No-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are for when it’s hot and you don’t want to flip on the oven (like right now). They’re also just the right treat if maybe right now you don’t want one of the many frozen dessert meal preps we’ve been loving lately.
Regardless, can you resist this? Look!
Why make no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars
Sure, the no-bake aspect is great because you don’t need the oven. But that also means they’re FAST, which is helpful if you happen to experience dessert-related impatience. (Trust us, it’s a thing). Basically, if you love peanut butter cups, consider this your own personal slice of chocolate-peanut butter heaven. It’s ready very quickly.
These four-ingredient no-bake bars are an easy snack that happens to also be gluten-free—heads up if that’s important to you. It’s also a contributing factor to the no-bake thing! Plus, it’s vegan-friendly if you make some switches with the chocolate.
And why are we still talking about this? Let’s get busy assembling these bars!
No-bake chocolate peanut butter bars ingredients
For the peanut butter layer:
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
For the chocolate layer:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
How to make these amazing bars!
Four ingredients. Oh, this is awesome!
In a bowl, just combine peanut butter and coconut flour, which will help to bind it. Spread it across the bottom of either an 8-inch square pan or a loaf pan (your call!) Pop it in the freezer until it’s chilled. In the meantime, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler. We like to use glass prep bowls that nestle nicely over the simmering pot of water. (FWIW, the double boiler is a much gentler way to combine ingredients than the microwave; you have more control.) Once that’s melted, let it cool a few minutes. Then, assuming your peanut butter layer is frozen (or frozen enough!), pour that chocolate on top. Pop the whole thing into the freezer for an hour or so, but longer is fine, too.
You can double this recipe very easily.
How to store chocolate peanut butter bars
You’ll wanna refrigerate these babies. Keep them covered in the fridge for up to a week. Or, better yet, freeze them! Oh, they’re so good when they’ve been really really cold and they’re just coming back to room temperature. Wrap them tightly if you freeze them. They’ll keep for months that way.
How to make substitutions
- Use a vegan chocolate to make this dessert vegan.
- Try dark chocolate if you want something more decadent and slightly bitter, or milk chocolate chips for a more classic peanut butter cup taste!
- Swap out the creamy peanut butter for crunchy peanut butter for a totally different experience
- We haven’t tried white chocolate, but would probably work, too.
- Use sunflower butter to make this dessert nut allergen-friendly.
- Swap out peanut butter for almond or cashew butter.
Can I add ingredients to these bars?
You can make them as they are, of course, but we like some add ins, as pictured above!
You can add in pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped nuts such as walnuts or almonds. Sprinkle them on top if you like.
Unsweetened shredded coconut is amazing on top of chocolate and peanut butter.
But honestly the simplicity of these bars is what makes them so appealing. And it’s also what makes them come together so incredibly quickly.
Try these other delicious sweets!
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Meal Prep Friendly Lemon Blueberry Scones
- No-Bake Tahini Breakfast Bars
- Cinnamon Bun Scones
- No Bake Desserts: 11 Sweets for When You Don’t Want to Fire Up the Oven
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Line a 5×9 loaf pan (or 8-inch square pan) with enough parchment paper to create a sling so that some extra hangs over the edges). Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the peanut butter and coconut flour until well combined. Transfer to the prepared baking pan and smooth it out using an offset spatula or a spoon. Freeze while you make the chocolate.
- Heat the chocolate and coconut oil in a glass bowl over a double boiler until melted, stirring occasionally to incorporate gently. Let the chocolate cool for about 5 minutes before pouring it over the frozen peanut butter mixture.
- Freeze for 1 hour. Remove the bars from the pan using the parchment sling. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 8 bars or however many you want. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Wrap individually to freeze for 3 to 6 months.
Lexy says
this looks awesome! are there any subs for the coconut flour? I’d love to make this but I usually don’t have that ingredient and would not be able to find it easily. could almond flour or even cornstarch work? thanks for sharing the recipe anyways!
Carrie Havranek says
I’d say almond flour is more likely to work better because it has fat in it like coconut flour does, and some protein. But definitely try and report back! If for some reason you DO find coconut flour, stash it in your freezer if you don’t use it often. It’ll stay fresher longer that way. Happy no-baking!
Jessika says
I recently made this and my guy liked it. The only issue I had was that when I spread the peanut butter & coconut flour onto the parchment paper, the paper slid around. I greased a metal pan to try to keep the parchment paper in place, but it didn’t help. I added a little more peanut butter and a dollop of unsalted butter to the batter to smooth it out a bit, and that helped. I think reducing the coconut flour may be the trick, unless you have any tricks to offer. Otherwise, the recipe itself is delicious!