Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars (No Bake!)

These Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars are the no-bake treat you can count on for a quick addition to your holiday cookie trays. Add flake sea salt for a salty-sweet treat.

This recipe is so easy, it feels like cheating. It’s one of those treats you can turn to in the most harried days of the Christmas hustle and bustle. In about 5 minutes you can have a weighty pan of candy made, and after a short chill in the fridge, they’re ready to be sliced up and packaged for gift giving.

You’re probably aware by now that I’m a HUGE fan of salty and sweet together, especially when peanut butter and chocolate are involved. I love Maldon flake sea salt on these bars, but fleur de sel or any other sea salt would be wonderful too. Or, if you’d rather keep things sweet, the salt can be omitted – but I urge you to think about it first. Or perhaps taste-test one lightly salted piece before adding it to the entire pan.

Maldon sea salt flakes are thin and lightly salty. It’s really perfect for this recipe. There’s also a smoked version that’s really special (gourmands, give it a try!).

How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars

Here’s a quick rundown – by the short instruction list, you’ll see how just easy it is!

Grease and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper or foil with two sides overhanging; butter the paper or foil generously.
In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine the butter and peanut butter. Microwave at full power for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or until melted. Blend together. Mix in crumbs, peanuts and sugar until the mixture is stiff. Press firmly into the prepared pan.
In a small bowl, combine chips, and shortening. Microwave at full power at 30 second intervals, until the chips and shortening are melted and can be stirred smooth. Pour over the peanut layer and smooth the chocolate evenly with an off-set spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 40 minutes.

All that’s left to do is let it set! I recommend chilling in the fridge to speed the process.

Cut into Squares

You can package the bars in cellophane bags tied with pretty ribbon, or place them  in cupcake liners and gift them in a pretty holiday tin. They’re potent, so I usually cut them no larger than 1×3-inches.

These Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars are so irresistible – perfect for the peanut butter cup lover in your life!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars (No Bake!)

Heather Baird
This is a quick and satisfying treat for the holidays. I make these each year at Christmastime and everybody loves them. Add them to giveaway cookie trays or package a few in cellophane bags for stocking stuffers. That said, they're good at any time of year!
The peanut butter portion of these bars is cookie-like, thanks to the addition of graham cracker crumbs to the batter. If you're short on time, buy graham cracker crumbs and chopped peanuts already prepared from the grocery store.
Rate This Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
30 minutes chill time 30 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 30

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening or solid coconut oil
  • Maldon flake salt optional

Instructions
 

  • Grease and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper or foil with two sides overhanging; butter the paper or foil generously.
  • In a 2 quart microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine the butter and peanut butter. Microwave at full power for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or until melted. Blend together. Mix in crumbs, peanuts and sugar until the mixture is stiff. Press firmly into the prepared pan.
  • In a small bowl, combine chips, and shortening. Microwave at full power at 30 second intervals, until the chips and shortening are melted and can be stirred smooth. Pour over the peanut layer and smooth the chocolate evenly with an off-set spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 40 minutes.
  • Lift the candy from the pan by the two overhanging parchment edges. Sprinkle the chocolate with two or three pinches of Maldon flake salt, if using. Cut the bars into pieces and store in a container that seals air-tight.

Notes

Stove-top directions: If you don’t have a microwave, then this candy may be prepared on the stove-top instead. Melt the butter and peanut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until smooth. Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a small saucepan over medium-low until smooth.
Keyword confectioners’ sugar, creamy peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, no bake cookie bars, no bake desserts
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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June Burns
June Burns
9 years ago

Oh my those look incredible! Salt makes everything better 🙂

Unknown
Unknown
9 years ago

Loving this recipe. So Pinned!

Unknown
Unknown
9 years ago

These look delicious! I'm also a huge fan of the peanut butter-chocolate combination!

Unknown
Unknown
9 years ago

These look delicious! I'm also a huge fan of the peanut butter-chocolate combination!

Ellie
Ellie
9 years ago

These look great and I plan to make them ASAP– one question: I have both "natural" creamy PB, which is 100 percent peanuts, and the far more delicious and completely unnatural creamy Jif PB. Which one do you recommend using?

