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5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars.

5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars | halfbakedharvest.com #chocolate #dessert #healthy

It’s been far too long since we talked about chocolate.

I mean, a good three weeks, which as you guys know, is a very long time for me. I just got so very excited with all the spring strawberries. Plus I’ve also tried to make a point to focus a bit more on easy dinner recipes for you guys. But in doing this, my chocolate desserts got pushed to the side for a minute. Don’t worry, they’re back and I am so happy about it.

What am I also happy about? The fact that it is Friday! That’s obvious though, huh? To be honest, Friday’s are just like any other day for me. I normally always work on the weekends, so I don’t see Friday the same way I did when I was in school. When I was in school, Friday was my favorite day of the week. Come three o’clock on a Friday afternoon I was the happiest kid in the room. I had two nights off from worrying about the following school day, and two days to do whatever I wanted. It was the best feeling. Take me back to those days?!

Haha. Not really, I wouldn’t want to go back because I’m loving where I’m at in life right now, but I guess the point is that weekends are not the same as they were six years ago (…oh my gosh I am getting old). All this said, I was talking with my mom this week and telling her that I always tell myself I’ll take an hour on Friday or Saturday to do something fun, but in the end I just feel guilty for not working, and instead come up with more work to do. Does anyone else experience this? Work guilt? I should note that I do have a really hard time just sitting and chilling. Like it’s not in my make up to naturally do that, but slowly and surely, I’m working to incorporate a bit more “chill” time into my life. Baby steps.

Anyway, I’m still excited it’s Friday. I’m looking forward to hopefully a little bit of down time, and of course making chocolatey treats, because in my opinion, no weekend is complete without chocolate.

5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars | halfbakedharvest.com #chocolate #dessert #healthy

5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars | halfbakedharvest.com #chocolate #dessert #healthy

5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars | halfbakedharvest.com #chocolate #dessert #healthy

5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars | halfbakedharvest.com #chocolate #dessert #healthy

Which brings me to these bars. Finally.

Currently, I am all about creating a slightly healthy…ish dessert, cutting back on processed sugar, and using the best ingredients possible. I mean, I’m not doing this always, but when I can, it’s certainly an added bonus to not feel an ounce of guilt while eating chocolate…not that we really ever do around here. Mom always said, if you’re gonna eat it, just enjoy it and then go for a walk later.

Got to love Jenny, aka Mom.

5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars | halfbakedharvest.com #chocolate #dessert #healthy 5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars | halfbakedharvest.com #chocolate #dessert #healthy

Here’s the breakdown on these bars.

They are vegan, gluten free, loaded with protein, packed with antioxidant rich dates (which no one would ever guess), full of good for us fiber, and covered in chocolate, which you know is just good for our sanity. These also happen to be no-bake and for the most part, pretty quick and simple to make. You will need a food processor to really blend the dates and peanut butter together and create the most deliciously sweet dough. From there, you’ll press dough into a pan and sprinkle brown rice krispies overtop. Next, chill the bars really, really well. I cannot stress this step enough. If the bars are not frozen, they will be zero fun to cover in chocolate, so be sure to allow time for the bars to chill. Then generously cover in chocolate and done.

Five ingredients, very simple, healthy..ish, and so delicious. Could you ask for a better Friday treat?!

I think of these bar as a cross between a peanut butter cup and a snickers bar. They have the creaminess of a peanut butter cup, but they’re also a little crunchy like a Snickers bar. It’s the perfect combo, and it’s SO GOOD.

Also, depending on how you look at these things, these bars could easily be considered the perfect before or after workout snack. Hello protein…okay, okay…and chocolate, but hey, chocolate has it’s benefits too (go with the dark).

Hope you all have a great weekend. See ya Sunday!

5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars | halfbakedharvest.com #chocolate #dessert #healthy

5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 16 bars
Calories Per Serving: 196 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Line an 8x8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper. 
    2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the peanut butter, dates, and vanilla. Pulse until well combined and the dough clumps together easily. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the rice krispies over top, gently pressing them into the peanut mix to adhere. Transfer to the freezer and freeze until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
    3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Let cool 10 minutes.
    4. Cut into 16 bars, shaking off any excess rice krispies that are not sticking. Cover in chocolate and top as desired, with peanuts or more rice krispies. It's easiest if the bars are very cold when doing this step. Let the chocolate set up, about 10 minutes. Keep stored in the fridge. 

Notes

*Alternately, you can stir the rice krispies into the peanut mixture instead of just having them as the top layer.
*It is very important that the bars are well chilled before trying to work with them or they will fall apart. The chocolate is what helps them keep their shape.
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5 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crunch Bars | halfbakedharvest.com #chocolate #dessert #healthy

Nothing but deliciousness.

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Comments

  1. Substituted crushed peanuts for the rice krispies (so I didn’t have to run to the store) and added a little espresso powder to the chocolate with some flakey salt on a few. Delicious!! Thank you Tieghen!

  2. Hi! I like your content. Can you add the protein content of your recipe. This is beneficial for gym enthusiast like I do. I’m sure a lot of people would love that. Thank you very much for sharing.

    Lucie Leone

    1. Hi Chaya,
      Thanks for giving this recipe a try! Did you gently press them into the peanut butter mixture? That should help them to stick! Let me know! xT

  3. 5 stars
    Loved these! My son got a gryffindor spatula as a gift and needed to rest it out, and this seemed like the perfect recipe! He opted for the alternative method of mixing everything together, and then just coated the top with the chocolate. They were so Good! Next time he’ll try forming them in to balls, instead of bars. Thanks for another great recipe!

    1. Hi Phil! I am so sorry but I do not calculate the nutritional information for my recipes. I just try to use wholesome ingredients. I find that online calculators work great, though! I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions!

  4. 5 stars
    I love chocolate more than all the other people in this world! I saw the photos and I want to make this recipe. Too bad I do not have the ingredients… But I’ll buy tomorrow!

  5. Oh my goodness these look delicious Tieghan!! Can’t wait to try the recipe. Always makes me super happy to see great date recipes too! 😉

  6. ‘No weekend is complete without chocolate’ – surely no day is complete without chocolate!!! Have a good one, thanks for all the yummyness 🙂

  7. 5 stars
    Another amazing recipe!! We’re on our second batch already!!! It’s right up there with your Crunchy Oats ‘n’ Honey Bars.
    Last night I made your Farmhouse Chedder and Angel Hair Frittata. Perfect comfort food and so easy. My 14 year old said that when she heads off to college she’s taking your cookbook with. We both adore you and your recipes. Keep up the good work!!!

    1. Ah I am so glad you loved these! Thank you so much Kathleen! I hope you continue to love my recipes on the blog and in the book!