Satisfy your sweet tooth the easy way with these smooth, creamy no bake peanut butter bars without graham crackers. Add the almost-instant rich chocolate ganache topping, and they taste just like a peanut butter cup!
When you want a little something sweet without turning on the oven, these bars are the perfect treat—any month of the year. Plus, these naturally gluten free bars keep for ages in the freezer!
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How to make peanut butter bars without graham crackers
These peanut butter bars are made of only 4 regular pantry ingredients, without graham crackers or any other base needed.
This recipe makes a rich peanut butter bar that's smooth as silk, and sets up even firmer. That means it's stable even after you remove it from the refrigerator.
- Melt the butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter together. That way, you have the depth of flavor of brown sugar without any grittiness.
- Set the peanut butter mixture aside to cool briefly.
- Sift the confectioners' sugar into a large bowl.
- Pour in the peanut butter mixture, then mix into a stable dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lined square pan, press into an even layer, and chill until set.
How to make chocolate ganache
If you've ever had a rich chocolate truffle and thought that it must have been hard to make, get ready for a happy surprise! Truffles are just thick chocolate ganache rolled into balls and chilled.
You can do so many things with ganache, which is made simply like this:
- Place chocolate disks, chips, or chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup.
- Gently heat cream in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate pieces, and let it sit for 2 minutes.
- Stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
There's only one difference between the poured chocolate ganache here, truffles, and the whipped chocolate ganache I love for frosting on a rich gluten free chocolate cake: the relative balance of chocolate to cream.
Here, we use 8 ounces of chocolate pieces, and 4 fluid ounces of heavy whipping cream. If you'd like a harder, more rigid chocolate layer, try reducing the cream to 3 1/2 fluid ounces.
How to make no bake peanut butter bars without graham crackers
Yes! This peanut butter bar recipe is made without graham crackers. Some recipes for no bake peanut butter bars call for adding crushed graham crackers to the peanut butter mixture.
The cookie crumbs are usually used to replace some peanut butter, and also add a bit of crunch to the otherwise smooth bars.
That style of no bake bar recipe takes more planning. Not everyone has gluten free graham cracker crumbs on hand!
This recipe has more peanut butter than the graham cracker variety, too, which means a richer nut butter flavor. The graham cracker style of bars doesn't usually use less confectioners' sugar, either.
Can you freeze no bake peanut butter bars?
Yes! These bars are best chilled, and they can be stored in the refrigerator or even in the freezer.
These peanut butter bars don't actually freeze completely solid, so they can even be enjoyed right out of the freezer. For the best texture, though, let them sit on the counter for 10 minutes after you take them out of the freezer.
Ingredient substitution suggestions
Dairy-free vegan bars
The only dairy in the peanut butter layer of these bars is from the butter. You can try using vegan butter (Miyoko's Kitchen and Melt brands are best).
I've made vegan no bake peanut butter bars using virgin coconut oil in place of butter in this recipe. Virgin coconut oil is the type that's solid at cool room temperature.
You can either skip the chocolate topping, or make it dairy free by using dairy-free chocolate and replacing the heavy whipping cream with canned coconut cream.
Almond butter no bake bars
Try using smooth almond butter in place of the smooth peanut butter in this recipe, and you'll have a recipe for no bake peanut butter bars without peanut butter! I really like Barney Butter brand almond butter.
If you can find a smooth, no-stir cashew butter, you can even make cashew butter no bake bars. No stir nut butter is just the kind of nut butter that has little to no oil separated on top of the jar when first opened.
I wouldn't recommend trying Sunbutter. It's simply too soft and drippy to set up.
No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
For the peanut butter layer
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter chopped
- 1 ¼ cups (273 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 ½ cups (385 g) smooth, no stir peanut butter
- 2 cups (230 g) confectioners’ sugar
For the chocolate ganache layer
- 8 ounces bittersweet dark or milk chocolate, chopped (or you can use chocolate chips)
- ½ cup (4 fluid ounces) heavy whipping cream
- Coarse salt for finishing (optional)
Instructions
For the peanut butter bar layer
- Line an 8-inch square baking pan with a nonstick aluminum foil or regular foil, greased with cooking oil spray. Set the pan aside.