Grace
Grace
9 years ago

I wonder the same as Ellie… if one could use all natural peanut butter, and omit the butter? This looks so simple and delicious!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
9 years ago

Hi Ellie and Grace! Both nut butters should work well. The oils in natural peanut butters tend to separate easily (which is why palm oil is so often used in traditional butters – no separation ) but I don't see that being a problem with this recipe. The graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar are absorbent and binding, so the bars should hold together well. They will perhaps have slightly less of a crumbly texture than bars made with tradition PB, but I think that's a good thing. My only tip – give the natural peanut butter a good stir… Read more »

Unknown
Unknown
9 years ago

Oh my, these look a bit like millionaire shortbread, but so so much better!

Nothing is better than peanut butter in my eyes, I'll definitely be trying this out! My boyfriend loves things like this two – extra Christmas present? I think so.

Hazel Jane xx

hazeljane.co.uk

Graham @ Glazed & Confused
Graham @ Glazed & Confused
9 years ago

There's really nothing better than chocolate and peanut butter. Especially with flakes of sea salt on top.
I know what I'll be making for Christmas!

Kerry @ Kerry Cooks
Kerry @ Kerry Cooks
9 years ago

Oof these look so good! Never thought to add crushed biscuit to the base before, genius idea

Maite Sweet Treats
Maite Sweet Treats
9 years ago

Delicious!! =)

Kierra
Kierra
9 years ago

These look great and my bf is gonna love them! I was wondering though, if I could omit the vegetable shortening or substitute it with something else?

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
9 years ago

Hi Kierra,

You can omit the shortening completely. The shortening helps prevent the chocolate chips from scorching in the microwave as it cooks, so you might want to reduce the microwave power by 50%. You could also melt it over low heat on the stove top while keeping a sharp eye on it.

Thanks for asking!

Eileen
Eileen
9 years ago

These sound so delicious and easy! (Even though we have no microwave. Time to break out the double boiler!) They may have to make an appearance at my holiday cookie swap later this month….

Angelyn
Angelyn
9 years ago

these look so delicious!!

Unknown
Unknown
9 years ago

This year I decided to give homemade gifts to friends this Christmas, and I've been looking for a great and easy recipe for chocolate candy. I think I found it; these look amazing and I'm sure taste great, I just love the chocolate, peanut butter, salt combination! I usually make my own peanut butter; it's so easy, natural and cheap! I was wondering if could I use my own homemade peanut butter in this recipe. Mind you that I have to refrigerate the peanut butter when I make it, and if I use it with these candies would it be… Read more »

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
9 years ago

Hi Markella,

Using homemade peanut butter should yield the same results as using store-bought natural peanut butter – unless, for some reason, your recipe homemade recipe contains a lot of oil. In that case, you'd need to add more graham cracker crumbs to help the peanut butter layer bind. The bars will keep for up to a week stored in an air-tight container at room temperature. They'll keep slightly longer if refrigerated.

Mellybrown
Mellybrown
9 years ago

Definitely making these. I spy a 1, 2 and now 3 … how many delicious treats can we expect??? 🙂 Also looking forward to see what kind of gingerbread house you will do this year.

Tracy | Pale Yellow
Tracy | Pale Yellow
9 years ago

Love the giant flakes of sea salt on top, the perfect balance!

Bryant
Bryant
9 years ago

Hi ,
These look amazing, i'm definitely going to try this.
But I was looking at the recipe, do i really use 2 cups of Graham crumbs should be like 170grams, or did you really use 90 grams ( i guess the weight of un-crushed crackers)
Thank you so much for all your effort.
Bryant

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
9 years ago

Hi Bryant – Thank you for bringing this to my attention! 90 grams is a typo – it should be double that – around 180 (according to my scale). I know 2 cups of graham crumbs sounds like a lot, but it makes the mixture thick and packable. The peanut butter portion is almost cookie like and crumbles slightly between the teeth.

-h

Medeja- CranberryJam
Medeja- CranberryJam
9 years ago

Perfect treat for me! 😀 thanks for sharing 🙂

Ellie
Ellie
9 years ago

Follow-up: I made these using natural peanut butter and it worked out really well. Thanks!

kelsey_the farmer's daughter
kelsey_the farmer's daughter
8 years ago

These look so so GOOD!!! I'm all about the salty-sweet combo, and these are now on my "to-make" list! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous
Anonymous
8 years ago

SHORTENING AS IN OIL……OR SOLID CRISCO!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
8 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

Solid like Crisco.

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

Look fabulous. My grown up daughter asked me to make these for Christmas when she comes home. One question: do you recommend salted or unsalted peanuts? Thank you kindly.

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
6 years ago
Reply to  Anonymous

I love these with salted peanuts. If your daughter loves salty-sweet then I recommend salted!

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