chocolate is lightly set, then chill fully. For picture-perfect squares, use the warm knife method (hot water → wipe dry → slice → rewarm).
• Keep it on-brand: These are no-bake peanut butter bars—aka buckeyes in bar form—not keto. If you need gluten-free, use GF grahams; save keto swaps for a separate recipe.

Storage & Freezing

Refrigerator: Store covered for 7–10 days. For the cleanest cuts, slice cold; bars hold well at cool room temp for a short serving window.

Freezer: Freeze whole or sliced for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly, then thaw in the fridge. For neat edges after thawing, run the knife under hot water and wipe dry before trimming.

FAQ

1. Can I use natural peanut butter?
   Yes. Stir it thoroughly, measure by weight, and add extra fine crumbs if the base looks shiny or loose. Chill fully before slicing.
2. How do I keep the chocolate layer from cracking?
   Melt chocolate with a little peanut butter, spread while warm, chill briefly, score, then chill firm. Cut with a warmed knife.
3. Do these bars need to be refrigerated?
   Yes. Chill to set, and store in the fridge. They can sit out briefly for serving, but return leftovers to the fridge.
4. Can I make them without graham crackers?
   Yes. Use very fine digestive biscuit crumbs, tea biscuits, or pulse oats to a fine meal. Keep the crumb texture ultra-fine.
5. How do I cut clean squares?
   Use the warm knife method: run the blade under hot water, wipe completely dry, slice straight down, then wipe and rewarm between cuts.