- Place a small, heavy-bottom sauce pan on the stovetop and place the chopped butter in it. Melt the butter over medium-low heat.
- Reduce the heat to low, and add the brown sugar. Mix to combine and continue to stir as the brown sugar begins to melt into the butter.
- Add the peanut butter, and mix again to combine well. The mixture will be much thinner.
- Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool briefly.
- Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a large mixing bowl. Create a well in the center of the sugar with a mixing spoon.
- Add the melted peanut butter mixture to the bowl, and mix until well-combined.
- The mixture will be thick. Keep pressing down with the bowl of your mixing spoon to ensure all the confectioners’ sugar is absorbed.
- Scatter the peanut butter mixture evenly in clumps in the prepared baking pan. Using a spatula, press it down into an even layer.
- Cover the mixture with a small piece of unbleached parchment paper or plastic wrap. Press down evenly with your hands to create a single, even layer. Set the pan aside.
For the chocolate ganache layer
- Place the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips in a medium-sized, heat-safe bowl or Pyrex measuring cup.
- Bring the cream to a simmer over low heat on the stovetop (or in the microwave, on low power) and pour over the chocolate.
- Allow the mixture to sit for about 1 minute before stirring until smooth. The chocolate should melt fully.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the peanut butter layer in the pan, and bang the pan flat on the counter a few times to break any large air bubbles.
- Allow the chocolate ganache to set for about 5 minutes before sprinkling with the optional coarse salt.
- Chill the pan in the refrigerator until set, at least 2 hours.
- Using a sharp knife, slice into 9 larger or 12 smaller square bars and serve chilled.
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Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Cindy says
What have you changed about your website? To print a recipe now need to give my email to another company which will sell my information and send me all kinds of junk? No Thank You!
Nicole Hunn says
Cindy, you aren’t in any danger of anyone selling your information or sending you “all kinds of junk.” Grow is a service that allows you to save your favorites on my blog and on any other blog that runs the same service, and it allows my advertising management company to serve you more relevant advertisements. You won’t receive any more emails, as you’re already on my email list.
I’m afraid there’s no way for me to customize the window that asks you to sign up for Grow to print, so I can’t explain up front that you won’t receive any additional emails from me or anyone else if you sign up.
If you don’t want to add your email to Grow, you are welcome to browse the website, but you won’t be able to print my recipes which I provide to you free of charge. Thanks for your understanding.
Sharon says
I just made these. They are more like candy. It is just nice to have something fast and doesn’t need 10 things I don’t have. Our daughter and grandson are GF and they are coming for lunch. And I have a desert that all of us can have. If you think there is to much sugar in them, then don’t make them.
Nicole Hunn says
So glad you’re enjoying them, Sharon, and yes, the ease is one of their best selling points! Enjoy our grandchildren. :)
marilyn wilcox says
Yay! Can’t wait to get some milk chocolate to try this! I’m celiac and can’t use the graham crackers in other recipes. Saw a few complaints about the amount of sugar. Bet there are many other recipes they can choose to try! Thanks so much for this fun candy!!
Nicole Hunn says
Good point, Marilyn! There’s definitely a whole internet worth of other recipes. :) Hope you enjoy these for exactly what you said they are—candy!
Shelley Sherman says
Just made these today. Decadent! Just the extra special candy treat I need! Cut mine into 16 and that is a perfect size for me! Oh, and I used milk chocolate chips, because I’m just a milk chocolate kind of gal!
Nicole Hunn says
I think 16 pieces is probably much more reasonable, Shelley! These are, indeed, decadent. I see your milk chocolate love, and I respect it. :)
Ardys Zoellner says
Our daughter who is 33 and lives 1000 miles from us now, loves chocolate and loves peanut butter. I have plenty of recipes using both, but she has no oven at the moment so when I saw this recipe, as well as printing a copy for myself, I printed one for her and it is in my bag of goodies I’m taking her when we go visit tomorrow (pandemic willing). Thanks so much for all your great recipes.
Nicole Hunn says
How perfect, Ardys! This hits the sweet spot for her big time, then. I hope you get to visit her and everyone stays safe!
