This easy, no bake peanut butter bars recipe is the answer to your Chocolate and Peanut Butter craving! Buckeye Bars are decadent bites of candy that melt in your mouth!
Love chocolate and peanut butter? Be sure to try our fudgy peanut butter brownies! Or give our chocolate chip peanut butter bars recipe a try next!
Why this Recipe is Best
If you are a true lover of Chocolate and Peanut Butter then this recipe is made for you!
If you LOVE buckeyes, today’s recipe is even better.
Yes you heard me. Better because it’s EASIER. And who doesn’t love easy dessert recipes? Especially our delicious chocolate peanut butter pie!
- Tastes like a Reese’s peanut butter cup.
- Easy no bake dessert!
- Chocolate and peanut butter in every bite.
- Great for a crowd!
Next time you’re craving chocolate and peanut butter, you’ll want to add our peanut butter brownies to your list next!
Ingredient Notes
Five ingredients are all you need to make these easy no bake peanut butter bars.
- Butter- Either salted or unsalted butter will work great in today’s recipe. Avoid margarine as it can be too watery. You’ll need some for both layers!
- Powdered Sugar- Use this to sweeten the peanut butter mixture. Avoid granulated sugar because you don’t want it grainy.
- Peanut Butter- We prefer using a shelf stable peanut butter, like Skippy or Jif. Natural peanut butters can be too oily.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar- semi-sweet morsels can be used instead.
PRO TIP- We love making our own homemade vanilla extract, but if using store bought, be sure it’s pure extract, not imitation (for best flavor).
I’ve seen other recipes that use graham crackers crushed into the bar, and while I’m sure that is delicious, this recipe has no graham cracker crumbs.
How to make Peanut Butter Bars
Buckeye bars taste just like a Reese’s peanut butter cup. And making a whole batch will ensure that you have plenty for days to come.
What’s so great about them is that you can whip them up in no time. Unlike buckeyes, there’s no rolling and dipping!
- Peanut Butter layer- melt butter and mix with powdered sugar and peanut butter.
- Press into pan- Be sure to line your pan with foil or parchment paper. This makes it easy to lift out and cut into bars.
- Ganache- make a chocolate ganache to pour over the top. Whether you use our original recipe with heavy cream, or this easy chocolate and butter version, both are incredible.
Tips and Tricks
- AVOID THE CRACKING. If you don’t want your chocolate to “crack” when cutting your bars, don’t refrigerate these bars. Cut them as soon as the chocolate sets (about 30 minutes room temperature).
- Use ghirardelli melting wafers in place of the chocolate chips for easy melting and delicious flavor.
- Store in airtight container for up to one week.
If you’re looking for more peanut butter treats…have you made these Buckeye Brownies yet? They are calling my name!
You could also give these easy, no bake Peanut Butter Smores Bars a try! Ready in 15 minutes, and only 4 ingredients!
More Easy Candy Bar Recipes
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs
- Three Musketeers Recipe
- Buckeye Brownie Cookies
- Tiger Butter
- Avalanche Krispie Treats
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section below!
Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 bars ghirardelli semisweet chocolate 4 ounces each
- 1 Tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Line a 13×9 inch baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat 3/4 cup melted butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter and vanilla extract together. Mixture will come together into a “dough.” Using your hands, press into the bottom of the 13×9 dish.
- In a microwave bowl, combined chocolate bars (broken into pieces) with 1 tablespoon butter. Heat for 30 second intervals, stirring until chocolate is smooth (mine took about 1 1/2 minutes).
- Spread evenly over top of peanut butter layer.
- Allow chocolate to set before cutting.
- Store in airtight container at room temperature. ENJOY.
Notes
- Chocolate. I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate bars for the top layer. The chocolate melts so smooth, and tastes amazing. The Ghirardelli melting wafers work well too!
- AVOID THE CRACKING. If you don’t want your chocolate to “crack” when cutting your bars, don’t refrigerate these bars. Cut them as soon as the chocolate sets (about 30 minutes room temperature).
- Storage. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Hi seen your recipe on Facebook and in the video it looks like you used chocolate chips but it isn’t listed in the ingredients?
Normally I use the Ghirardelli Chocolate bars like in the recipe, but when I made the video I didn’t have those on hand so I used chocolate chips. 16oz semi sweet morsels 🙂
Sorry I hit wrong key. My question was about making these without butter as I cannot have any daily products.
We use earth balance. Or whatever.
I can’t eat anything dairy so wonder if the could be made without butter.
Can you use dark chocolate chips instead of bars?
My peanut butter part seemed to soft,chocalate melted as soon as you touched it.would have liked it to be firm.
Going to try this. Should the pan be chilled before covering with the chocolate? I normally would chill the balls before dipping.
They don’t have to be. I’ve done it both ways.
LOL..as an Ohioan..you betcha I would call these Buckeye Bars and not snub my nose at them!! So much faster then rolling and dipping-Yea!! I do have a question though…I would make Buckeye Balls for Christmas starting end of November and keep cool and in covered containers and they would be fine till Christmastime…
Have you found the same to be true with the bars–just asking as the PB isnt encased in chocoate as balls are?? thanks in advance for your response!
They definitely seem to dry out faster. But if keep them stored in an airtight container (I would keep them UNCUT), they should be fine now until Christmas!
How much chocolate? I’m using chocolate chips and guessing 16oz? But it says bar…so maybe it’s supposed to be 1 chocolate bar? = /
Made
So easy and so good. Family loves them too.
Could you use chocolate chips instead of the candy bars? If so how many cups would you use? I have the chocolate chips on hand……thanks!
These do look and sound delicious, but aren’t they only a “Buckeye” because of their distinctive shape (shaped to look like the buckeye nut from the tree of the same name); without that shape it’s just another peanut butter cup wanna-be. I doubt that any Ohioan would call these a Buckeye, even if they are delicious.
Having lived in Ohio for 8 years, I’m pretty sure none of my neighbors complained when I brought them a plate of these “buckeye bars.” After all, it’s just a name. And they taste EXACTLY like the traditional treat, only in a “bar form.” Making it easier for many people to enjoy!
I was trying to find inspiration for dinner, but saw this instead and now this is all I want. Hey, peanut butter is good for you so this could count as dinner, right?
I totally put a stamp of approval on this idea, haha!!!
Hi! Could these be made with peanuts instead of peanut butter? Because it’s kind of expensive here in Croatia. Regards!
For us poor fools on the other side of the water is powdered suger what we call icing sugar and do you know what the english eGhirardelli bar is please…
You know these have my name written all, over. them. And I’m not sharing with anyone 😉
OMG! I’m already craving these! Peanutbutter and chocolate are my akillesheal.. Maybe I’ll make these on Satursday with a heavy red wine. Yum!
/F
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Love this! Looks so delicious 🙂
I have become quite the lazy baker when it comes to truffles and candies lately…bars all the way!!! And these peanut butter chocolate wonders would totally not last the day in my house! Love that you remade them to have more chocolate!!!
I love Reese’s and buckeyes so really I’m obsessed with these bars either way!! and SUCH a genius idea to make them bars to save yourself on time!!