The classic no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are one of my favorite recipes to make….especially if I am bringing a dessert to feed a large group. Classic chocolate peanut butter bars have a graham cracker, powdered sugar and peanut butter base, with a layer of chocolate on top. Like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup…but in bar form. Instead of the classic recipe, today I am sharing with you my outrageous version of these bars. If you are a lover of chocolate and peanut butter, then this is a recipe you will definitely want to pin for later!
One of my first posts here on the blog were my Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, which are basically Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars, but I made them into huge peanut butter cups. Because a huge peanut butter cup is always a good idea. And you know what else is a good idea? Taking a classic recipe and making it OUTRAGEOUS!
Today’s recipe came about because I needed to clean out some odds and ends in my pantry and, honestly, they are just so super easy to make! All you need is a bowl, all the ingredients (umm duh) and a microwave.
As much as I wanted to make these bars (because they had been a thought in my mind for a few weeks), I really wanted to bake something. But it has been over 100-degrees here. Like 110-degrees. I just can’t justify turning on the oven ((((heavy sigh)))). But it’s all good, because I made these bars and they are pretty damn amazing. And I did it without heating my house up #forthewin!
Okay. You ready?! Start with the peanut butter layer. I used Nilla Wafer cookie crumbs instead of graham crackers in the peanut butter layer. Soooooo yummy. Wait….what are those Peanut Butter Patties doing there?
Oh yeah. Smoosh those cookies right into that peanut butter layer! If you don’t have leftover Girl Scout cookies, you could use Nutter Butter cookies or anything similar to peanut butter patties.
Now for the Peanut Butter M&M’s. Let’s just ignore the fact that it is the middle of Summer and I am using Valentine’s Day colored M&M’s. Remember when I said I was cleaning out the pantry?! Well smoosh those M&M’s into that peanut butter layer! You can use any variety of M&M you like too.
After you pop that into the refrigerator to chill for 15-minutes, you make the chocolate layer and spread it on top. Why is the topping so bumpy? Because I added Rice Krispies to the chocolate!! The chocolate layer alone tastes like a Crunch bar!!
Chill that slab of outrageous deliciousness before cutting into it.
Recipe time!!
Outrageous Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Print RecipeIngredients
- PEANUT BUTTER LAYER:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used Ballard Extracts Chocolate Extract)
- 3-3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2/3 cups Nilla Wafer cookie crumbs (or graham crackers crumbs)
- COOKIE-CANDY LAYER:
- 15 peanut butter patties (or Nutter Butters or similar store-bought cookie), left whole
- 1 cup M&M's (I used Peanut Butter M&M's)
- CRISPY CHOCOLATE LAYER:
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup rice krispies cereal
Instructions
PREPARE PEANUT BUTTER LAYER:
Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, melt the butter completely in the microwave. Add the peanut butter into the melted butter and stir. Add the vanilla extract to the bowl. Add the powdered sugar to the butter, stirring the sugar in, one cup at a time, fully incorporating the sugar before adding the next cup of powdered sugar. After all of the sugar has been stirred in, add the cookie crumbs to the mixture, stirring until the crumbs are well incorporated in the mixture.
Pour the mixture out into prepared baking pan, evenly spreading the peanut butter layer out in the pan. Add the cookie and candy layer.
COOKIE-CANDY LAYER:
Evenly place 15 whole cookies across the peanut butter layer and gently press the cookies firmly in the peanut butter. Add the M&M's onto the peanut butter layer, evenly covering the peanut butter not covered by cookie. Place pan in the refrigerator for 15-minutes to chill.
CRISPY CHOCOLATE LAYER:
After the peanut butter layer has chilled, prepare the chocolate layer. In a microwaveable safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave the chocolate in intervals, stopping every 20-seconds to stir the mixture. Be careful not to scorch your chocolate. My chocolate took a little over 90-seconds to melt. Once the chocolate has melted completely, remove from the microwave. Add the rice krispies cereal to the chocolate.
Remove the pan from the refrigerator and top with the crispy chocolate layer. Spread the chocolate evenly, covering the peanut butter layer.
