Peanut Butter Bars (Printable Version)

No-bake peanut butter bars with a graham base and chocolate topping — chewy, rich, and easy to chill and slice.

# What You Need:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup creamy peanut butter
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
04 - 2 cups powdered sugar

→ Chocolate Topping

05 - 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
06 - 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

# Directions:

01 - Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to lift the bars out later.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the creamy peanut butter and melted unsalted butter. Stir until completely smooth and well blended.
03 - Add the graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar to the peanut butter mixture. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is uniform in texture.
04 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Press it down firmly and evenly using a spatula or your hands to create a flat, compact layer.
05 - In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the semi-sweet chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.
06 - Pour the melted chocolate topping over the peanut butter base. Use a spatula to spread it into an even layer covering the entire surface.
07 - Refrigerate the bars for at least 2 hours, or until the chocolate topping is fully set and firm to the touch.
08 - Lift the entire slab out of the dish using the parchment paper overhang. Place on a cutting board and cut into 16 even bars. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • No oven required, which means you can make these even when your kitchen feels like a sauna in July.
  • The graham cracker crust gives them this nostalgic lunchbox quality that makes everyone grin.
02 -
  • If you pull them out of the fridge and cut immediately, the chocolate layer will crack and shard, so let the dish sit on the counter for about ten minutes first.
  • The bars soften quickly at room temperature, so if you are serving them at a party keep them on a chilled platter or they will lose their neat square shape.
03 -
  • Wet your hands slightly before pressing the base into the pan so the mixture sticks to itself instead of your fingers.
  • Run your knife under hot water and dry it between each cut for bakery perfect edges that look as good as they taste.

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