Sharon Grove says
I made these today. Quick & easy to put together & delicious. I used no-stir almond butter that did not contain salt so I added about 2 tsp of salt to balance the flavor. The bittersweet chocolate ganache was the perfect compliment & just what they needed. I only had lite coconut milk so I used a scant 1/4 cup & it was the correct consistency. Another great recipe. thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
That’s great to hear, Sharon! For the future, I never buy lite coconut milk, as it’s just regular coconut milk with added water. I don’t want to pay them for water! 🤣
Erin says
If I left a one-word review for this recipe, that word would be: Daaaaaaaaaang. Seriously, these are so, so good. Super decadent and indulgent, like a fancier, more delicious Reese Cup. I wasn’t sure how they would hold up at room temp but they kept their shape just fine. I can’t wait to make these for Christmas, I’ll sprinkle holiday nonpareils on to make them festive. Thank you for this keeper of a recipe!
Nicole Hunn says
Hahaha, Erin, I’m so glad you love them! And you can definitely dress them up for the holidays…
Emma says
Nicole, I’m not sure that calling a general comment “misplaced judgment” is entirely fair when all that did is express a preference for peanut-butter-cup-like bars that are less heavy on the sugar. I will be sure to keep my comments to myself from now on.
Nicole Hunn says
You called it a shame, Emma. You’re entitled to your preferences, as we all are.
Joni says
Thank you, Nicole! You’ve done it once again. A childhood recipe reformed for my gf/celiac life now. Can’t wait to make these for the next girl’s get together. Will have to try the recipe tonight, just to make sure (wink).
Nicole Hunn says
That’s awesome, Joni! Yes, it’s important to make the world safe for your friends. 😉
Emma says
Yikes, I second Deanne on the concern about the quantity of sugar. Three cups of sugar to just over one cup of peanut butter is practically candy, not a snack bar: it comes to 12 teaspoons of sugar per bar!
It’s a shame because I got so excited when I saw this new recipe! Anyway, I know this isn’t a health food blog and that’s not your thing, but thought I’d mention this by way of general reader feedback.
Thanks for everything you do!
Nicole Hunn says
Emma, this recipe is always essentially candy, whichever way you make it. It doesn’t pretend to be anything else—unless someone chooses to call it healthy by using unrefined sugars, which are still sugar. I imagine that, because this is a gluten free blog, there is often more criticism for the use of sugar. It’s not just not my thing. It’s actually misplaced judgment for a recipe that doesn’t call itself anything it isn’t.
Deanne says
OMG! I LOVE peanut butter and chocolate! Anything with those two ingredients is my favourite! However… I am concerned that this recipe has a total of 3 1/4 cups of sugar! That seems like overload to me. I’m not being snarky… I’m wondering if that much sugar is necessary for the integrity of the recipe and how I can reduce it. As I mentioned… I love peanut butter and chocolate… but not anything overly sweet. If I omit the confectioner’s sugar or reduce both sugars… is there something else I should add to keep the integrity of the bar? Thanks Nicole. I’m REALLY looking forward to finding a way to make this recipe work for me.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Deanne, yes, this is a sweet treat. I’m afraid you can’t use less sugar and have the recipe turn out at all. Along with peanut butter and butter, the sugars are the only ingredients. Yes, it’s necessary, or I wouldn’t have included it! I have other peanut butter recipes on the blog, and many also include chocolate. Please use the search function.
Vicki says
I made these at Christmas, and cut them into 64 squares, like I would fudge. If someone wants to eat 9 pieces at once, they can. But if you don’t want to have that much sugar, just eat one piece (or two) and let it go. They went over very well, loved by everyone. My DIL’s name for them was “Cubes of Addiction”!
Nicole Hunn says
Cubes of Addicition is hysterical, Vicki! They are very sweet, but indeed addictive.
Carolyn says
Unfortunately some folks are allergic to chocolate. I have not yet found bakers chocolate that is carob instead. Are usually have powder and chips in the house so having a substitute number would be wonderful
look forward to your answer
Nicole Hunn says
I’d recommend just leaving the ganache out, Carolyn. Unfortunately, I can’t cater to every potential allergy, try as I might!