Place pan back in the refrigerator for chocolate to set. Once the chocolate has set, cut into desired sized squares.
Notes
Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bars stay fresh for several days.
Look at those layers….you have that peanut butter layer, with the peanut butter patties and M&M’s, and then the crispy chocolate layer on top.
Do you love no bake Peanut Butter Bars as much as I do?? They are seriously my weakness. I can’t keep these in the house due to my lack of self-control around them hehehe. Make these bars….share this post on FB…pin it for later! The people you make these for will thank you with chocolatey kisses.
XOXO,
Kelly
If you would like to purchase the Ballard Extracts Chocolate Extract from Foodlyn, click HERE 🙂
PS: I have linked this recipe up at the following link parties: Meal Plan Monday, PinJunkie, Pretty Pintastic Party, Sugar and Spice, Weekend Potluck.
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18 Comments
Amy
July 11, 2017 at 7:21 AMThose M&M’s are the cherry on the cake, awesome recipe Kelly!
Kelly
July 12, 2017 at 6:31 AMThanks Amy! You can never go wrong with adding M&M’s to anything, right?! XOXO 🙂
Deepika | TheLoveOfCakes
July 11, 2017 at 9:20 AMOutrageous is just the perfect word for these drool worthy bars😬 Too good!
Kelly
July 12, 2017 at 6:33 AMHehehehe thanks Deepika!! I was stumped on what to call these, but figured “outrageous” pretty much summed it up 🙂 XOXO
Maria Doss
July 11, 2017 at 12:13 PMWhoa!!! Peanut overload…wish these bars where in my hand right now:)
Kelly
July 12, 2017 at 6:34 AMMe too Maria!! I need to make another batch of these ASAP! Hehehehe. XOXO 🙂
Lindsay | With Salt and Pepper
July 11, 2017 at 3:14 PMGirl!!! Those layers tho! I’m completely on board with the Valentine’s Day M & M’s btw. 😉
Kelly
July 12, 2017 at 6:35 AMHahahah thanks! Yeah who has leftover Valentine’s Day candy in July? And Girl Scout cookies?? Hahahaha. Cleaning out the back of the pantry and it was the best idea ever 🙂 XOXO
Katherine | Love In My Oven
July 11, 2017 at 8:59 PMWho doesn’t love chocolate and peanut butter together!? This is so amazing that you can make this without turning on the oven!!
Kelly
July 12, 2017 at 6:36 AMTotally Katherine! It has been so hot here, I haven’t really been wanting to turn the oven on, but these bars are super amazing without having to heat up the house! And chocolate and peanut butter is probably my favorite combo ever! XOXO 🙂
Ashika | Gardening Foodie
July 11, 2017 at 11:22 PMLove no bake desserts….and I would consider my two boys and hubby a large group, because they would gulp these down in a few minutes.😁Peanut butter and chocolate make an absolutely heavenly combination.
Great recipe… love it.😃
Kelly
July 12, 2017 at 6:38 AMThanks Ashika! These bars disappeared QUICKLY hehehe. I brought them into work and one of the sergeants came and found me and gave me a hug for making them. That’s how good they are! XOXO 🙂
Allison
July 14, 2017 at 3:58 PMOh my goddess, those look sinfully delicious. I would have to make them for a party… if I just had them around the house, I would eat all of them!
Kelly
July 14, 2017 at 4:33 PMHehehe yesssss…definitely perfect for a party! I couldn’t leave them in my house or I would have eaten them all too 🙂 XOXO
Amy
July 24, 2017 at 9:18 AMI believe that your title outrageous is accurate. These chocolate peanut butter bars sound fantastic.
Kelly
July 24, 2017 at 11:58 AMHehehe thanks Amy…it was the only way to describe them!! And they are yummy! XOXO 🙂
Janice Thomas
December 5, 2017 at 7:18 AMNext Level!!!!! Celebrate365 Cookie Exchange Blog Party is forever grateful you linked this one up!!!!
Kelly
December 6, 2017 at 5:53 AMThanks Janice! These are probably one of my most FAVORITE desserts! Thanks for hosting such a fun party!