Name: Best Ever No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2-1/2 cups granulated sugar; 3/4 cups butter; 3/4 cups 2% milk; 1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter; 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 4-1/2 cup oats (quick cooking or old-fashioned, either will work); 12 ounces (2 cups) Semi-sweet chocolate chips

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Who doesn’t love a good cookie? As kids, most of us would have traded the chance at money for a sweet bite. As adults, they are a well-deserved indulgence. When I asked my wife what she wanted for her birthday this year her answer was simple. She didn’t even hesitate in saying, “I want no-bake cookies. That’s all I want.”

And that, my friends, is exactly what she got.

Knowing that no-bake cookies were to be the vehicle, the next step was choosing a flavor. In my case, this was pretty simple. My wife is more than just a little partial to all things peanut butter, so I set out to find a great no-bake peanut butter cookie recipe.

I found it. Then I made it better. A lot better. Because chocolate makes everything better.

The recipe that inspired this one was incredibly well received at allrecipes.com. The comments were positive and offered helpful insight on changes that could be made, but one comment, in particular, caught my eye.

This recipe could definitely could use some alterations! 2 1/2 cups of sugar is sufficient. …

My wife is not fond of ultra sweet treats, nor am I, so that comment was taken to heart. I backed off the sugar as suggested and was greeted with lovely semi-sweet, nutty, buttery, chocolate peanut butter bars that may just be the only no-bake cookie I ever make for the rest of my life. Yes, they are that good. But the chocolate puts them over the top

What I present here is the accidental achievement of what is quite possibly the ultimate no-bake confection. They were a hit with all in our family, who quickly polished all 48 of them off and then asked for more. I’m sure that you and yours will enjoy them as well, so make a batch for your loved ones as soon as you can. You’ll be glad you did, I promise.

24 bars

Best Ever No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cups butter
3/4 cups 2% milk
1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4-1/2 cup oats (quick cooking or old-fashioned, either will work)
12 ounces (2 cups) Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Combine sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a full boil and boil for a full minute, stirring often.
Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and vanilla and stir until fully incorporated. Add oats and stir until mix begins to cool. (If using old-fashioned oats, stir to combine and allow to sit in the pot for 5 minutes before continuing.)
Spread mixture evenly into a parchment or wax-paper-lined sheet pan and set aside until firm (about 1 hour).
Melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water or in the microwave. Pour chocolate over the peanut butter cookies and spread smooth. Refrigerate until set. (about 1/2 hour, but overnight works well.)
Cut into 2-inch squares. Store in layers separated with parchment paper in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.
Share and Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 372Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 154mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 3gSugar: 30gProtein: 7g

What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:

I’m not really sure if these can be improved by much, but I may try adding a layer of caramel between the peanut butter and the chocolate

Links to other recipes like this:

No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies III, from Cindy Carnes on allrecipes.com
No-Bake Cookies, from The Brown Eyed Baker
No Bake Cookies, from eat bake read

10 Comments

kellypea on February 10, 2011 at 2:23 am

Well these sound heavenly — especially with the reduced sugar. Nice job.

Jerry on February 10, 2011 at 7:14 pm
They’re nummy. Very nummy
Reply

D Man on February 10, 2011 at 5:13 pm

This is similar to the classic chocolate/oatmeal no-bakes–I love peanut butter also, so I will definitely have to try this recipe out!

Jerry on February 10, 2011 at 7:15 pm
I think most are very similar. It’s a matter of ratios that make one better than another. This recipe just happens to get everything right.
Reply

Chris on February 11, 2011 at 3:04 am

Okay, they were sounding heavenly till I read your comment at the end about putting a layer of carmel between the chocolate and peanut butter…that’s just devilishly decadent!

Lisa@ButteryBooks on February 20, 2011 at 12:24 am

This sounds so good. My sister-in-law is famous for her chocolate peanut butter bars. I am going to bring this to our next family get together and have a good old-fashioned show down.

Sammie on February 23, 2011 at 1:22 pm

These sound really similar to my favorite childhood treat except instead of oats I use rice krispies and the mixture on top is chocolate and butterscotch- YUM! I like the idea of oats instead of rice krispies- I just might have to try that with my own recipe.

Angela on February 26, 2011 at 11:59 pm

Hi! I have really been enjoying your blog, so I added you to my list of “foodie blog shoutouts” on my own blog! I have a great group of dedicated readers that really enjoy the recipes I post, but I can’t possibly link all of the ones you have that make my mouth water. If you have a page of other blogs you enjoy, I’d love to be on it (if you enjoy my blog as well). Thanks again for the wonderful recipes!

http://reluctantwwfoodie.wordpress.com/foodie-blog-shoutouts/

Janean Longeville on March 8, 2011 at 9:14 pm

Excellent! My 18 year old son is my critique……….he snagged a bowl of them to take to his latest gathering…………

Janet on March 20, 2011 at 10:26 pm

I am definitely adding this recipe (which I just tried and LOVED) to my arsenal of killer cookies! Reducing the sugar is a good move as too much can make a cookie immediately but by the third bite starts to dull your senses! Keep the sugar under control and people will come back time and again. Thanks!